I’ve recently gone back to work. Now, the job I’ve acquired is fairly coveted and legally quite unique. Much like medicine, it has major legal implications as well as deadlines. So, when approaching the lovely subject of pumping breastmilk. It can be, how should I say it… A GIANT BITCH. Now, my supervisors are understanding and helpful when it comes to the necessity of having to pump, and all of the co-workers I’ve encountered have been either very understanding and/or unconcerned. Unfortunately, all those nice realities don’t really mitigate these truths:
A) OMG PUMPING REQUIRES SO MUCH EFFORT AND DISCOMFORT
B) WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT, EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT
C) I HAVE TO WASH STUFF SO OFTEN AND I’M SO LAZY
D) A TINY MACHINE ATTACKS MY NIPPLES AT REGULAR INTERVALS AND IT TAKES SO. MUCH. TIME.
E) Because of the nature of my work, after a certain point in the day, breaks aren’t really an option, so the tail end of my work day does in fact get difficult and irregular. Going sometimes as much as 7 hours without being able to pump.
Luckily, it’s timed in such a way that it lands largely in the space of time where My milk production is usually lowest, so I can make it from my lunch break to my driving home pump session with relative ease.
But, the long and short of this post is a sincere message to all those women who pump at work (especially hard labor jobs that are time sensitive):
YOU ARE DOING A REALLY HARD THING AND YOU SHOULD BE PROUD. Because it can be painful, scary, embarrassing, and insanely inconvenient. Way to fucking go.
Judgemental Diapers 