Networking

For most of us, we enjoy talking about our babies and about the process of breastfeeding. In fact, if we aren't careful we can end up being downright boring to those who either aren't lactating or aren't nearly as fascinated by our children as we are. I have made a big effort to be aware of the fact that as much as I love Abigail and love discussing her that not everyone will be as intrigued by her as I am. So I hit a bit of a motherlode (so to speak) the other day when another woman on my floor at work returned to the office after ten weeks of maternity leave. She is now breastfeeding her second child (and second girl) and I ran into her in the kitchen when she was doing what else...cleaning her pump parts!
Now because of when I started my current job, she had never seen me in a non-pregnant state so that was the first thing to get over, but then naturally we started talking about our girls and even more so about the logistics of pumping at work. We do not have a lactation room, but almost everyone has a private office and we have good kitchen facilities that are well maintained so overlap a breastfeeding mama is in good stead here. I assumed because this was not only her second child, but her second round of breastfeeding that she would be old hat and dispensing fabulous tidbits.
As it turns out, I had the opportunity to be something of a resource. We discussed prolactin levels and getting in more pumping early in the day. We discussed fenugreek if her supply really did end up becoming a problem. We even discussed how to create a hands-free pumping system and I sent along the links for the Easy Expressions bra (which I haven't bought, but had heard good things about) and the link from kellymom.com about creating a "poor woman's" hands-free system using hair ties (this I still currently use and it works reasonably well). We even discussed how to deal with cats who have taken to soiling the carpet appparently in response to the new "invader".
Then when I saw her a few days later she exclaimed' "You've been my inspiration. I took my pump home over the weekend and have been able to add a few more bags to my freezer stash." I was both taken aback and completely humbled. All I have wanted to do is get as much information as I can for myself so that I can feed my daughter as effectively as possible. I feel like I am accomplishing that goal because she is not only thriving but at five months, she is now weighing in at 18 pounds, 6 ounces. And here was a whole other mother, an experienced breastfeeder at that, saying that I had given her something to think about.
It speaks to how powerful it is when we reach out and give voice to our experiences. Behind how many office doors in America are women working not just on their reports and their conference calls but also to feed their babies? If we give a voice to the practice of routinely pumping, if we make it assumed that this will be part of our work life for at least several months, think about the power we would have. And apparently, I had done something good for her, but she had more than returned the favor by letting me know the impact. That makes me proud of not just what I am doing for Abigail but what efforts like this blog may do for other women.
So whether you are happily or reluctantly strapping into your flanges today, remember that there are more of us out there than you are probably aware of. I would love to have a "pump in" in the workplaces across America, have every woman who is pumping sit down one day, all at the same time, and do it together. Businesses wouldn't be able to operate without our hard work and how great a demonstration of our strength than by acknowledging the balance between our jobs and our babies.