Lactating. Nursing. Milk producing. Not my favorite thing but I love my babies and I do it because I honestly believe it's the best thing I could possibly do for them. Plus formula costs more than my car is worth. But, I HATE nursing. You leak. You smell. Your breasts have flying saucer shaped nursing pads so it looks like they are trying to take off. You are a walking food processor. Your child doesn't see you they see dinner. Need I go on.
As my due date with Aiden fast approached, I knew that I would continue to work. I am happier and my children are happier when I am NOT a stay at home mom. Working isn't easy. I miss things that I wish I didn't have to. I want to be home and spend all day reading with them, playing with them, snuggling and lavishing all the love I feel on them. But, I enjoy working and the adult conversation that goes along with it and it's important that I have something that does not revolve around a little person and the things that go into and come out of their bodies.
With that said, I knew that I was going to have to figure out a way to nurse and work. I already had a pump as we'd bought it with my first child Ryan. So that was taken care of. Now I had to figure out the where. My employer had a bathroom set up as their only area for pumping. I don't know about you but I don't eat in the bathroom, so I'm sure as heck not going to be pumping my tiny infants only source of nutrition in an area where less than 16 inches from me someone can go poo. Ewww.
Serendipity. I heard an ad on the radio for the Breastfeeding Coalition of Utah. http://www.utahbreastfeeding.org They were offering a $300 grant to small employers who were willing to setup a lactation room for working mothers. Awesome. I filled out the application and less than a week later it was approved and I had a check in hand. Wow, I wish I could get that kind of service anywhere. It was almost time for my maternity leave to end, I needed somewhere to pump now.
So now for the hard part. Actually designating a room and getting it fitted for my needs. Weeks go by. Nothing happens. I've decided to designate my own room. I'm pumping in a conference room with the lights out and my back to the doorway. I've posted a sign on the very large open window that reads, "IN USE." Apparently, this serves as an invitation to the curious. A new sign is posted. "In Use. Privacy please. The lights are out for privacy reasons. Please do not press your face against the glass and look in."
Either the new sign worked or the face pressed against the glass went screaming to IT. Because suddenly IT realizes what is going on in that room. Privacy blinds go up; a fridge appears and my little conference room has a name.
Boobyland.
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