Breast friends

To all the women out there breastfeeding on maternity leave, this post is for you. I know how scary a double electric pump can be. All the parts and attachments can be intimidating. You might even be thinking about giving up breastfeeding once you go back to work, because the thought overwhelms you. I'm here to tell you that, surprisingly, it's actually not that bad.

I am a working mom in the military, and am still pumping for my 7 month old. I had a class today that was a couple of hours long, meaning it would interfere with my routine pump time. It's always a gamble telling a stranger that I will have to leave their class or meeting for about 20 minutes to pump. Surprisingly enough, most employers, bosses, and instructors are more than accomodating.

I walked in and saw that my instructor was actually a work buddy from a leadership course a few years back. She was happy to see me and greeted me with a hug. I later approached her to let her know that I was still nursing, and had to pump every three hours. (She is single and has no children.) She seemed excited to tell me that it was "absolutely no problem whatsoever" and told me to leave whenever I felt I had to. She even hovered her hands over her chest when she said if I felt like I "had to pump!" It was very sweet.

It's funny, because, in the workplace, breastfeeding seems like such a secret society sometimes. Until you bring it up, you don't realize how much it's effected other people's lives. Even when I tell male instructors, or male supervisors, they tell me how they remember when their wives did the same thing, and do whatever I have to do. People seem proud to inform me that they fully support what I'm doing. It's actually quite refreshing.

It reminds me of being in the military. (Stay with me here!) Every now and then, someone will thank you for your service. You might not know it, but that really touches a servicemember's heart. It really makes us feel special and appreciated. Most of us are proud to serve, and don't need thanks, but it sure is nice when it happens. Maybe you're one of those people that thanks veterans. Or maybe, you want to say thank you to a person in uniform, but you feel awkward doing it. So, instead, you smile. Breastfeeding is kind of the same way. Most of the time, you're proud of your "service," but sometimes, it does feel like a sacrafice. It's nice to know that your what you're doing for your baby is supported. You don't have to walk up to a woman nursing in public (covered or uncovered!) and say "thank you," but maybe instead of staring at her, give her a polite, knowing smile.

Thank you to all the people out there that have accomodated my breastfeeding and supported my journey!