Any Retail Pharmacists that Pump Breast Milk at work?

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lihini

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First of all this may be TMI for most of you. So reader-beware! 😀

I am a first time Mom getting ready to head back to work after maternity leave. I work at a retail chain and have concerns about being able to pump at work enough to maintain my supply and feed my child. I have a good pump (Medela PISA) but not the Freestyle but I can pump hands free with a hands free bustier. Would love to hear tips from others that had to pump at work and how you made that work. There was one day that I worked to fill in for someone who needed off a few weeks ago and I was so engorged because we were so busy and I could not make time to pump early enough in the day. Even when I finally got to pump I was getting interrupted a lot since I was the only RPh there.
I have been pumping at home and to get a decent amount I have to pump atleast 20 min. Any advice would be appreciated. I already do a lot of things to boost supply maintaining is important.
Thanks in advance!
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From my personal experience, the first few weeks back are the roughest, and engorgement can be a problem. I pumped immediately before work, and immediately after work. I was only able to pump every 4 - 6 hrs at work (6hrs was pushing my max limit). Your body will adjust to your work schedule eventually. After a few months, I was able to quit pumping at work, and just breastfeed at home (with caregiver using formula when I was at work.) It helped that I wasn't overly modest, I just had the techs interupt me when they needed to. I co-slept so the baby would often breastfeed all night long to catch up--I never had any supply issues, so I'm not sure how my schedule would work for someone with supply issues.

The "handfree" pump attachment never worked for me.
 
My tech uses my office to pump her milk.....wait that didnt come out right....wait...milk does come out fine Im sure....wait I dont know that... ok ok....since she can have privacy in my office I let her use my office so she can be alone to do what she has to.:meanie:
 
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Biding- Thanks for your response. I am not too modest either. Thinking about taking a hooter hider to put over all the equipment so that tech dont have to feel ackward when they have to come get me. My question is what do you do about counseling for mandatory rxs when u are in the back pumping? Do u tell them to wait or do you tell your tech what to tell them? We have to counsel on every new RX. Anyone try to work while pumping to keep the Q for getting out of hand while you are gone and having to play major catch up?

Z- you have the best come backs! I am glad u gave ur tech privacy. My partner is a older gentleman. Not sure how he feels about being not so modest.

Also I plan to have my techs tell any customers who is likely to complain or seems upset about where I am and what I am doing (pumping to feed my infant). I feel that most people are more understanding if they know whats going on. Do u think this would create any problems like make customers uneasy etc?
 
Bump.... Hope there are more pumping pharmacists out there !
 
lihini said:
Biding- Thanks for your response. I am not too modest either. Thinking about taking a hooter hider to put over all the equipment so that tech dont have to feel ackward when they have to come get me. My question is what do you do about counseling for mandatory rxs when u are in the back pumping? Do u tell them to wait or do you tell your tech what to tell them? We have to counsel on every new RX. Anyone try to work while pumping to keep the Q for getting out of hand while you are gone and having to play major catch up?
Click to expand...

That would make it trickier. I didn't have to counsel all new RX's. The techs would ask if they wanted to talk to the pharmacist, and 99% said no. The rare occasions when they do, I would just stop, come out & talk to them, then go back. I'd have the techs tell them that you'll be with them in a minute.....then go out to talk to them every 7 - 10 minutes if necessary.

Also I plan to have my techs tell any customers who is likely to complain or seems upset about where I am and what I am doing (pumping to feed my infant). I feel that most people are more understanding if they know whats going on. Do u think this would create any problems like make customers uneasy etc?
Click to expand...

Eh....I figure the less customers know about me, the better. I think the self-absorbed customers won't care, and the decent customers won't be throwing a fit anyway.
 
BidingMyTime said:
That would make it trickier. I didn't have to counsel all new RX's. The techs would ask if they wanted to talk to the pharmacist, and 99% said no.
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For a new RX the patient has never had before, this really doesn't cut it.

"Do you have any questions for the pharmacist?"
Well I know absolutely nothing at all about this medication, so what would I ask? "Nope, no questions."

Chances are you're not getting that many 1st fills in a 10 minute period, so you can most likely have them wait for a few minutes. The majority of scripts are probably refills, or 1-time fills that the patient has had before (same abx as last year, same pain med from a few month ago, etc) and those you can probably get away with "any questions?"
 
BidingMyTime said:
From my personal experience, the first few weeks back are the roughest, and engorgement can be a problem. I pumped immediately before work, and immediately after work. I was only able to pump every 4 - 6 hrs at work (6hrs was pushing my max limit). Your body will adjust to your work schedule eventually. After a few months, I was able to quit pumping at work, and just breastfeed at home (with caregiver using formula when I was at work.) It helped that I wasn't overly modest, I just had the techs interupt me when they needed to. I co-slept so the baby would often breastfeed all night long to catch up--I never had any supply issues, so I'm not sure how my schedule would work for someone with supply issues.

The "handfree" pump attachment never worked for me.
Click to expand...

I would definitely do it if I ever have a baby. I don't think our job should ever be the reason to deprive my child of nutrition. When I used to work at CVS my tech pumped at work during her breaks. At Target we let our customers pump in the fitting room, so if I still work there, I'm going to do it too.
 
Thanks for the responses guys! I too am worried about getting verification done while I am gone to pump. The store I am at will have RPh overlap on most days but not on weekends. I also will be the sole pharmacist for at least one 5 hour stretch. I still am not sure what to do during those times. I have to pump in the break room since there is no other private room to use. There are cameras in the office so that wont work. I feel really bad shutting off the break room for 20min or so at a time cos all the tech leave their stuff in there. They are not allowed to bring any bags, lunch or purses into the pharmacy. Yesterday when I got done pumping I found a tech waiting patiently outside the break room I was using ot pump in. I feel really bad doing this when I know they barely get any breaks. I fee l awful she was waiting for me to be done to come in and grab her lunch. I really wish there was a better solution for all this. I know its my right and all but I am feeling guilty about it too...
 
lihini said:
Thanks for the responses guys! I too am worried about getting verification done while I am gone to pump. The store I am at will have RPh overlap on most days but not on weekends. I also will be the sole pharmacist for at least one 5 hour stretch. I still am not sure what to do during those times. I have to pump in the break room since there is no other private room to use. There are cameras in the office so that wont work. I feel really bad shutting off the break room for 20min or so at a time cos all the tech leave their stuff in there. They are not allowed to bring any bags, lunch or purses into the pharmacy. Yesterday when I got done pumping I found a tech waiting patiently outside the break room I was using ot pump in. I feel really bad doing this when I know they barely get any breaks. I fee l awful she was waiting for me to be done to come in and grab her lunch. I really wish there was a better solution for all this. I know its my right and all but I am feeling guilty about it too...
Click to expand...

If that is the only place for you to pump, then try not to feel guilty about it. Remember that you are doing what is best for your child. I used to work in the IT field, and when I came back from maternity leave, I started out pumping as well. There was no place private for me, so I pumped in the bathroom. I found that I really didn't get much milk because I couldn't relax in the bathroom - even though I was in a stall, I felt funny when someone would walk in and hear the pump. Eventually, my body became used to the stretches of time I needed in between feedings while I worked, so I did not feel engorged, and I made sure to pump at night and in the morning before work, so that I had enough milk to give to the babysitter. Back then I worked for about 5 hours at a time, so I think with picking him up from the babysitter and getting back home to nurse, I would go about 6 hours, maybe a little more. Good luck!
 
I worked in retail pharmacy when my older daughter was born, in 1995. The pumps aren't as efficient as baby at getting the milk, so I nursed her as much as she would before work. I was fortunate to have a boss who'd had 3 babies and nursed them, and was completely supportive of me, and put me on shifts where there was an overlap with another pharmacist so that I could pump. Like other people on this thread, I found it took about 20 minutes.
 
I was only able to pump in the bathroom at CVS when I was a tech. It was nice to set up shop on the baby changer, but it wasn't the most comfortable place. Is there a way for someone to bring the baby up on the weekends? That's eventually what I did because it was easier to feed my son in 10 minutes than to spend 30 pumping. If I were you, I'd pump right before work, feed the baby once at work (if possible), and then pump one more time right after work. Like others have said your body will get used to your schedule.
 
Our PIC is able to duck into the bathroom for 10 minutes a couple of times a shift. I'm told that the store we work at is on the slower side (300/day), so she can make it work...not sure about higher volume stores.
 
I know in certain states there are laws associated with work places and breastfeeding. In Oregon, I believe, they have to allow the time, and provide a private location for you to breastfeed. I think that the company has to employ at least 25 people for this to be in effect. If you work at a large chain I am not sure if they count the entire organization or just the store. Some states will also have some sort of advocacy group that can help you make the transition if you are having problems with your employer allowing you the time and providing a place.

Good luck!
 
I have pumped breast milk several times at work and I have only been slapped three times...........
 
When I worked for W....

This lady came back from maternity and was told her "pumping area" would be the last shelf of the alpha area. If she wasn't at the counter...you're supposed to ask if it's clear to grab something in the back! (we didn't have a bathroom in the pharmacy)
 
I am currently breadtfeeding and work full time for a large chain with no overlap, filling about 2300 scripts per week. I bought a long phone cord and bring the telephone with me into our supply closet. I call the pharmacy and have the techs put the phone down and I can talk to all patients and drive thru (we have mandatory counseling on ALL prescriptions, new and refills). I can also take new scripts. Waiters are a minimum 15 min. It sounds complicated, but it has worked for me. Techs will slip paperwork in the door for new rx like antibiotics. Techs just say the pharmacist is on a break. The patients sound confused when I talk to them on the phone, but I am still abiding by the law. I hope this helps.
 
I worked with a pharmacist that pumped at the back of the pharmacy. I was surprised when she nonchalantly announced she was going to pump. It was a weekend and I was the only tech with her. She could hear the patients' questions at the windows and spoke loudly to answer their questions or I relayed the message. No big deal. Do what you need to do.
 
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