Pumping at School: What New Moms Need to Know
Source: Pumping at School: What New Moms Need to Know
Pumping at school: what new moms need to know
With a predominantly female faculty, it’s no surprise that many of them are working mothers. New moms face unique challenges when they return to work, especially if they are breastfeeding. Most experts agree that breastfeeding is good for both babies and moms, and more than 82% of new moms at least try. More than half of the mothers are still breastfeeding after six months and more than a third after a year. Most women breastfeed their babies or express milk every 2-3 hours. All of this can be challenging enough at home, but what about working moms? Here’s what teacher moms need to know about pumping in school.
know your rights
The international symbol for breastfeeding, often found on signs outside lactation rooms.
First, find out what your school is legally required to do for you. The United States has made a concerted effort in recent years to make pumping easier for working mothers. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 amended the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to provide protection for most non-time-off employees. Unfortunately, these protective measures often do not apply to teachers. Most teachers are considered exempt as they are employed and not entitled to overtime. This means schools are not legally required to provide pump breaks or a lactation room for teachers.
However, many states have enacted their own laws to help working mothers, and most of them cover all workers, regardless of FLSA status. To find out what protections your own state offers, visit the United States Breastfeeding Committee website here. If your state does not have workplace pumping laws, consult your school district or teachers’ union manual. Some unions have negotiated contracts that include provisions for mothers who have to pump at school.
If you are not sure about your rights, ask. “My colleague, who gave birth a year before me, spent the whole school year pumping in the woman’s staff bathroom because she didn’t know her right to a room that wasn’t a bathroom,” says Gina F. Employers are unlikely to accommodate, unless you ask, so do your research and know what you’re entitled to.
plan ahead.
Photo credit: University of Maryland, Baltimore
Once you know your rights (if any), start planning. Give serious thought to what you need to feel comfortable pumping at school and what is reasonable to ask for. A good place to start is with the FLSA requirements that apply to non-exempt workers. For qualified employees, the workplace must provide:
- Adequate break times for a staff member to express breast milk to her nursing child for 1 year after child birth each time that staff member needs to pump milk; AND
- A place other than a bathroom that is hidden from view and free from interference from colleagues and the public and can be used by a staff member to express breast milk.
Even if your school is not required by law to do so, these requests are a logical and reasonable place to start. Providing management options and showing that you’ve thought about them makes it harder to refuse your requests.
Think about your schedule.
Photo credit: University of Houston
Think about how often you need to pump and how those times might fit into your daily routine. It will likely involve using planning periods and lunch breaks. Think about how your teaching responsibilities could be shared with others and how you can make it easier for them. Collaboration between staff and administration is key.
“I teach middle school,” says Stephanie G., “so I was able to pump during my initial planning, over lunch, and during our final 30-minute study period. The only time I had to get cover was during the last session and my administration was great at setting up a schedule with teachers willing to cover for me.” Not every teacher will have such good support, but Stephanie’s experience shows it is possible.
find a place
Printable signs available here.
Try to imagine where you will be pumping at school. An acceptable lactation room is private and non-invasive and legally cannot be a bathroom. Ideal rooms would also have power outlets, a lockable door, and a nearby sink for prep and cleaning. For some teachers, finding a seat is as easy as closing and locking a classroom door and putting up a do not disturb sign, which Stephanie did when her classroom was vacant.
However, this is not always the best solution. “The first time [I pumped] My administrator just told me to use my classroom, but I shared it sometimes when I needed to pump and it has 3 entrances, not all of which are lockable,” explains Gina. “I don’t share anymore so I used my classroom last school year but I was entered four times by students and staff regardless of the signage.”
Other options could be closets, bureaus, or even a separate room in a staff room. “During my third degree, there were students in my room [pumping] Session, so I used a large storage room connected to our library,” notes Stephanie. Make sure your lactation station is available to you every time you need to express milk, even if it’s used for other activities throughout the day. Also think about where you store your milk; Consider placing a small refrigerator in your classroom or lactation room.
Ask for what you need.
Image via Brite/Lines
Once you know what you need and have some general suggestions in mind, it’s time to talk to your administration and colleagues. Because teachers’ schedules aren’t usually very flexible, you’ll need support to take multiple pump breaks each school day. Even in the most supportive of situations, it can be difficult to provide tuition coverage, and since your school is unlikely to be legally required to accommodate you, you’ll have to rely on goodwill from time to time. (That’s what teacher besties are for, right?)
“A classmate had to pump at school last year,” one teacher noted. “The three of us in our grade level just worked it out so that she could pump during breaks and the other teacher and I stayed out with the kids every day during breaks instead of taking turns. It worked perfectly.”
It is important that you do not hesitate to raise this issue. Some women worry that expressing milk is too private or embarrassing to talk about with others, especially men. Remember that what you are doing is natural and healthy, and don’t be afraid to speak up about it. The more we talk about it, the more comfortable people will feel about the topic. What better place than a school to help others educate?
Accept the challenges.
School clinic with pump station, via womenshealth.gov
Remember to be flexible, and know that pumping at school is likely to make your work a little more difficult. “Changing schedules always mess up my plan,” says Gina, “but I realize that if I have to miss a session here or there that day, it won’t be the end of my stash. The hardest part for me is skipping lunch every day and also losing prep time if I can’t find a place to work while I’m pumping.”
Your school may not be willing (or unable) to accommodate your requests. Unfortunately, many women still have to choose between breastfeeding and full-time employment. For this reason, it is important to know your legal rights in advance. Prepare and present a reasonable plan. Hope for the cooperation of your colleagues and the administration. Pumping at school can be a challenge, but for many moms, it’s worth fighting for.
Do you have experience with pumps at school? Share your tips and stories in our WeAreTeachers chat group on Facebook.
Also, check out 6 ways teachers can make returning from maternity leave easier.
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