Thoughts on Pumping

When I decided to go back to work, one of the logistics of being a working mom I really was not looking forward to was pumping.  I told myself I'd give it a try and see how it went.  Unless I worked from home or had my own office with a locking door, I don't think my situation could be more conducive to pumping.  I have a private room reserved for nursing moms, a consistent work schedule, a pumping schedule I can decide for on my own and a boss who wrote her dissertation on the economics of breastfeeding.  And on the few occasions I'd forgotten to take my expressed milk home the night before, the nanny has dropped by my office on her way to take the kids somewhere.

Although pumping has gone really well, I do wonder if my work environment had been even slightly inconvenient for pumping, whether I would have stuck with it.  If I weren't able to take pumping breaks as needed, but instead had to divide my lunch break to be able to pump, I have to say that I'd probably pick socializing with co-workers at lunch or going to the gym and utilizing the precious limited time to do something parents so often have zero time to do: workout.  Or if I had to take a pay cut because I was only allowed unpaid time to pump or had to work an extra hour each day to make up for pumping breaks, I don't think I'd continue.  Since I'm breastfeeding when not at work, and am barely pumping enough to feed Soren the next day, two bottles of milk just wouldn't be worth the extra effort or inconveniences. I don't think I'm selfish for thinking this way, just lucky that I'm experiencing the type of work environment every nursing mom should have.