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But there are lots of other, practical reasons not to “just pump a bottle” too:
* I work full-time, so when I am with my baby, it is important that she nurses to keep up my milk supply. A baby is much more efficient than a pump at getting milk out, so less nursing means less milk supply. She is already missing those feedings from the breast while I’m at work, and I don’t want her to miss any more than is necessary.
* There is the huge logistical problem of having to plan ahead to pump a bottle before we go and then bring the right amount, because you don’t want to waste it but you also don’t want to be caught short. Plus, I need to save that pumped milk for daycare and using it when I don’t need to seems like such a waste! Then I’d also have to keep it cold while out until I’d want to use it, and then find a way to heat it up. I think the logistics alone would be enough for me to never do that – what a major pain in the neck! I know that there are people who do it, but I have no desire to do that. One of the great benefits of nursing is that it is super convenient – nothing to remember to bring and it’s always the right temperature, ready and waiting when the baby wants it.
* And then I’d have to deal with my own breasts being engorged because I haven’t nursed, so now do I need to find a place to pump while I’m out instead of just nursing? And if I don’t and just deal with the discomfort, now my milk supply is going to go down because a full breast signals my body that I don’t need to make as much milk.
* Then there is the issue of whether the baby will even *take* a bottle, as discussed above, which my first never would despite being in daycare.
* My second takes a bottle, but I also try to minimize her exposure to artificial nipples to avoid nipple confusion or preference, particularly in the early months. Nipple confusion means that she could develop a poor latch due to the difference in the way she has to suck to get milk from the bottle vs the breast, which would then lead to a lower milk supply due to poor milk transfer, or her refusing the breast altogether due to the difficulty in getting milk with a poor latch. Nipple preference occurs when a baby comes to prefer a bottle because the milk flows faster and they become impatient at the breast.
It is a priorityfor me to nurse for at least 2 years so I do not want to do anything that I could otherwise avoid that could result in a bad latch, a lower milk supply, or my baby weaning from the breast prematurely. Nor do I think that I should have to manage a logistical nightmare just because someone else might be uncomfortable with nursing.
So it's all about the mother.. Hmm. Convenient for THE MOTHER. Easy for THE MOTHER. cheaper for THE MOTHER.
So breastfeeding mothers are just selfish and damn those who oppose seeing it in public.
If you are on a salary all time is paid time (as someone else once said). Babies end up costing companies money either way. Think of it this way. You have a job, you get pregnant. In New York State I believe you get 6 weeks off paid for maternity leave. Lets say you are a tax accountant. You due date is April 10. You have 10 clients. There are 10 other employees at your firm Now you won't be here for one of the biggest busiest times of the year. Now the company has 2 options. Divide your clients up amongst the other employees meaning everyone now has one more client for the same money OR hire a temp. If they hire a temp they are now paying 2 people for a job that is to be done by one person.
Now it's time for you to come back. You REQUIRE accommodations for your pumping. All the other employees at your office are male so they never had this problem before. Now the break room has to be divided to make your accommodation. A temporary pressurized wall starts at around $800 in New York City. And say you take 3 thirty minute breaks a day to pump. thats 1.5 hours a day which come out to around 7.5 hours a week. So basically thats 7.5 hours a week which your salary is going to you pumping. Not to mention all the day mothers need off for doctors appointments, the kid gets sick ect ect.
At the end of the day its cheaper to hire a man.
If you are honest about your time (and keep regular business hours) you factor in that time accordingly - not much more to be said. I am salaried, but still work an eight hour day, otherwise I get overtime pay, if its approved. The federal law even states explicitly that it is unpaid time... that's how people treat it, as time that they make up every day to accommodate.
A friend of my husband's is a new father in NJ. He just took off 3 weeks for the heck of it, because NJ has some sort of paid family leave (not full salary but something respectable) - available to EVERY employee, not just mothers, or fathers. Paternity time off is becoming increasingly popular - and frankly, not everyone - not even CLOSE to everyone - gets paid maternity leave. It depends on the state, on the company, on the insurance even (my company paid not a dime for my leave, I had STD insurance, which everyone is eligible for). All we are guaranteed is FMLA, and only if the company is large enough - and guess what? A college, male friend of mine just took 3 WEEKS of FMLA.... because he had to get his wisdom teeth pulled. Yup.
Wow, just as much hassle as cleaning and sterilizing bottles every day. No wonder breastfeeders don't like expressing milk, they have to wash things after.
Actually 10x more hassle, since you are cleaning not only the aforementioned bottles, but all the pump equipment after every feeding. Can't just throw it in the dishwasher on sterilize either - manually take apart every last piece, and clean. After EVERY pump session - could be 12+ times a day. Right, same hassle
Actually 10x more hassle, since you are cleaning not only the aforementioned bottles, but all the pump equipment after every feeding. Can't just throw it in the dishwasher on sterilize either - manually take apart every last piece, and clean. After EVERY pump session - could be 12+ times a day. Right, same hassle
If you are honest about your time (and keep regular business hours) you factor in that time accordingly - not much more to be said. I am salaried, but still work an eight hour day, otherwise I get overtime pay, if its approved. The federal law even states explicitly that it is unpaid time... that's how people treat it, as time that they make up every day to accommodate.
A friend of my husband's is a new father in NJ. He just took off 3 weeks for the heck of it, because NJ has some sort of paid family leave (not full salary but something respectable) - available to EVERY employee, not just mothers, or fathers. Paternity time off is becoming increasingly popular - and frankly, not everyone - not even CLOSE to everyone - gets paid maternity leave. It depends on the state, on the company, on the insurance even (my company paid not a dime for my leave, I had STD insurance, which everyone is eligible for). All we are guaranteed is FMLA, and only if the company is large enough - and guess what? A college, male friend of mine just took 3 WEEKS of FMLA.... because he had to get his wisdom teeth pulled. Yup.
Still whos doing the job while you aren't there! I stand by my argument but i can respectfully read yours.
3weeks off for wisdom teeth is also very excessive. I had mine surgically removed and I was at the grocery store with my mom the same day. Back to school the next week when it started. only took tylenol for the pain.
So it's all about the mother.. Hmm. Convenient for THE MOTHER. Easy for THE MOTHER. cheaper for THE MOTHER.
So breastfeeding mothers are just selfish and damn those who oppose seeing it in public.
Oh, I see. You just think it should be all about YOU instead. Just so that you don't have to turn your own head if you don't want to see it. Instead the mother should jump through hoops, just for YOU.
If you are on a salary all time is paid time (as someone else once said). Babies end up costing companies money either way. Think of it this way. You have a job, you get pregnant. In New York State I believe you get 6 weeks off paid for maternity leave. Lets say you are a tax accountant. You due date is April 10. You have 10 clients. There are 10 other employees at your firm Now you won't be here for one of the biggest busiest times of the year. Now the company has 2 options. Divide your clients up amongst the other employees meaning everyone now has one more client for the same money OR hire a temp. If they hire a temp they are now paying 2 people for a job that is to be done by one person.
Now it's time for you to come back. You REQUIRE accommodations for your pumping. All the other employees at your office are male so they never had this problem before. Now the break room has to be divided to make your accommodation. A temporary pressurized wall starts at around $800 in New York City. And say you take 3 thirty minute breaks a day to pump. thats 1.5 hours a day which come out to around 7.5 hours a week. So basically thats 7.5 hours a week which your salary is going to you pumping. Not to mention all the day mothers need off for doctors appointments, the kid gets sick ect ect.
At the end of the day its cheaper to hire a man.
My husband got 6 weeks paid parental leave from his company and he took it for both of our children. I took unpaid FMLA leave since I am a federal employee and we don't get any paid parental leave.
Oh, I see. You just think it should be all about YOU instead. Just so that you don't have to turn your own head if you don't want to see it. Instead the mother should jump through hoops, just for YOU.
Next time I see a woman breastfeeding a baby in the mall, I'll pull up a chair and stare at her until she's finished. Is THAT what you want?
If there are 500 people in a mall, and there are two breastfeeding women, do you honestly think it's about YOU????
You want us to jump through hoops to accommodate you. We should turn our heads? What about our children? We think you should find somewhere that is isolated so it isn't right up in everybody's faces.
Still whos doing the job while you aren't there! I stand by my argument but i can respectfully read yours.
3weeks off for wisdom teeth is also very excessive. I had mine surgically removed and I was at the grocery store with my mom the same day. Back to school the next week when it started. only took tylenol for the pain.
No one is doing my job - it's my job. It can be put on hold for 15 minutes while I pump. As it is, I try to time my work such that I am building code while I am away - and I also have a hands free pumping kit, and bring my phone with me to check and reply to work-related emails while pumping. If I had my own office instead of a cube, I would remain at my desk and continue working with the door locked - my pump is quiet enough that you wouldn't hear it over a phone if I covered it with a blanket. Look up hands-free pumping kits, you'll see what I mean.
People do excessive things all the time - I really don't consider maternity leave one of them, especially for those of us who had c-sections. The fact remains that people take FMLA all the time, for what some could consider to be ridiculous reasons. It certainly isn't limited to mothers.
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Next time I see a woman breastfeeding a baby in the mall, I'll pull up a chair and stare at her until she's finished. Is THAT what you want? 
