Back to Work

It happened before I knew it, and most certainly, before I was ready… my maternity leave ended. I received 9 weeks of paid leave with my daughter, and while I was grateful for the time, I certainly would have liked to have had more. I remember my coworkers commenting on my maternity leave as a time to “relax” with my baby. The truth was that I spent every minute of the day learning to care for my baby. The frequent feedings, changing of diapers, and getting to know the subtleties of my daughter’s communication was a full-time and rewarding (albeit taxing) affair. Along with the sleep deprivation and general anxiety, there were glorious moments - such as when my baby made a one-of-kind expression or fell asleep in an adorable position - that made every tired minute more than worth it. Nonetheless, my maternity leave came to an end much quicker than I could have imagined. Before I realized it, I was mentally planning my return to work and getting familiar with the balancing act that would soon become my life.

I had feelings of guilt and apprehension when I began preparing for my return to the work force. I felt that I should stay home with my infant, and I was concerned about leaving my daughter with someone new. I also had the added pressure of knowing that my income was/is critical to our livelihood, so abandoning my career was not an option. Plus, I enjoy working inside and outside the home. It was difficult, but careful planning helped alleviate some of my angst.

I remember making a check-list of all the things that I needed for the transition back to work including new clothes that fit my post-maternity body, specific instructions for my childcare provider regarding my baby’s daily routine, and nursing gear that would allow me to pump my breast milk when I was away from my daughter throughout the day. What was absent from my list was a storage solution for preserving my breast milk when I was in the office or traveling for work, as there was simply nothing of this kind on the market. As a result, I had a combination of ineffective carriers/bags that I used to preserve and store my breast milk. When I was in the office, I used the office community refrigerator to store my pumped breast milk, but it required constant back and forth to the kitchen, and it felt glaringly conspicuous. It was a though I had a sign on my shirt that read “I am a nursing mother, and I’m trying desperately to breastfeed my daughter.” I also found that I often left my pumped breast milk in the office refrigerator overnight because of general fatigue and my anxiousness to return home to my baby. That meant that my hard work was for naught, as I was unable to feed my daughter with the breast milk that I pumped earlier in the day.

It was this unproductive practice that led me to design and manufacture the Devyn Bag www.thedevynbag.com. The Devyn Bag provided a solution to preserving and storing my breast milk at the office as well as when I was traveling. Beyond that, it meant that I never had to worry about forgetting my breast milk or having to display my breast milk bags next to Fred’s (from the Accounting Department) bologna sandwich in the community refrigerator, and I didn’t have to waste half of my day walking back and forth to the office kitchen. Plus, it is a discreet carrier so I could eliminate the imagined but flashing “Nursing Mother Here” sign.

Of course, the Devyn Bag didn’t help with my feelings of guilt, worry or other anxieties that returning to work caused, but it did provide wonderful peace of mind because I could feed my baby breast milk for as long as I liked. As a result, the unaccommodating work environment was no longer an issue, traveling on business was no longer an obstacle and an otherwise full schedule was no longer a problem. My advice to other working mothers: return to work with your head held high and achieve all the tremendous things that only a mother can accomplish.

Embrace Your MOMentum!

The Joy of Travel and Breastfeeding

It was already a hectic morning. I was racing around the house with my toddler son and infant in my arms while frantically trying to pack my suitcase. I had packed my breast pump, nursing shawl, pump accessories, a few business suits, pajamas, as well as a pair of shoes, and my suitcase was overflowing! I was only planning to be gone for a few days, but there is much to take when you’re a nursing mother traveling for business. I grabbed my laptop bag, my purse, a small hot/cold bag as well as my suitcase, and I was finally out the door. Struggling to get through my garage, I felt like a bag lady and thought, “this is going to be tough.”

When I arrived at the airport, I realized just how tough it was. I had a dreadfully difficult time getting from the parking structure to the airport terminal attempting to simultaneously pull, drag, and heave my suitcase and other bags. Once I checked my bag (which I generally prefer not to do), I had one less thing to carry which provided momentary relief.

I made my way through security, and recognized much to my chagrin that I still had three cumbersome bags in my hand! I took turns shifting and dropping the bags, as I tried to disentangle my belt, untie my shoes and clumsily reach for other items that must be placed in the security bins. Once I made it through the security screening, I was pulled aside for more screening because the ice pack had caught their attention. As a nursing mother, there simply is nothing worse than dumping your nutrient-rich breast milk down the drain because you’re away from your infant. So, it was well worth the delay.

When I arrived at my destination, my breasts were full and more than ready to be pumped. I jumped in my rental car and pulled out my pump’s car charger, nursing shawl, breast milk bags, and wet wipes. For once, I felt prepared. I began pumping while sitting in my rental car reviewing my driving directions. Then I cleaned the pump accessories and placed my full breast milk bags in my hot/cold bag with the ice pack sandwiched nicely in between.

I had scheduled a lengthy client meeting that included lunch which meant that I needed to excuse myself for a few minutes to pump during the meeting. Consequently, I needed to take my hot/cold bag and pump with me. As I didn’t want to walk into my client’s office adorning three unruly bags, I quickly yanked a pad of paper and pen out of my laptop bag and left it behind. My pump bag could pass for a large, potentially out-of-date, and unattractive laptop bag.

And then the fun really began…

During the meeting, I excused myself to the ladies room and began pumping. It was only then that I discovered that my hot/cold bag was too small to carry multiple breast milk bags. I had to cram the bags in and force the zipper. In the process, I accidentally spilled some of the milk on my suit. Fortunately, it was a dark suit and I was able to mask it, but it was thorny at best. Slightly disheveled, but firm in my resolve, I returned to the client meeting.

Later on during my drive to my hotel, I had to pull the car over and begin the pumping process again. This is the life of a nursing mother; frequent pumping throughout the day when you are away from your infant to ensure that your milk production stays intact. Regrettably, I had to dump my breast milk because I couldn’t fit another breast milk bag in my small and now sufficiently overflowing hot/cold bag. This was the true tipping point.

I was frustrated by the demands of my job. The regular travel was a requirement, and I simply had to figure out a better way or cease breastfeeding all together. My daughter was only 2 months old, and I wasn’t willing to abandon providing her with the best nutrient-rich food available. So I did what all mothers do when presented with a challenge, I found a solution. I created the Devyn Bag http://www.thedevynbag.com/ with the specific goal of aiding nursing mothers.

I applaud you for making every effort to be uncompromising in your career outside the home as well as your career as a mother. I hope you enjoy it!

Embrace Your MOMentum!

Breastfeeding: Worthwhile But Not Easy

Shortly after my son was born, I remember coming to the realization that, despite persistent myths otherwise, breastfeeding is not easy. It took me months of discomfort before I learned that my son was not gaining the appropriate amount of weight because he was not latching correctly to my breast when nursing.

In hindsight, I had several indicators that something wasn’t right. I had persistent back pain for straining to hold my son to my breast, my nipples were sore, nursing my son took a very long time, and he was ready to eat again a short time later. All of the aforementioned should have prompted me to seek assistance earlier, but I somehow felt that I should intuitively know how to breastfeed my child. That feeling of embarrassment, and perhaps sleep deprivation, made me delay in finding a solution.

Once I sought the advice of a lactation consultant, I realized that I had never learned the appropriate latching technique. After my son and I mastered latching, my breastfeeding was no longer painful and the aliments that plagued me disappeared. I felt such enormous relief, but I also felt a sense of guilt for not remedying sooner. As a mother it is easy to feel that we must know everything there is to know about feeding and taking care of our children, but in reality and as with all things, there is a learning curve.

Unfortunately, after months of incorrect breastfeeding, my breast milk supply was depleted and the only solution was a constant regiment of frequent pumping to stimulate my production. It took some time, but regular pumping eventually worked and my milk production increased. I wish that I would have had the Devyn Bag http://www.thedevynbag.com/ at that time, as it would have been a godsend in preserving and storing my excess breast milk throughout the day.

The truth is that breastfeeding is fantastic on virtually all levels. It creates a one-of-kind bond between you and your baby. It provides your infant with the highest level of nutrients and helps foster a strong immune system. However, breastfeeding does not come naturally to all women. Some of us have to work on it, but breastfeeding is unquestionably worth any challenges that you might encounter.

Embrace Your MOMentum!