Adventures in pumping

Most days at work I pump for Rosa.

What this looks like is I take my students out to recess at 11:25. By the time we walk down the two flights of stairs, and I safely get them outside, and walk back upstairs, it is around 11:30. That is, assuming, no child has issues with going down the two flights of stairs. (I have to say that with over 5 students on behavior contracts, there are frequently issues getting out to recess in a timely manner. . .)

I then have almost 30 minutes to wash my hands, go to the bathroom, pump, eat food and be down in the cafeteria, supervising the students. Somehow, this doesn't really feel like enough time, but I am entitled to 30 minutes for both lunch, and pumping, happening simultaneously.

I then go and lock the door to my classroom. I was supposed to be pumping in a office next to another teacher's room . . . but the door didn't lock, there was no chair and no electrical outlet. So . . . on the first day of school, I realized that was not going to work.

Now I pump on the floor in the back of my classroom. I put a piece of paper over the door (because it is glass) and lock the door. I sit on the floor behind a kidney table with my food and pump while I eat. I don't really mind the pumping while I eat, though it can be a bit challenging to really relax.

My constant fear is that I am going to forget to lock the door and a kid is going to walk in. Or, that someone, like the janitor, who has the keys to all of the rooms, is just going to walk in while I am pumping. It doesn't seem smart, though, to put a sign on the door that goes into the regular hallway. So, I lock the door and hope for the best.

Up until today, my fears were just that. Fears. I always double check the lock on the door. While students try to open the door on an almost daily basis (don't ask me why it is fun, but apparently the older students enjoy testing the door while walking to the bathroom). The door has been locked and all has been good.

Today, though, I was pumping after school. Apparently a student had forgotten something in the classroom and at the same time the office forgot that I pump in my classroom before the staff meeting after school. So, the office gave him the key and up he came to the room, and unlocked the door.

Thankfully, I was sitting ( as I mentioned earlier) on the ground behind a kidney desk, and yelled for him to stop. Thank god he closed the door quickly. My first thought was - I didn't lock the door. But I remembered double checking it, like I always do.  I quickly changed from my pumping bra to my regular clothes and got the door to help the student get his homework.

Never a dull moment!