tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post7747892763057070753..comments2024-03-25T10:22:36.277-04:00Comments on Women In Astronomy: A Trip Through the “Milky” Way: Adventures in Astrophysics and BreastfeedingAmanpreet Kaurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734178178113146899noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-89153429285636595032010-10-10T16:34:36.494-04:002010-10-10T16:34:36.494-04:00I really appreciate your post! I have also done ma...I really appreciate your post! I have also done many of the things you describe. I nursed my daughter until 17 months and my son until 2 years. Luckily I had my own office, so most of the time, pumping was easy, plus they were in a nearby daycare, so I could nurse at lunch. I traveled a few times with my daughter and husband in tow. My first trip without them was to a proposal review. My daughter was over a year, so I managed to pump in my hotel room during meal breaks. It was more difficult with my son, as he refused bottles completely after about 5 months. He visited me a few times (with my husband and daughter) late at night during thermal vacuum tests for his bedtime nursing. <br /><br />I tended not to ask for what I needed as much as I should have. I admire you for asking someone you didn't know for what you needed. It really helps pave the way for other mothers, since employers, review organizers, and conference organizers won't think to accommodate nursing mothers unless someone asks.Colleen Wilson-Hodgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12191380606044040425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-14318615883760390712010-10-08T14:13:04.109-04:002010-10-08T14:13:04.109-04:00From a Mom who has traveled with her baby to confe...From a Mom who has traveled with her baby to conferences and observing while nursing, it's great to hear of other astronomer mothers facing these types of obstacles. I am now pumping at the office with my 2nd child, and as I have a shared office and our department literally has NO extra office space anymore, I find myself playing musical offices to find a place to pump (luckily astronomers travel A LOT :-), but everyone has been super accommodating lending out keys and respecting my "Do Not Disturb" sign on their own office doors!<br /><br />As for traveling, my pump is a Medela, and I ordered a foreign A/C adapter for only $20 (I needed one since I will heading to Copenhagen for a postdoc position in January), they also make storage bags that attach with tape directly to the breastshield connector to make on-the-go pumping cleaner and more convenient. I've found everything I need here: http://www.mybreastpump.com/Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00179919876136557686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-30969640641084668232010-09-30T16:40:23.547-04:002010-09-30T16:40:23.547-04:00Definitely a good post. Thanks for sharing. I nurs...Definitely a good post. Thanks for sharing. I nursed my first for 15 months and did a lot of this crazy pumping stuff (control room of the Parkes radio telescope probably takes the prize for the oddest place, but also during faculty interviews, conferences etc.). <br /><br /> I want to send some kudos to CfA where I was based when my first was a baby. They have a dedicated nursing room with a hospital grade pump available for staff to use which was absolutely awesome. <br /><br /> My second is now just 7 months old and recently accompanied me to the SDSS collaboration meeting in Paris (with Dad in tow). One big improvement this second time around has been a nursery just a short walk from my office. This means that instead of always pumping I can walk over and nurse during the day.Karen Mastershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12941003369342300418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-85284606578751164722010-09-30T01:10:42.266-04:002010-09-30T01:10:42.266-04:00Oh, so glad to hear about another woman with succe...Oh, so glad to hear about another woman with success on this front! I'm still nursing my 11-month-old, and I went back to work when he was 3 1/2 months old. Luckily, I had my own office, so I could pump there and not lose any precious work time.<br /><br />I've traveled for work with him, too, which resulted in me nursing him at a collaboration dinner, and nobody batted an eye. It's great that not only are more women astronomers having kids, but that the culture is more and more supportive of them dealing with all aspects of them.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01017592382822991635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-61894971232661812512010-09-29T09:37:16.065-04:002010-09-29T09:37:16.065-04:00I just wanted to say keep it up! And support is ou...I just wanted to say keep it up! And support is out there when you hit the bumpy bits. I'm a postdoc now and nursed my son until he was 2 (all in graduate school). It was really about asking for what I needed. Terrifying at first, but it got easier with time. And then you realize it isn't so crazy after all. Didn't we pick this career because it was flexible and awesome? :) People use the flexibility for all sorts of things, no shame in using it for our families. Good luck and enjoy. :>Sarah T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12748275057010129794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-77295005694208835292010-09-29T08:14:26.111-04:002010-09-29T08:14:26.111-04:00What a great post! As a mom who nursed my son unt...What a great post! As a mom who nursed my son until he self-weaned at ~3 and now nursing my daughter who is 20 months, I've done many of the things the author describes. <br />I pumped in the women's lounge at Caltech every day during my postdoc. I took my pump on observing runs, to conferences, and TAC meetings. <br />It was challenging and foreign to navigate at first, but totally worth it. I wish I had read a post like this back then -- the support would have been great. Hopefully current and future astro-moms will read posts like this and feel good about being able to do the right thing as moms AND not have to sacrifice their career.<br />Also... my kids are the healthiest ones at daycare, and the bonding after work helps make up for the hours away. <br /><br />Thanks again for this post!Eilathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04385916134242030549noreply@blogger.com