[mini vent, vague request for advice] Two day conference and expressing ...

So I'm feeling a lot better, I don't have Glandular Fever, and I'm planning on being back at work on Monday.

Wednesday and Thursday I have a very important national conference - which thankfully is in Melbourne this year!

But it's running from roughly 8am - 11pm both days, and is a 20 minute walk from work ... at the moment, I'm feeding/expressing between 4-8 times over that sort of time frame ... I don't leak much, so I could *possibly* get away with only doing three pumps over that period of time ...

But how to actually orchestrate it?

In times gone by, I've organised to have a private spot, and have taken an esky with frozen primas in it to keep the milk chilled etc, but I've had a look at the schedule for this conference, and the only two seminars I'd be happy to miss are at around 11am on the first day (perfect timing) and 9.30am on the second day (not good timing at all...).

Naturally, there is a lunch break - but I will need to actually eat lunch ... particularly with breastfeeding, etc.

I'm sure that if I call the people running it, something will be able to be organised ... but sometimes it just feels like such a major hassle, for something which would ordinarily be so straightforward ... get baby, put baby on boob ... instead of "pack suitcase with range of items, spare clothes, machinery, water for cleaning, towels for spillage, and a kitchen sink ... locate private place in hotel where you are not a guest, and hope no one tries to grab a spare chair/projector/whatever from room while you're using it ... hope that milk does not leak or go off .... hope that boobs do not leak all over suit during day, or through the black tie gown during the night ... hope that you have everything you need ... hope that you don't miss any critical parts of conference, and that you actually get to eat at all the breaks ... hope that everything you've forgotten to organise happens to pan out ok too ..." ...

And of course, then there's the fun bit of bringing in all that stuff plus a complete change of clothes and black tie wear for the evening bits ... not to mention the concerns you may have over the differences in the fit your black tie dress happens to be at the moment (having gone from a DD to an F cup in the past 2 months ... might need to wear a belly band over the boobies as a modesty patch ... not exactly black tie, but better than putting someone's eye out, right?)

I *could* run back and forth between work and the conference and pump.

I *could* get into work early, pump, go to the conference, and dash back two or three times over the course of each day, then again before dinner, and then leave the milk at work overnight, and take it all home on the third day ... No one at work would actually say anything or complain about that - but conferences like this are pretty expensive (we're talking 2K) and so if I've actually spent half the conference expressing and running back and forth from the office to pump in private and in more comfortable surrounds, I'm guessing that would *not* be appreciated. But they would understand.

The hotel where the conference is however is a well established place, and I'm guessing this would not be the first time someone needed to express during a conference ... surely?

I've tried to call the hotel but the conference and events teams don't appear to answer their phones on Saturdays ...

Or maybe I should try to organise it with the group running the conference ...

Or maybe I should just let my boobs pop ... milk for everyone!

I totally feel your pain-in a few weeks I am also going to a 2 day conference. I ended up paying for a room there and they took pity on me and gave me an early checking and late checkout. Absolutely not the most cost effective option but saved my sanity and therefore supply

Your point about not being the first to need to express at the hotel is spot on, and also - if it's a national conference, surely there's a chance you wouldn't be the only one in that position?

I would definitely contact the organisers and see what can be done. Maybe the conference is being recorded, and you could get a copy of the seminars you may miss?

Is the hotel so expensive that you could just book a room there and sleep there? Could work pay (given they've already paid for the conference, $300 might be do able?) That would save you having to come out and back in? Although maybe you aren't ready to be away from little one over night....

Decisions.... Maybe the hotel has a day room rate?

When I had a work conference (also 2 days but an hour and a half away from home) I booked a room and took my mum as baby sitter. She would bring him to me when he needed a feed (she'd text me and I'd duck out for 10minutes), feed in the lobby and go back in. Is something like this a possibility?

While I shouldn't be the only person in this situation, it's quite possible that I am ... most of the other people at the conference will be men! Far and away ... last one of these I was at, there were maybe 2 other women my age I met, and the only other mum I met had kids in highschool ... but as far as the hotel goes, they would host things for all sorts of different industries and causes and so forth - and I'm guessing that while this group might not have had this query before, the hotel almost certainly will have!

Thanks for the ideas ... unfortunately:-

* Taking DS2 with me isn't really, as DH would be the only person available, and he'll also have DS1 with him! And we have two dogs ...

* Booking a room isn't a possibility - I've already looked into it and the hotel is completely booked out ...

* There are of course other hotels around, but if I've got to leave and come back, I might as well do it from work, ITMS?

* The seminars aren't recorded (protecting Chatham House rules and all that...)

I just tried calling the hotel again - still no answer ... will try again on Monday! And/or will try the event organisers, if I can't work something out directly with the hotel ...

i'd b inclinedctocspeak withvthe event organisers & let them sort it out for you. even if this is a first for them they should be used to all manner of requests & they will have a specific contact at the hotel that they're speaking with (prob a few times a day at this point). also, they can probably help you find spaces in the program or help with extra notes etc if you miss a session. if it's not a formal lumch that you dont mind missing then they might be able to arrange for lunch to be brought to you (and maybr in the morning or afternoon breaks as well).

:hug: it really is tough on you - so much extra organising.

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Hon, if you can't get through on the phone, email them and put a read receipt on it so you can prove it was read. But keep trying. This certainly sucks for you.

If it is a city hotel just ring their reception and ask to speak to the concierge - while it is probably a 23 year old boy at this time on a sat they will probably know what can be done - or will know who to contact.

Do you have any colleagues whose room keys you can borrow during the day - that gives you somewhere to stash the paraphenalia, a fridge, and a private place to pump. Remember that many of the men will also be dads - it's surprising how understanding they can be of this whole baby-feeding thing. If you are able to plonk what you express straight into a freezer then you don't need an esky to get it home either.

At conferences I have: pumped in the loo and just dumped it; squirted down the handbasin in the couple of minutes between talks so as not to explode mid-presentation; borrowed people's hotel rooms; used the lecture room when everyone else was at lunch; ducked into any old vacant room (and been sprung by a lady showing around a couple who were thinking of having their wedding there - oops!); and so on. You will be able to make it work.

And word up someone to snaffle you some lunch if it ends up being the only time you have for pumping.

Kmn: sadly, no! the only people I know coming are from Melbourne, and therefore won't be getting a room ... I could probably make a quick friend, but I don't want to bank on it and not have something else in place, IYKWIM.

I think I'll take a plastic tub and fork for food - I can get it on a plate, go around a corner, chuck it in the tub and go pump maybe ...

Lots of good ideas being suggested though - thanks ladies!!!

You girls are completely right about the face that the organisers will be speaking with the hotel about stuff multiple times a day at this stage though - and so it makes much more sense to just take it up with them, and see what they can sort out ... Will have to place a couple of calls Monday morning.

And if worse comes to worst, then yes, I can just pump by hand in the bathroom and dump - I have lots of frozen EBM ...

Fancy hotel ladies toilets have power points - for the hairdryers of the beautiful people I suspect. So electric pump-and-dump is pretty simple. And you don't have to empty completely to get a couple of hours of comfort. If you're not keeping the milk and you don't have to be hygienic, then electric expressing can be very quick - get a couple of huge zip-lock bags for the pump bits and just rinse them between times (forget drying or soap or fridging or any of those luxuries).

I used a big bushwalking backpack for conferences - it wasn't very stylish, but it could take the pump and pump bits and the laptop and the spare top (not sure about the black tie attire though!) and so on. And it was much easier to carry on the train than lots of separate bags.

update:

the venue were superstars, and allocated me a staff member who met with me at time prearranged (as determined by me) and took me to a mothers' room back of house, and also organised a drink/snack for me to have while I pumped! and then took me to the fridge area so I could keep the milk in there, instead of in my esky-with-frozen-primas and met with me at the end to pick up my milk, if I didn't take it with me after the last feed.

I need to write them a thank you note ...

That is awesome!

That's so great. Must have made it so much easier for you to get the most out of the conference.

Hellyeah ... in the end, I only missed about 90 minutes of sessions!

Other delegates missed that much getting coffee!

And I wasn't stressing out about it ...

What brilliant service!

That is such good customer service!!

Thats fantastic service!