Emily Mason
Whether you're expecting your first second or even third child, this episode is here to support you on your breastfeeding journey, especially as you navigate the transition back to work. It's never too early to start planning, and today, we're sharing practical tips and strategies to help you tackle common challenges and set yourself up for breastfeeding success. Let's dive in. Thanks for joining us. This is preggie pals.

Emily Mason 0:54
Welcome to preggie pals. I'm Emily Mason, your host for today's episode. Before we dive in, let's make sure to check out our website at New Mommy Media and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest episodes. Don't forget to hit subscribe in the podcast app so you never miss an episode. If you're looking for even more ways to connect, Join our online community, mighty moms. It's a great place to continue the conversation from the show, share some insights and even find out how to join us live for future recordings. Let's get started. Our guest today is Lisa Myers, and her story is one I think so many of you will connect with after returning to work as a lawyer following the birth of her son, Lisa was determined to make breastfeeding work on her terms. Having faced challenges breastfeeding her daughter, she was committed to finding a way to successfully breastfeed her son, no matter what that looked like for her. But here's the twist, Lisa's office was a male dominated space that offered little to no support for safe and discreet breast milk storage. Faced with this hurdle, Lisa didn't back down. Instead, she used her resourcefulness and a healthy dose of some mom determination to tackle the problem head on. She designed a simple, versatile and oh so convenient solution for pumping moms filed for a patent and partnered with a team of friends to bring series chill to life. Now moms everywhere can balance work life and breastfeeding without sacrificing their goals or their sanity. Lisa, we are so thrilled to have you with us today. To kick things off, can you tell us where you're based out of and how old your two kiddos are?

Lisa Myers 2:48
Yes, first I have to thank you for that introduction, because somehow you make me sound like a hero, an awesome mom and an incredible employee, and I feel like I was none of those during those years. I will. I worked hard at all of it, but it was, it was a struggle, for sure, and I think that that's something I know from listening to your podcast and being part of the community you mentioned earlier, is something we all go through. So okay, so to jump into your question, my name is Lisa Myers. I am the founder of series chill. I have two kids, Teagan and Colin. My daughter, Tegan is 10. My son Colin is four. I live on Bainbridge Island Washington, which is just a quick boat ride away from Seattle. So I used to commute into downtown Seattle every day and and I worked as a lawyer. I traveled a lot before that. I was in politics, and I grew up on a farm in eastern Washington state, so I kind of have seen and lived it all, but mostly, as you said, in definitely a male dominated world, for sure, absolutely,

Emily Mason 3:53
I am so excited for this episode, and we have a ton of questions lined up for you, but we're going to take a quick break and then jump right back in with some more questions.

Welcome back today, we are diving in to the unique challenges that working moms may encounter on their breastfeeding journey. Let's jump right back in and get Lisa's insights on how to tackle these struggles head on. So let's start with your first pregnancy. Did you know from the beginning that you wanted to breastfeed your daughter?

Lisa Myers 4:31
I think similar to so many moms, it's hard to go back to what you wanted in the beginning, because I remember, and I don't think I'm alone in this, just wanting us both to live, which I know sounds crazy, but I just wanted to get to the other side of the birth experience, with both of us alive, and my husband thought I was crazy. I'm like, no people die. It's real. Like that happens. I and then, of course, I was in labor for 52 hours. I didn't have any any pain medication or like, and I wasn't induced. I really tried to do the whole thing the real deal way, and I ended up with an emergency C section. And, huh, like so many moms that have like, you know, a less than perfect birth experience, which I would say is pretty

Emily Mason 5:26
much 100% of us right. And

Lisa Myers 5:30
then, you know, a C section, whether it's planned or emergency, it can cause some complications, and complications for breastfeeding. In particular, it seems, I don't know. I'm not a certified lactation consultant, but it certainly seems that way. And that was my experience. And I started feeding formula from the jump, I was at a Baby Friendly Hospital, which is the term used for like, who code compliance, you know, emphasis on breastfeeding. And I was certain that tea and would not stop crying because I didn't have any milk. And it was interesting years later, when I was trying to get help with my son, and I finally did get the help of a lactation consultant. She said, You know, she probably had, like, a headache, like she'd been through 52 hours of labor too. Like it's easy to forget that, which sounds so silly, but I guess I would say, because I want to be true to how I feel as mother, I failed from the beginning with my daughter, and I didn't really set myself up for success. I didn't have a lactation consultant. Certainly, breastfeeding was like foisted upon me, like I woke I came to after hours of surgery, and they had written on the whiteboard like, my goal for the day was exclusively breastfeed Emily. And I was like, I was really hoping to survive this day, but I guess I could also try exclusively breastfeeding.

Emily Mason 6:53
So yeah, and that's I, I've talked to so many, and even my own experience, I, you know, the the amount of labor, just like I was in labor for 26 hours, that is like running a marathon and then having the expectation of breastfeeding, and you have all these plans, and then these plans kind of go out the window, and then you're stuck in this like Limbo Of like, do I survive like you said, or do I do what is expected? You know, with air quotes of me, and how do you balance those two things?

Lisa Myers 7:31
Right? Exactly, yep, no, that's how I felt. So with my daughter, I would say I failed. And with my son, I was more successful, but I was much more pulled together. I had support and information, and I would say, same intention with both of them, but then I carried a lot around, a lot of guilt, because I ended up breastfeeding my son for two years that that sinker, he was around during COVID, and, you know, many of us like, Okay, well, the best thing I can do for him is to give him breast milk, so he just got to keep at it

Emily Mason 8:04
for a while, right? Yeah, and, and so after and, and I think that's always your time, you know, you're taking one experience, and you're holding on to that. And I think most moms, and probably most people in general, like we are conditioned to, you know, compare things and be like, I want to do better than I did. You know, this the first time. So, like, when you're looking back at this now, what challenges did you face during that journey with her? And then how, like, how long were you able to continue breastfeeding? And how did that kind of play into your experiences moving forward with your son? Yeah,

Lisa Myers 8:47
so supplementing, whether it's with donor milk or formula, is going to impact supply. I think that anybody, any professional or non professional would agree with that. I think being offered donor milk, though, is a really big deal to normalize donating milk and to normalize accepting donor milk. And I was never offered donor milk. And I think that there's just this idea that if your your child is off to a start on breast milk, that you could maybe keep going with that, and you could find a way to increase your supply. I was never offered donor milk, and so part of the mission of my company with, you know, being centered around, you know, breast milk storage and supporting working moms, working families. I we have an emphasis on making sure that donors are supported, and that moms know donor milk is available, I ended up breastfeeding my daughter for six months. I would say that, and this may really set the world on fire. Emily, I'm going to be super controversial here. I tend to be, but it did feel like a bit of a cultural thing. So I'm. Originally from the west coast, but I had my daughter on the East Coast, and I was very like New York, Philadelphia, big city lawyer, trying to be successful, trying to impress all the guys and make my way and I never saw anybody whipping out a boob right in either of those cities, and certainly not within the circles I was a part of um, and then when I came out west, so I moved offices from the Philly office to the Seattle office, and I ended up opening our Vancouver Canada office. And people would just be like, it would be a Christmas party. And like, people would just like, oh, hungry. Like, pull their breast out of their, you know, nice, like lace top, and just feed their child. And, you know, be snacking along with everyone else we would get off the boat. And, you know, somebody would have, like, their child at the, you know, at the little local pub, and it's like, Oh, hey, well, look, he's hungry. My husband was just like, I mean, he was polite, but it was the equivalent of mouth at gate. And so I think it was definitely something that played into it was the cultural aspect of, like, I had my daughter on the East Coast, I had my son on the West Coast, and then all of my friends on the west coast were like, Oh, you have to talk to this lactation consultant. Or, you know, what really helped me with my supply? Or, you know, just, just even showing me people breastfeeding was supportive, in a way. So yeah, I guess that that definitely I haven't talked about that before, but I definitely think that played a big role in the two different journeys for me.

Emily Mason 11:37
And I think that is such an insightful thing to really pick up on, because I guess I, I was raised by a childbirth educator, and so boobs and at like, the whole thing was part of my everyday culture, but not for my husband. So when we would go out places, and I'm like, There's somebody breastfeeding, and I'm just like, sitting there talking to them, and he's like, What do I do with my eyes? Like, I'm like, you just you have a conversation them, you look at them. And he's like, but her whole like, breast is out. And I'm like, Yeah, and like, a baby's eating. And in my world, totally normal. And we're both from the Midwest, both from small towns, but I think that again, like the culture, I was a school teacher, and I worked in an all boys school with boys who were coming in with IEPs, and they were in special education. I couldn't pump or breastfeed or do anything in my classroom because I had a classroom full of boys, and it's a self contained room, and that's very much, like, where do you find the time to do that? Because breastfeeding takes time. And, yeah, it's not, it's not a quick journey for everybody. No, either I'm like, how do you how do you go through that? And like, like, dedicate the time and with the our society, the way our society kind of runs, that everything's a rush, and that's not one thing. I can't rush that into happening. So I think hearing those two different perspectives, and even the two like bi coastal, like the two different experiences, that's super I think that will resonate with a lot of people. It's super intriguing to hear how you got to experience two different cultures, essentially, and how those cultures played a role in your journey with your son as well. Yeah,

Lisa Myers 13:35
and I'm hoping there's lots of people that are like, Oh, she's crazy. Like, I live in Philadelphia, like I've had nothing but great examples and support. I really hope that that's the attitude, and I'm like, controversial in the best possible way, but that definitely was my experience, and I'm not holding anybody else responsible for the choices I made and how things went for my kids. But I'm glad that it makes sense to you, Emily, because it it definitely feels that way to me. I would like to say that I was better than that, but I think as a new parent and as like, a woman particularly, trying to, like, make her way in society and like, continue to be successful. And I would like to say that, like, my only priority was being a good mother, but I did want to be successful and accepted, and I didn't want anybody to feel uncomfortable or put upon and so, yeah, I remember, like, sitting on my back deck in, you know, Collingswood New Jersey, like, with a cover over me. Because, you know, there were like, other, like, Victorian houses where they could see down into my little, you know, backyard and like, and now, I mean, yeah, I it was very different in Washington state for me, that's for sure, people, people are familiar with my breasts,

Emily Mason 14:47
and that's again, like, that's a that's so interesting to me, how you like your perspectives, like your journey the second time around. Maybe not fully like influence things, but I think it really did like you were fine, maybe comfortable with yourself and like learning more and the stigma, even if it's unspoken stigma, or you put that stigma on yourself, like that stigma still affects your ability to produce milk, because, you know, when we're stressed, and you said, too, I think, and I you and I might be cut from very close cloth of we want to do everything. We want to be successful. We want to be the people that are heard in the room. And we want our ideas, and we want our thoughts, and we want to have a voice. But how do you take that mom hat off and put that work hat on? And those are all stressors too that can affect supply, and we forget to eat lunch, and we forget to drink water, and we forget to do all of these things that you know you're supposed to do to help your body produce that milk. So,

Lisa Myers 15:55
yeah, absolutely. And it's funny that you bring that up, we have a really great ibclc international lactation accredited lactation consultant on our team. Well, we have a couple, but this one woman in particular, she's amazing. Renee is just like, Oh no. I talk about orgasms and pumping all the time because it's that, you know what triggers a letdown? It's the same chemical reaction as having an orgasm, and you're like, Yeah, imagine being in a dark, windowless, sterile room and your office, and you're trying to have an orgasm as quickly as possible, because your boss is waiting on the other side of the door, and you really need to, like, hop to It's like, okay, why am I not producing as much milk at work? And, like, how am I going to keep this baby alive? Which really helps with the orgasm at work, right? Exactly, really helping things

Emily Mason 16:51
that, yeah, that is, I haven't ever thought of it that way, like I've worked with postpartum, and I've had conversations with families, you know that first orgasm and the mom, like, breast milk flies across the room, and they're both like, what is happening and having those conversations. But I've never, like, pictured like you're trying to, like, essentially, have an orgasm in your office, and it's not working, because, you know, there's 17 people waiting outside the door for you, and you have to move as quickly as possible to keep up with everybody else,

Lisa Myers 17:22
yep, yep, and keep your child alive. You know exactly, snap, snap, snap, yeah,

Emily Mason 17:27
do do all of those things? Oh, well, we've covered some great insights so far, but there is plenty more to come. Stay tuned. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be back with more from Lisa Myers and her journey with series chill so don't go anywhere.

Welcome back. We've been chatting with Lisa Myers about the challenges that working moms face while breastfeeding. Now let's continue that conversation and dive into more of your questions. So let's talk about pumping at work. We talked about it just briefly, but what challenges did you specifically face and What options did you explore before creating series chill?

Lisa Myers 18:17
Great question. There were no options hence serious chill. So I was determined, as we talked about earlier, to be successful with my son in ways that I felt I had failed my daughter. And I say failure real quick. I say failure because I want to be true to how I feel about both my journeys and I also want everyone out there to know that I created a company around breastfeeding, like invented tools to help breastfeeding moms. And you would think I, like, had it all figured, and I was a lawyer, and you know, whatever else comes with that, I'm also, I would say, a white woman of privilege, like I grew up with very little, but I mean just being a white woman in society is offering so many more opportunities than so many other people have. And when I look at the challenges women and parents of color face, and women in general, and then women who aren't professionally trained to advocate for themselves, I want them to know that I tried and failed, and that getting help and looking for the tools you need is really the key, and that's where I really failed. I had access to insurance. I should have sought out a lactation consultant. I didn't not everybody has it covered by insurance, but you can often find assistance through WIC programs and other community resources. And so anyway, I just wanted to give that little PSA, because I say failed, because that is truly I feel that way, and I. People to know that you could even have all the tools and seem like you know what you're doing, and then completely fall on your face and feel like you did that to your child, and then be successful the next time around, because get help, and you look to a community of people who know more and can offer help. So anyway, back to the question, went back to work. Was really proud of myself. Had all my pump parts. Had been successfully breast feeding my son for three months. He'd been, you know, gaining weight and doing all the things, poopy diapers, wet diapers, all the things you're supposed to count. I get to work, I pump, and I've got all these bottles lined up on my desk, and I'm like, oh, fail. What do I do with these? Because I work with all guys, nice guys, but I could just imagine these older dudes walking in my office to talk about some legal brief or some case and just being like, oh, oh, you that came from your that is your bodily fluid in those bottles, you are actively lactating. I'm gonna come back in a few months. Like, how many you think, you know, just like, not here for it. And so I was like, Okay, I gotta figure this out. Gotta keep it cold, gotta get it home. So I tucked these bottles in my suit pockets. Walked down the hallway to the communal, you know, eating area, lunch room, fridge, the whole thing. Opened it up. It's like, everybody's like leftovers that are like, decaying from days at restaurants gone by and conferences. And then was like, Okay, I can't just leave these sitting out in here. That's awkward for people. So then I went to office services. I got a paper bag put in the paper bag put in the fridge. I'm like, Okay, I need to do something better for tomorrow so I can. People are like, when did you have the idea for series show? And I'm like, I can almost tell you the precise email on the precise day in October of 2018 right? Because, oh, wow, yeah, I was there in it. And so I started searching for the breast milk thermos thing, because clearly, Emily, that is what I needed. And I'm a pretty educated consumer. I've been trained in legal research. I couldn't find anything. I'm like on Google. I'm on Amazon, nothing. And my friend, one of the only women who was a lawyer in the office. She was an employment lawyer. She popped by, and she's like, Lisa, the guys are all out to lunch. Like, we're late for lunch. Like, come on. Like, hustle up. Like, yeah, I'm looking for the breast milk thermos thing. She's like, you're looking for the what? And I'm she's had two kids at this point, and I'm like, you know the breast milk thermos thing to keep your breast milk in. She's like, I don't know what you're talking about. You mean a cooler? And I'm like, No, I for sure, do not cooler. I am a hot mess all by myself. I do not need another bag. That is the last thing in the world that I need. And so I insisted this is what I needed. She was like, You're crazy. And so she ended up buying me my only cooler with the freeze pack. You know, it only lasts for six to eight hours. And so I ended up inventing series chill, because I'm like, no real humans. Day is six to eight hours, and then having to freeze that freeze pack overnight for 12 hours. It's absurd. The whole thing was just Yeah, and it's so obvious, right? Emily, like everybody knows,

Emily Mason 23:19
and remembering to grab it out of the freezer in the morning, and you know, just all of the things, like all the steps,

Lisa Myers 23:29
yeah, no. And at night, you come home from work, and if you're lucky, if you're lucky, you stumble through the door the hot mess that you are, and you drop all your stuff, and that baby is crying, and somebody puts that baby in your arms, and you lift your shirt up, and you start nursing the baby. And again, if you're lucky, somebody's making dinner for you, some beautiful person making dinner for you, and they like pour you a glass of wine, maybe. And you sip the glass of wine, and you make conversation with this person. And then you eat the dinner, and then you change the diaper, and then you get the small creature ready for bed, and you put that little thing to bed, and you lay down, and you get whatever pathetic amount of sleep you can being woken up at different intervals and pumping. And then you go back out to your work bag to go back out the next day, and you're like, oh my god, I left my breast milk in my work bag with the chemical freeze pack. So now, double punch in the stomach. My breast milk is rotten, and I don't have anything to keep my breast milk cold for today. Like, right? This is going to be fun. Welcome to Tuesday. You're just like, save me. So, yeah. So with serious chill, it's a handful of ice. You can keep your breath. You can bring newly expressed breast milk down to a safe temperature, and then you can keep it there for 20 hours with a handful of ice. And if you need more time because your flight gets canceled, or your shift gets long, or life, you just add ice and you are back in bed. Business for another 20 hours and you just keep rolling with it. That is fantastic. You can also chill an entire bottle of wine in less than 20 minutes without diluting it. I mean, not that the whole conversation is about wine. I'm just saying it can hold coffee. It

Emily Mason 25:15
can hold my functional This is great. Like, you don't have to just be done. I mean, like, think about year two. You're done breastfeeding. Like, now we're moving into wine and coffee. Yeah, you know, like, this is that's fantastic. The

Lisa Myers 25:29
inner chamber becomes a sippy cup. It can convert into a baby bottle. So the inner chamber and the upper cup can facilitate double pumping, so you can connect it directly to your breast pump. So really, all you have to do is bring the breast pump, and you could also hand Express and still have safe milk. I mean, you got options. This

Emily Mason 25:50
is fantastic, and you kind of hit on all of this, but I want to give you just a chance to reiterate, because my mind is blown right now. But how does series chill stand out from traditional options like bottles, coolers and ice packs. And I know you touched on this, but go back through all these options so I can hear them one more time, because I'm amazing. Okay, okay,

Lisa Myers 26:12
okay, I appreciate the question. So, so no chemical freeze packs, that's key. So going through TSA is a breeze. So I really, I have to say, I think there are very few TSA agents that wake up in the morning determined to make a new mom cry like that's not what they're here for. They don't get paid off, right? But it happens because I throw away 1000s of ounces of milk. I traveled extensively for work, and then I swear to you, the chiller has been to more bachelorette trips and parties than anywhere else it is. It is the thing, because it's super subtle and super fun, and also you can chill wine. So the chiller is different in that it uses ice rather than chemical freeze packs. You're you're storing your milk and steel rather than plastic. But it also still connects to your pump, so you can still double pump with it. It has massive capacity. So most of the coolers that you get have like a 20 ounce capacity. The chiller has 27 ounces, but it is way more compact. It looks like a Yeti. I mean, that's what, that's what a few articles have called it the Yeti of breast milk, but it's two chambers. We have a patent on it, converts to a baby bottle, converts to a sippy cup. When you have a toddler, you can use it to warm bottles. So you can warm up to five baby bottles over the course of 10 hours by putting hot water in rather than ice. My whole thing was, like, you buy nice things when you have a baby, and then they're just destined for the landfill. And right? I wanted this to be something that was for the mom, like was for the woman, which is where my symbol comes from. She's the goddess series, um, the goddess of the harvest and maternal relationships, and I just wanted, wanted her just to be badass and worthy of the women that were out there, not only being incredible women, but also like bringing home milk for their baby, because they never lost sight of their goals, like as professionals, as friends, as members of the community and as a parent, they were like, nope, today, today, I choose to do it all, and I just have to bring my serious chill with me, and I'll be just fine. That

Emily Mason 28:28
that is awesome, and I think that is so what so many moms strive and like look to do, but like, like you in the same situation, there was no options, and so we, all you know, are improvising or trying our best to, just like, figure it out. And you created something that's going to that is already helping so many moms across the country and the world. And you, you touched on this just briefly, but and you said that an article had said that you're the Yeti of like breast milk. What other feedback like has been the most meaningful and the most positive that you've received from moms, from consumers, even from you know, dads with this journey you're asking

Lisa Myers 29:23
the hard questions everybody. I get super uncomfortable with this, because all of the people in this community that has sprung up around what we do, they're all, I mean, I give them all the credit today. I mean, I know this podcast is supposed to live forever and it's supposed to be independent of day. But I can't help but think that Today is World breast pumping day, and I'm glad that such a day exists. But to appreciate what these what so many of these women and families are pulling off, is really and to be part of it. So it's like we're talking. Long haul truck drivers and postal workers and teachers and stay at home moms who are exclusively pumping, you know, exclusively pumping because they choose to, because they have to, for physical reasons, like, I mean, I just, I'm so in awe of what they accomplish every day as they participate in their communities and truly care and prioritize their families. And it's so selfless. Pumping is hard work, and it is a lot of sacrifice, and some people are lucky enough to enjoy it or be oblivious to it, I never really produced enough to stay out in front of my kids demands and the demands of my work, but I'm inspired by the women every day that we hear from and I just think the way they support each other is so awe inspiring. One of the biggest compliments, I mean, Henry Ford isn't one of, like, the, you know, the nation's greatest heroes, but one woman said that while Henry Ford was, you know, while the rest of the world was trying to breed faster horses, Henry Ford was figuring out a way to create a fundamentally different alternative, and this mom credited me with doing something similar and the same, and so I hate to be boastful, but I do feel like that is what the world was missing. And I was inspired by my own struggle, and I knew that other moms were struggling around me, and so I just couldn't lay down for the fact that the world had advanced for every other member of society, except for pumping moms. And so, yeah, I'm really proud that I get to stand with these other women that speak up for each other and themselves. I feel like we really haven't touched on all the things women can do to be successful when they go back to work, but I think the main thing is to be comfortable with the fact that they're going to have different needs to be successful in the workplace, and that their priorities of a parent don't have to be perceived as something that conflicts with their employers priorities. I we have, like, even, like, a draft email that I can I can send over to you guys so you can include it in the notes that moms can send to their employer is just a place to start. But I think the main thing for me, Emily and you can jump in at any point, but I would just say is that if you think back to being a mom for the first time, you didn't even know what you needed as a pumping parent at work. I mean, I certainly didn't. I showed up without any way to safely store my breast milk. So helping your employer or your immediate supervisor understand what you need and that you still want the best things for like you still want to be a team player. You still want great things for the organization you're contributing to that it doesn't have to be a direct conflict. You just have to work together. Maybe they're just missing the information, and if you can work with them and enlighten yourself and them as to what you need and be flexible. You all. You all managed to to achieve your goals, and they luck out because they have an amazing employee that they invested in and saw value in from the beginning, and you get to continue to show up as an amazing person out in the community, as well as an exceptional mom,

Emily Mason 34:02
absolutely. And I'm so glad that you're seeing these things, and you're bringing these things to light, and you're advocating for moms, and we're going to continue this conversation and really dive in to how you and I and everybody else can continue to support those moms that are nursing and transitioning back into the workplace and how we can help as a society balance that work life and that breastfeeding journey. So don't go away. Lisa Myers and her amazing work with series chill will be right back.

All right. Welcome back to preggy pals. We are diving back into our fascinating conversation with Lisa Myers, the innovative mind behind series. Chill you. Let's keep exploring her journey and her insights into making breastfeeding work for busy moms. Lisa, if you could give one piece of advice to a first time mom heading back to work who wants to continue nursing? What would that be?

Lisa Myers 35:13
I would say, create or update your resume before you leave on maternity leave, or before you come back to work, if possible. And you're like, Okay, Lisa, that's weird. You're like, because you're gonna

Unknown Speaker 35:31
let me train.

Lisa Myers 35:34
So this is what I would say. Ideally, do it before you go out on maternity leave, before you're like, really close, because I think it's very easy, especially as women, to have trouble identifying all of the amazing things we've done and are good at, just in general, just in general, where we have been told, unfortunately, many of us from a teeny, tiny age, like Be humble, Be grateful, be demure. And so bragging and putting forth out all of our amazing accomplishments is a challenge, just from the jump, and then you add this disability, this huge burden to your employer, this massive challenge to yourself, I remember not fitting my clothes and not like moving or thinking or performing in The way that I did before, or as fast as I thought I should, and being worried and frustrated, and when you're when you go back to work and you're trying to advocate for yourself as an awesome employee, a valued member of the team and this new parent, it's hard when you haven't slept in weeks, and you are faced with this whole new challenge of keeping this, this tiny thing that is your everything alive, and it's it's your sole focus, but you're like, but no, no, no, like. I also can do great work, and I also want to contribute to the bottom line. And I also your values are my values, and you're barely holding it together. You don't, you know the button doesn't quite button on your suit, like all these little, tiny things, like big and small, the impact you're thinking and your attitude about yourself. And so I just, whenever I've written my resume, I've been like, whoa. Like, I mean, as I put things down and you get to the end of it, I don't know if you've had this experience, Emily, but you get to the end and you're like, What a phenomenal human being. This is, like, I'd hire her in a second.

Emily Mason 38:00
Yeah. Like, I have to look back and say, like, like, I did that. Like, and even having somebody else read your resume, and I do this often, where I'll have, like, a co worker read it, or my boss read it, and getting comfortable having those conversations being like, Hey, can you read my resume? And they're like, You forgot this, and you forgot this and you forgot this? Yeah, you should add this. And I'm like, Whoa. Like, I did forget that. I did that, and I did, you know, I did take on that initiative. And I think that, again, like you said, we're so conditioned to be humble and demure, and you know, that was a group effort, so that wasn't something that I need to put on my resume, like, you're still part of that group. You can still take ownership of something that your group did. Those kinds of things I think are definitely part of those, maybe like building blocks for those confidence builders. And then as you transition, like, what other confidence builders and pieces would you say are important to help in that balance of work and breastfeeding?

Lisa Myers 39:12
Yeah, well, so having that resume, whether, like, for some women, they've never had a resume. I mean, they have either just, you know, had great relationships in the community and have been hired because of their reputation, or, you know, they've done a lot of shift work and filled it applications. But I think having a resume writing down your accomplishments like having something very tangible that you can't lose track of because you've lost sleep or because you're dealing with postpartum depression, or you're just sad, like you're just sad and tired, and you feel like you just don't sit anymore. I think having that tangible reminder that you are not less than you were before you're more. More than you were before you You did all of that, and now you do all of these other incredible things. I think that that's really important and fundamental. Whether you have a resume and you're updating it, or you're creating your resume for the first time, I think it's important and then, of course, knowing your rights. Um, there. You know the pump act. Not everybody is familiar with it. We can make sure we send it over to you so it can go in the notes. But there's lots of resources online. There's lots of nonprofit legal entities that can give advice and help you through challenges you're facing in your workplace. A lot of it is, I'm I'm a former lawyer, and so unfortunately, there's a lot of wishy washy talk about like reasonable amount of time to pump, but you're entitled to a clean private space a reasonable amount of time to pump. I think coming to your employer with a plan where you recognize their needs and priorities and you find a way to incorporate yourself into that world. I know it sucks. I hate to say it. I'm definitely not a lean in kind of person where it's just like, suck it up buttercup. Like, you know, this is our lot in life, and you have to just like, bow down and sort it out. But I think we do have to recognize that our employers are going to be really worried, like, how am I going to do this? Like, I don't have extra space, or I don't know how much time this is going to take, and how is this going to disrupt the team, and if Tina gets time for pumping, then is Bob going to ask for extra smoke breaks? And how am I going to manage that? Or whatever it is, right? So just realizing where they're coming from and trying to be mindful of that and work with them on it, and and help educate them, because if I mean heck, I wouldn't know to help how to help a mom with a pumping schedule. And I pumped, but I sucked at it. I I didn't set up good schedules. So like, if I like, we have an entirely remote team, so everybody's breastfeeding their babies and pumping all day long. But right, I wouldn't know how to help someone in an office space. And every person's different. Emily, you know that from the show, like, you know that from the community, and every baby's different. Your first baby is going to be second than your than your second, then your third. So, yeah, that's just what I would say, is like, know your value, and then know your rights, and then understand the conversation you're having, so that it can really be a two way street, and it it can be a partnership, rather than this antagonistic or very scary interaction, I guess is the best I can say, yeah,

Emily Mason 42:47
that is fantastic. And I think that for each baby, each and like each instance, is isolated in itself and for myself, like building my confidence and balancing that work life balance and the breastfeeding and all all of the pieces you you know, you mentioned a resume. You mentioned, like, really reflecting, I love, like, at the end of the day, just writing down one thing that I accomplished. And, like, some days it was like, brushed my teeth. Like I wrote it down, and I was so like, I woke up this morning and I brushed my teeth before 10am like, Good job me. But then, like, as I started taking like, accountability, like, at first I was like, Man, I just said one good thing today. And then I conditioned myself and conditioned my brain to be like, No, you got up and, like, you brushed your teeth and you put on, like, actual clothes, and you went outside and you went to the grocery store. Like, all of those things seem like mundane tasks, but when you're running on empty and you haven't slept and you're not, like, fully functioning, like, going to the grocery store is, like, a big accomplishment in itself, when you have a newborn and, like, those little milestones of being, like, I survived going to the grocery store with two kids. Like, that's a win in my book. So I think definitely taking accountability and definitely conditioning yourself to seeing like the positives, and then have somebody that like will also like, give you a pat on the back and be like, hey, like you're doing a great job. I think those are all like, great tips and tricks that will help you build that confidence and in your work, but also in your home life, because those things are also affected as well. Yeah,

Lisa Myers 44:45
yeah. And I'm not saying everybody needs a serious chill bottle, but having the tools like, no, yeah, if it's if it's a most insurance, I mean, insurance is required to cover pumps, but I know that not every. Every mom is lucky enough to have insurance, but finding a pump that works for you, and not everybody responds to every pump the same way. And manual pumps are awesome. Some people, I mean, swear they won't touch a electric pump because a manual pump is so effective for them, knowing how to hand Express, having some weight like transport chilled milk. I love that we're able to partner with programs, you know, like domestic violence, like you think about shift work domestic violence, you think about like women trying to find a fridge and a freezer for a freeze pack and all of this. Like having something where you can be mobile, whether it's going to a bachelorette party to like, feel normal and be with your friends, or it's trying to get to a safe place for you and your kids is just like, look for ways to support like, First, figure out what is important to you, and formula feeding is totally fine. I did it, and my kids are brilliant, beautiful, fully functional, little human beings. But if breast feeding is your priority, then set yourself up for success by having people around you that support you and the right advice and then the tools to be successful. However, that looks

Emily Mason 46:22
absolutely 100% and I think you and I could probably talk about this for another hour. So before we leave, I want to help our listeners be able to connect with you and learn more about your journey. Where can they find you?

Lisa Myers 46:39
Okay, they can find me on Bainbridge Island. I would be happy to have coffee or a glass of wine with anyone but the the chiller and the milk sash and our nipple shields, like all of the good stuff to support new parents. Oh my gosh, and we're coming out with the most beautiful glass bottle in the entire world. But all of that can be found at series chill.com and that is spelled the like the Latin, Roman goddess, like the word serial. So, C, E, R, E, S, C, H, I, L, l.com, or on Amazon. And yeah, it's, I'm, I'm really proud, definitely, anybody that has any ideas about, you know, what else what we're missing, or what we could be doing better, or how we could be building the community and helping moms. I'd love to hear we'll send over those links so that maybe you can add them to the notes. And if somehow you know the sample email or the information on the pump Act helps your listeners and your community, that's just everything to me, we will

Emily Mason 47:41
definitely include all of that. Is there any social medias?

Lisa Myers 47:46
Instagram is amazing. Then we have the judgment free breastfeeding and pumping group on Facebook, you ask all the best questions. Emily, I just have to say, but yeah. And then I mean LinkedIn, for all the moms that you know want to stay very officey, but Instagram is a lot of fun. There's a lot of user content, lot of mom hacks, lot of wisdom and support there. And then the judgment free breastfeeding and pumping group on Facebook is just epic. We have ask the LC so you can get, like, really personalized advice and tips. I mean, it doesn't replace having your own lactation consultant available to you, but it's nice to kind of hear what other moms are going through, and maybe something similar you're dealing with something similar, and that advice is helpful. So, yeah, highly recommend, definitely Instagram and the judgment free group on Facebook. Awesome.

Emily Mason 48:49
Okay, before we wrap up, do you have any final tips, insights, either about series chill or your own experiences that you would want to share with our listeners.

Lisa Myers 49:01
Oh, man, I would say that we covered a lot. I Yes. You mind if I read a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson about success, because I feel like it applies. Okay, yeah, it's one of my favorites. It's one of my favorites, and I feel like it speaks to what all of us are trying to do as women and especially as new moms. So this is Ralph Waldo Emerson's what is success, to laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate the beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition, to know. Even one life has breathed easier because you have lived this is to have succeeded.

Emily Mason 50:05
I think that is the perfect way to leave our audience with and give them something to just kind of think over and and really, really like, Hmm, I'm looking for the right words. I think it's just something to really think through and really give yourself time to, like, marinate in those words a little bit. And I love, love, love that quote. Notice

Lisa Myers 50:33
he didn't talk about not formula feeding in there at all.

Emily Mason 50:36
Right?

Lisa Myers 50:39
So, yeah, um, no, I'm glad I left you a little bit speechless. Emily, I think it's just like giving ourselves grace and that there's a lot of different ways to be successful, and it doesn't have to be. There's not just like one path to being a great parent or a great human,

Emily Mason 50:56
right, exactly, exactly. Well, I want to thank you so much, Lisa for joining us today on this episode. For our audience, people listening, please be sure to check out New Mommy Media, where all of our podcast episodes live, plus videos and more. All the information from today will be posted there. We're going to break and then we'll come back and wrap up.

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Disclaimer 52:10
a New Mommy Media production. The information and material contained in this episode are presented for educational purposes only. Statements and opinions expressed in this episode are not necessarily those of New Mommy Media and should not be considered facts. While such information and materials are released to be accurate, it is not intended to replace or substitute for professional medical advice or care, and should not be used for diagnosing or treating healthcare problem or disease or prescribing any medication. If you have questions or concerns regarding your physical or mental health or the health of your baby, please seek assistance from a qualified healthcare provider you.