By Dr. Carly Clark
I am embarrassed to say that until recently, I had no grasp of the demands of breastfeeding. Like most residents, I’ve struggled to keep up with the academic load, manage stress, and deal with personal life challenges amid a busy training program. Yet I have no experience with pregnancy or breastfeeding during this process. When asked to collaborate on a project aimed at breastfeeding surgeons, I was excited to help. I thought this would be a great way for me to learn more about transitioning from maternity leave back to work and accommodating a pumping schedule. As a Type A personality, I was ready to take notes and prepare myself for the future.
Developing this project opened my eyes to just how many tasks a new mother, let alone a surgeon, must manage. As most of you reading this probably already know, surgeon mothers have unpredictable hours, limited breaks, and poor access to lactation resources such as equipment at work, storage for milk, and locations to pump. Breastfeeding is recommended by pediatricians and the WHO, but no educational resources are directed specifically to surgeons. I am hopeful that the resource we developed not only helps new mothers but also raises awareness of the barriers to success that female surgeons so often humbly overcome.
Our module serves as a multimedia resource with demonstration videos, links, and personal stories from those who have experienced pregnancy and breastfeeding. Topics include pumping locations, wearable pumps, pumping in the operating room or in between cases/clinic patients, breastmilk storage, hydration/caloric intake, finding time to pump or feed, as well as strategies for defining success. As an otolaryngologist, the clinic plays a large role in my day, including various procedures, as well as a range of short operative procedures with quick turnover to multi-hour operative cases. Breastfeeding otolaryngologists are pulled in many directions during the workday, including for emergencies, such as airways. However, due to the lack of any similar program currently, we have broadened the audience to include all breastfeeding surgeons.
We have highlighted the stories of three surgeons: an otolaryngologist, a cardiac surgeon, and a general surgery resident. In developing this resource, it was inspiring to hear each perspective on how they approached the logistics of pumping and on their personal growth throughout the journey. The pressure placed on mothers to pump for a set amount of time, and to achieve this task with a busy OR and clinic schedule, is something I never appreciated. It is truly a part-time job to pump every 3 hours, hydrate, and maintain an appropriate caloric intake. I am grateful for the strides these women have made in normalizing the process and their openness about the obstacles that most breastfeeding surgeons will likely face.
AUTHOR BIO
Carly Clark is a PGY-4 Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery resident at the University of Kentucky. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Tulane University and then completed medical school at the Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine. She plans to practice comprehensive Otolaryngology when she graduates from residency. She enjoys cooking for the people she loves and spending time outdoors.
Tutorial Series for Breastfeeding Surgeons
