This Working Mom Wore 150 Breast Milk Bags to Prove a Powerful Point

After giving birth to her second child, Kasey Jones struggled with adjusting to her new home life as well as returning to her job as a teacher.

After realizing how taxing the postpartum return to work can be on a mom's physical and mental health, especially if she is breastfeeding, Kasey wanted to help other moms feel less alone. "In the wee hours of the morning as I would pump, sleep deprived, preparing to teach to over 100 students, I felt alone," Kasey told The Huffington Post. "Our system does not support new mothers or families during this transitional phase."

In order to raise awareness of the harsh realities that new moms face when their maternity leave is up, she created a powerful photo series called Working Mother Suit. In the moving portraits, Kasey is working in an office while wearing a suit made from over 150 breast milk storage bags.

"When you breastfeed, you are food on demand. You are up all night producing milk and feeding your baby," Kasey said. "You wake up earlier than your shift starts to pump so that baby has enough food while you are gone. You go to work sleep deprived, not 100 percent, you work, you pump, you work, you pump. Then you come home and do it all over again."

Kasey hopes that her series will shed light on the difficulties that many working moms face trying to feed their babies while earning an income for their family and seeks to unite those who are currently struggling. "When you ask for a clean and comfortable place to pump, you often get looks of annoyance and judgment. You are also expected to combine your breaks, lunch, and pump time all into the same fraction of time," Kasey said. "You are not given adequate time which can cause stress and anxiety to 'perform' within the 15-30 minutes you've been allotted."

Although Kasey doesn't feel that the system currently backs new moms, she is hopeful that her photos will become a symbol of advocacy and spark a greater discussion. "How we treat mothers and women in our society reflects what we value the most and what we value the least. We do not value the role of women. We do not value the role of the mother," Kasey said. "The more conversation we have about the harsh realities of working and caring for an infant and the lack of support we actually receive, the more something will change."