Pump it! Madison Foley is breaking down breastfeeding barriers for mothers in the music industry.
When Madison Foley discovered she was pregnant in March 2020, she had plenty to distract her from the burgeoning pandemic headlines. She was recording an album with her band FOOLS, working full-time, studying, and gigging a few times a week. “There wasn’t time to stop and think much about how [motherhood] might affect my career”, she laughs.
Given how little was known at the time about Covid-19 transmission and pregnancy, Foley made the difficult decision to withdraw from a number of paid gigs during her first trimester – a choice made even more challenging because she had not yet disclosed that she was pregnant, so wasn’t able to give a full explanation to her colleagues.
“There wasn’t time to stop and think about how [motherhood] might affect my career.”
Nonetheless, Foley’s first trimester passed without issue and she worked during the remainder of her pregnancy. In hindsight she accedes there were benefits to the otherwise challenging pandemic situation. “I was still able to be involved in iso-recordings [during lockdown] for Vance Joy and FOOLS without have to lug my pregnant, tired and sore body around to gigs”.
Foley is one of Melbourne’s most sought-after trumpet players. She began performing professionally at age 16, was a long-time touring member of critically-acclaimed alt-pop outfit Architecture in Helsinki, and has worked with many of Australia’s greats such as Ash Grunwald, Jazzlab Orchestra, and multi-award winning indie-rock duo Big Scary.
“I expected the scene would be welcoming when I returned post-baby and that, if anything, I could be a voice for working musician-mums. The Melbourne music community is evolving to be more inclusive of non-male musicians and so, in my mind, this would also extend to working mums in the industry.”
Foley didn’t anticipate that returning to gigs would mean missing meal breaks to pump breastmilk, frequently in filthy conditions. “I spent every set break sitting in a dingy toilet stall, pumping milk for my baby at home, and feeling lonely and miserable.”
While a great number of her colleagues and employers were emotionally supportive, Foley quickly realised that a lack of awareness for the logistical demands of breastfeeding & breastmilk-pumping was creating barriers for musician-mothers in the music industry.
“When I started gigging again, I realised just how difficult it is to maintain milk supply for my baby whilst out at unpredictable workplaces – and most of the musician-mothers in my circle were experiencing similar challenges.”
“The Melbourne music community is evolving to be more inclusive of non-male musicians… In my mind, this extends to working mums.”
“There were times when I was pumping at a gig, in a rush between sets, in tears because nothing was coming out, and just questioning if it was worth it. I started to consider stopping breastfeeding or not doing gigs.”
On their website, the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) states “all states have legislation that protects your right to combine breastfeeding and paid work… It is generally against the law for your workplace to refuse to make arrangements to assist you to breastfeed at work, if these are reasonable. For example, it may be discrimination if:
Your employer does not provide you with suitable facilities for breastfeeding or expressing milk;
You are not allowed to organise your work breaks to facilitate breastfeeding or expressing milk;
You are told that you must wean your baby before you can return to work.”
But what if you’re working in a new location every night, with different employers and shifting schedules?
“I came up with the idea for the infographic after a weekend of gigs for Midsumma Festival at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. They gave me a private room to pump and welcomed my partner and baby in for a couple of feeds. They considered my needs and consulted with me. I realised that with more awareness and education, it is possible for venues and band leaders to make even small changes to support breast/chest feeding parents in our ever-changing workplace.”
Foley consulted with her musician-mother peers and created a simple, one-page resource that explains the “whys” and “whats” of breastfeeding and breastmilk-pumping at work. The infographic has been shared by musicians and venues across Australia and New Zealand. So what other changes would Foley like to see in the music industry?
“Pumping needs to become more visible. Having been in the industry for 15 years now, I’d never seen anyone pump or feed their baby at a gig. This might mean pumping in front of your bandmates, if you feel comfortable enough… or just being clear about how much time you need to pump in private.”
“Pumping needs to become more visible.”
“I would love for people who run bands and book musicians to approach musician-mothers and actually ask how they can make their gig, recording, or rehearsal more parenting-friendly. I have some amazing employers and bandmates who do this, but would love it to be the norm. It makes me feel included in my workplace.”
For more information on your breastfeeding rights at work, visit the Australian Breastfeeding Association.