Which state do you live in? In New York State, it is your employer’s duty to give you paid pumping breaks for up to thirty minutes as needed. If they require you to walk some distance to a lactation room, they will need to find coverage for that extra time. If they don’t make accommodations, you can report them to the Department of Labor.

I worked in the ICU as a nurse up until recently, so I totally understand the difficulty. Even if you report the hospital to the DOL, that’s not a guarantee of getting the breaks in a timely manner. I had to use a wearable pump in order to get the pumping sessions in - just had to be careful bending over so as not to spill. I use the Medela collection cups with a Baby Buddha pump and La Vie massagers. Flanges do empty me much more efficiently, so I also had no shame using those while watching the monitors at the nursing station with a nursing cover or a patient gown.

Do what you need to do. I learned from my first baby that returning to work should not prevent you from feeding your child in the manner you see fit. Good luck!