Intro and pumping at work question

uksteph11

Hello everyone.  I have been lurking on your board for quite some time, but haven't really posted.  I am about to have my first baby (due date is tomorrow!) and I will be returning to work after a 12 week leave.  I will be returning to work 10 hour days in an outpatient pediatric health care clinic.  I work in direct patient care and had to discuss with my supervisor that I would need breaks for pumping.  She was surprisingly accommodating about time, but informed me that they do not have a place for me to pump other than the bathroom.  I am not comfortable pumping in a bathroom stall and I know that this is not legal.  There are 2 other employees who are also pregnant (both with their second and they had their first while working at this facility), and neither of them seem to have any issue with using the bathroom.  My question is, how would you address this?  It will be very obvious that I am the one complaining about the situation and I hate to cause problems as this is a new site for me.  (I was previously at a different site, but with the same hospital.)  Would you suck it up and pump in the bathroom or your car?  Or would you raise this issue with HR?  Thanks in advance for your time.  I have already learned so many helpful tips about returning to work as a mom from your posts!

shannm

Find a solution that you are comfortable with.

However, if it was me, this is a battle I wouldn't feel like taking on. I would use the bathroom or the car. I pumped in the bathroom for DS twice a day, everyday, and did just fine. But I recognize others are not ok with this.

uksteph11

Thanks for your replies.  I think I might just bring it up with my supervisor and let her know that I am not comfortable using the bathroom.  I think I would be more comfortable if it was a private bathroom, but it is a small, busy restroom with 3 stalls.  Hopefully, she will respect my wishes and we can figure out another solution.  We don't have closed office spaces, they are all open, but I like the idea of possibly using a clinic room.  I know that some people will side eye me over this as it will be an inconvenience, but that won't bother me.  

NLewis1

Check out www.freemies.com it could be an option for you

MrsN052408

I would take it to HR. But, I am not sure how far I would push. I work in a hospital. For my first pregnancy I shared an office so I pumped in OB in any empty clean patient room. If they were full, I used an empty exam room. Thankfully we were less busy then than now. I have been off site at a university and had to pump in the bathroom with multiple stalls. I don't think I could do that everyday. For my second pregnancy, the university had created a mother's room for pumping and that was best case scenario, obviously. Be the one to make it better for you and those who will follow you. Good luck!

Beevol

Talk to your boss. You might not have an easy or perfect solution, but pumping in a public restroom is not only a gross and uncomfortable (both things that can reduce your let-down) it is also unhygienic. Imagine the law suit hell your insurance would reign down on your employer if your kid got sick because you were being illegally forced to pump in a bathroom.  

People who have never pumped/breastfed don't think about it, but if you explain it nicely, they can get it. It might be worth it to bring up the idea of a pumping schedule if there is only one room that will be available and three of you using it. I've never experienced this, but I've seen it come up on this board enough to know that it's the sort of issue you'll want to nip in the bud.  

uksteph11

I really appreciate all the feedback and it makes me more confident to go talk to my boss knowing that many other people agree with my position.  I had a meeting scheduled with my boss this past Monday, but my LO decided he was ready to come into this world Sunday night.  I obviously will have to reschedule the meeting but will do so with confidence thanks to you ladies!