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Did you tell your boss that you would be pumping at work?

AlpacaBunnyAlpacaBunny member
in Breastfeeding
I work in a school, I"m a social worker.  I have my own office.  We have a new principal this year and I have not really even met her yet.  I have a meeting with her next week.  I'm not sure if I should tell her that I will be pumping during my plan and lunch time.  I kind of want to b/c I want her to know why my door is closed at certain times, and if there is ever an emergency that needs to be handled and I can't go, I want her to know why.  But it seems like an odd thing to bring up. What did you say? 
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Re: Did you tell your boss that you would be pumping at work?

  • JLS0320JLS0320 member
    I haven't yet only because I see my boss 4 times a year and haven't yet since I've been back. I will though in 2 wks and she will be riding w/ me so I will have to kick her out of my car to pump (no office). I have a girl riding w/ me next week so I will have to let her know after picking her up. Should be interesting. I would mention it to your boss if you think its important for her to know.
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  • smiley007smiley007

    The week before I went back I told my boss that I would be using the mothers lounge my company offers... 2xs a day and i set my times as 10 and 2, but i can move them around if i have meetings or something. 

    I don't think its odd... its part of the "transitioning back to work" convo.

    GL!

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  • desmerelda317desmerelda317
    I'm a grad student and had to inform my program advisor I was pumping so that I could be given a private space for it. ?I expected the conversation to be weird and awkward, but it wasn't at all.
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  • BarnStarBarnStar

    I did because I'm a counselor and work on an appointment schedule with someone else maintaining my calendar. I had to block out specific time periods in order to guarantee pumping time.

    I didn't have the convo in person with my male boss. He emailed me asking to confirm my plans for returning from mat leave, and I mentioned it in my email. I assured him that I will still be able to work during my pumping time doing notes or responding to email. (with hands free pumping). I haven't heard back from him yet... I hope it doesn't become an issue.

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  • patrickandkimpatrickandkim member
    I didn't tell my supervisor because I don't feel she needs to know.  I am just going to sneak in a quick pump when things are not busy and my patients don't need anything. 
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  • Sweeters04Sweeters04
    I plan to. I only work 4 hours, but I'm a manager at an afterschool program and have to deal with state licensing. I work it out in my head what times i'll be away....I'll let her know the times. I don't think it's odd.
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  • kel716kel716 member

    Because you work in a school around kids, I definitely would.  Too many master keys floating around, you know? 

    I teach and I told my male principal in the spring when the master schedule came out and again when I came back to work.  I had to because I needed to be excused from my 1 day/week of lunch duty (no plan bells in the middle of the day).  He was fine with it... it was a few of my colleagues who gave me grief over missing an entire year of lunch duty.  (I then flipped that one on them... and said I may be missing lunch duty but I'm also eating alone the rest of the time and not with my friends.  would you like to keep me company?- that usually shut them up).  Anyway, I digress...  yes, you need to bring it up.  Tell her your plan.  Also, I would be willing to handle it professionally and if there is a big emergency be willing to stop pumping and take care of it.  Then take a break later in the day to pump.  One day is not going to kill your supply... it's multiple days.  Good luck!

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  • wanticecreamwanticecream
    Two girls at babies before me so it was just understood that I would be pumping.  I would mention it though because like you said, you want her to be aware of why you're MIA for a few minutes every few hours.  I don't have the option of not responding to emergencies but I would also tell her because you don't want her wondering why you're unavailable.  You never know what people will think.
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  • Stellar1Stellar1

    Yes I will tell my boss (principal). I am a third grade teacher and I want her to know in case I am late to a meeting or such. I will also tell my team. Another teacher at my school pumped last year and she told me that our principal and her team were very understanding.

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  • sweetpea7628sweetpea7628

    I work in a small office (and I don't have my own office) so I had to bring it up to my boss. 

    If I were you I would tell your boss that you will be pumping at certain times.  I know here in Minnesota your employeer must give you time to pump!  And if you plan on pumping during your downtime, there shouldn't be a problem.

    Good luck.

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  • Rhapsody527Rhapsody527
    I told my manager that I would be needing time for pumping when I called her to tell her when I would be coming back. She had absolutely no problem with it, and isn't even making me go off the clock for pumping. We're pretty close though and she understands how important BF'ing is to me. GL!
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  • Bride7-7-07Bride7-7-07

    I just told my boss this past Monday.  I told him because I needed him to provide me with a place to pump.  I'm a teacher and our school has an open plan/layout.  We don't have doors on our classrooms, so I need somewhere to pump that would be private.

    We talked about the baby for awhile since I just recently had DD and I will be on maternity leave at the beginning of the year.  I talked to him about my return and that I was breastfeeding and that I would need to pump during the day on my break/lunch time.

    I would tell your principal because from personal experience I know that our school social worker is constantly busy and can be needed at any second of the day.  I think it's important for her to know that you cannot be available during a certain time.  I would however, attempt to stick to a schedule and try to pump at the same time every day.

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  • OsgirlOsgirl

    Yes, I told my principal right away. It was also my first year teaching at that school. He was very supportive about it. Everyone knew that if my door was closed and locked and it was during the school day, I was in there pumping.

    I just basically told him that I am a nursing mother and will be pumping while at work, and that I wanted to let him know in case he was ever looking for me during lunch or prep time. He even told me about another teaching who had told him she'd be pumping as well, so her and I became good friends.

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