let your boss know you'll pump?

KelsnEm · July 2011

For those who pump at work, did you talk to your boss about it before heading back? I start back in about 2 weeks and plan on pumping in my office, but wasn't sure if I should call ahead of time to let them know or just tell them on my first day back? I have a set date and didn't plan on talking to them until my first morning back. Your thoughts?

TheMrs923 · July 2011

My situation was a little different but, I went back gradually, adding a day each week until I was back full-time (this week). My first day in the office, I emailed my boss the days I'll be in the office and added at the end that I planned to pump while at work. I explained to her that I would break my lunch hour in to 2 - 15 minute breaks - one in the morning and the other in the afternoon and then use 30 mins for lunch.

She was fine with it. I think it would be OK to just mention it your morning back.

tosababy · July 2011

If you have a private office with a door you can close (and lock) and don't need any special arrangements, I don't see a need to talk to your boss before you get back.

jteneback · July 2011

I have found my male bosses would rather not think/talk about it, but we are also kind of an independent place. I just told my receptionist to leave me some breaks between meetings and when my door is closed I assume they will try again later. I continue to work while pumping so I'm not taking time off, and I bought a mini fridge with my own money so I have total privacy except for washing parts.

So I don't know what would work best for your company but here the less attention that is drawn to it the happier everyone is.

egingras · July 2011

No. They figured it out when I was walking down the hall with my black backpack to go to the nurses station 3x a day.

jf198400 · July 2011

There's no reason to tell your boss at all unless you need to make arrangements with your work schedule. I never said a word, I just go to the lactation room when I need to and make the time up at the end of the day. Especially if your boss is a man, he'd probably rather not know.

terpsfan · July 2011

I WAH and my mgmt is remote too. We have a lot of conference calls so I blocked off my pumping times on my calendar with a "private" pumping session 3x a day. I let my boss know what these were so if he was trying to schedule a mtg he would know what those 15 min private events were. I told him if it was a one on one thing I couldn't do it during that time (unless he could stand the noise LOL) but if it was a big thing where I could be on mute I could attend.

JDoe11111 · July 2011

I emailed my bosses and HR contacts a couple weeks before I went back and it took at least that long to come up with a place for me to pump. I work at a large employer, and they legally provide a lactation suite...about a 20 minute hike across campus. No way was that going to fly twice a day, i'd have been exhausted and missed 2 hours of work a day at least. My supervisors bent over backwards to find something better, and it did take time to arrange, so I'm really glad I asked ahead of time.

shoeboxx · July 2011

When I returned from maternity leave, I didn't have a supervisor, just a manager that sat far away from me. I used my former supervisor's office to pump. When we got a new supervisor on our team, I told him (although I'm sure he didn't give an f) because I have the 'purse style' PISA and it looked like I was leaving twice per day.

I think even with an office, you should at least tell your boss because he may wonder why your office door is closed everyday at certain times. I mean, you don't have to give any details, just that you are pumping.

skyejo · July 2011

egingras:
No. They figured it out when I was walking down the hall with my black backpack to go to the nurses station 3x a day.

This.

I didn't want to deal with the uncomfortableness of telling my direct boss (who is male). He figured it out eventually.

brandioohoo · July 2011

i told mine before i left for maternity leave, saying, "IF i'm able to breastfeed, i will need to pump when i get back." he was more than okay with it. but my company is extremely family friendly, so i can't imagine any answer other than okay.

SushiNoMore · July 2011

I was pretty open about it, but I didn't make a big deal about it. My boss is a woman with kids, and I just sort of said, "oh, by the way, I'm going to be pumping when I get back." I think I told her the week before I returned to work when I brought my son in to "meet" everyone. I have my own office, though, so it isn't a big deal, really. I also told the woman across the hall that I'm pumping in case people ask about me when my door is closed and my "go away" sign is up.

costfords · July 2011

I told my boss before I left on leave. This was mostly my way of saying that I would be missing some meetings and that the group just had to deal with it. When I changed bosses I told the new one. He knew what I was doing, I just wanted to reinforce that my pumping time comes first and that I am available via email and IM but not by phone or in person during that time. I also blocked out my pumping time on my calendar, listed it as private, and left my calendar shared to my co-workers. They have all gotten the hint.

While I was pumping with my first DD I found that if I was open about it I had a an easier time pumping and got more milk. I also found that if I took the stance that I was doing this for the health of my child, I was more relaxed.

The only downfall that I have found being so open is that I work with engineers. I am waiting for the day that one of them decides that my breastpump might work best shooting ping pong balls rather than as a breastpump.

stephy1221 · July 2011

On my first day back I told my boss that I was still nursing so a few times a day he would see a note on my office door saying "Meeting in progress - do not disturb"and that would mean I was pumping. I assured him it was sanitary and discreet. He was fine and we never spoke of it again.

massdreams · July 2011

I'm in the same situation as you (private office with a door that locks). I told my boss on my first day back just to let her know in case anyone asked about the Do Not Disturb sign on my door (I had a janitor just unlock and walk into my office with my first DS while pumping, so I've learned to put up a sign). She knew I pumped with my first DS, so I'm sure she figured I would be doing the same. I also let two of my suite mates know, who are women. The other one is an older guy who is very formal and I just thought that would be an awkward conversation. I figured if he asked, I would tell him, but he hasn't yet.

vmm0016 · July 2011

I said something before returning but I am the receptionist, so we had to work out when I could be away from the front desk and who would cover.

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