Pumping at Work?

4legsRbest · July 2012

This may be a cart before the horse situation, but I really, really want to BF for as long as I possibly can and exclusively at first. I will go back to work when the muppet is ~10 weeks old so I will have a need to pump at work several times a day for supply. I work for a very large company, not American, so the culture here is a bit different. There is no privacy where I work (if you need to have a private conversation, you leave the building), our VP and some other directors may get doors to their offices but no walls go all the way to the ceiling and I don't think there is a single lock in the place.

Where do I pump? A colleague I asked, that had a baby about a year ago, told me she used the community bathroom (picture an airport bathroom with dozens of stalls) but I can't imagine how that could be comfortable. So, I sit on a toilet that has no lid, without a counter, trying to pump several times a day?? What are you ladies who will pump at work (without a private office) planning on doing? I thought about sending HR an email asking if there was a space dedicated for this (and I know there isn't) but since I work with 1,000 other people, I have to send my email to some on-line representative who then farms out my email to appropriate person.

I now this could be a moot point if something bad happens or for some reason BFing doesn't work but I am going to try like hell to make it and I want to be prepared so I am not stressed when I go back to work.

Any ideas/suggestions are much appreciated! I am thinking of asking on the PAL board too but I know it can be slow.

biochemgirl · July 2012

I would ask your boss where you can pump and say you are not sure pumping in the bathroom is a viable option before giving him/her the opportunity to suggest that. I pumped in my office and one of our admins pumped in an empty office.

big_noise · July 2012

What state are you in? Some states have laws that say you have to allow someone time to pump and offer a private space that is not a bathroom stall. That is the law in MN. I have my own office so I didn't need to worry about that but I did have plenty of other offices where I needed to pump b/c I do work off-site sometimes. They all had nursing mother's rooms (except the one time this guy let me use his office...he just had his first grandchild so he got it, lol). I would def. ask HR lots of questions.

Atleighdan · July 2012

With DS, I pumped in several different locations, including closets and private bathrooms. It was not the most comfortable experience, but like you, I was determined! Since then, they have built a dedicated pumping room, so I am excited to have that space next time around!

I agree with pp. Ask your boss. Good luck and I hope you are able to find a good solution!

skye83 · July 2012

With DD, the only place available to pump was in a bathroom stall or in my car. I opted for the car. I always tried to park somewhere inconspicuous so I didn't have an audience and kept a nursing cover in the car to provide a little privacy if someone did happen to walk by. It was a hassle but I made it work. I nursed her until she was over 2. It was a hassle but typically only required me to take 1 extra break for about 20-30 minutes. My schedule typically looked like this.

9:00- Arrive at work

11:30-12:00- Take an early lunch. Pump while eating. (hands free bra required)

2:30-3:00 take afternoon pump break.

5:30- Go home. DD would be ready to eat and supply recovered by the time I got home.

kelly321 · July 2012

big_noise:
What state are you in? Some states have laws that say you have to allow someone time to pump and offer a private space that is not a bathroom stall. That is the law in MN. I have my own office so I didn't need to worry about that but I did have plenty of other offices where I needed to pump b/c I do work off-site sometimes. They all had nursing mother's rooms (except the one time this guy let me use his office...he just had his first grandchild so he got it, lol). I would def. ask HR lots of questions.

This. Definitely check into it. La Leche League might have some info on the laws that apply to your state. It doesn't matter if the company is international. If the office you work in is in the US, they have to comply with US law.

4legsRbest · July 2012

Thank you all so much! We do have conference rooms, but the doors don't lock

However; at the mention of the law, I did find this for Tennessee!

Tenn. Code Ann. ? 50-1-305 (1999) requires employers to provide daily unpaid break time for a mother to express breast milk for her infant child. Employers are also required to make a reasonable effort to provide a private location, other than a toilet stall, in close proximity to the workplace for this activity. (1999 Tenn. Law, Chap. 161; SB 1856)

Once again, y'all are brilliant!

Web-site if anyone is interested: https://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/breastfeeding-state-laws.aspx

tiffmatt · July 2012

kelly321:

big_noise:
What state are you in? Some states have laws that say you have to allow someone time to pump and offer a private space that is not a bathroom stall. That is the law in MN. I have my own office so I didn't need to worry about that but I did have plenty of other offices where I needed to pump b/c I do work off-site sometimes. They all had nursing mother's rooms (except the one time this guy let me use his office...he just had his first grandchild so he got it, lol). I would def. ask HR lots of questions.

This. Definitely check into it. La Leche League might have some info on the laws that apply to your state. It doesn't matter if the company is international. If the office you work in is in the US, they have to comply with US law.

I am in Nebraska and we have the same law. There is a locked room in each building for nursing. If there is only one person that needs it she gets to keep the key. If there are more, we work out a schedule and get the key from security as needed. I finally for a peek at it, nice room, a table and chairs, fridge, sink and a recliner. Tbh, I didn't even know it existed until recently.

If there aren't state laws I would suggest asking HR about your options. They will likely be more prepared to offer a good solution then your direct boss.

MeggM1 · July 2012

I pumped in a conference room that I would reserve that had no windows and locked from the inside. I did have a handful of desperate times where I couldn't reserve the conference room and I either had to pump in the bathroom or my car in the corner of the parking garage (get a car adapter for such occasions). It was not fun, but I was exclusively pumping so I was used to pumping in weird places (bathroom of an airplane, family restroom at airport, dressing room of Nordstrom...). I plan corporate events and had to go into other workplaces and pump too...that was a weird question to ask but I did anyway and found out some places do have dedicated pumping areas for new moms. The more that ask the more likely people are to make something happen. The motto of a pumping mom is definitely "Where there is a will, there's a way!"

lotus88 · July 2012

andrea ri 80:

Do you work in the US? It depends how far you willing to go to the mat for this. By DOL Law employers are required to provide you a private, suitable place (they specifically say not a bathroom) to pump. They are required to provide you reasonable breaks but the extra break time is not required to be paid. I've heard of women wearing a poncho and pumping at their desk, or closing their doors (if they are lucky to have) and pumping and working, I've also heard of women pumping in a supply closet...

I work at a small company, 95% men. We have a single toilet womens washroom (large) and I pumped in there 3x per day (sitting on the open toilet, but I was comfortable), and pumped and drove 2x/day (hands free, not for everybody, but I did it because I have an hour commute and didnt want to pump when I got home I wanted to see my baby ).

I hope bfing works for you I had so many problems and ended up giving DS expressed BM in a bottle until he was 8 mos. Good Luck!

This. I've been pumping at my desk or a coworkers. Because of this law that Obama signed in, our hospital is making an effort to put lactation rooms on all sites. We have one here now (big room with three curtained off areas and abathroom), but it takes more time to walk there than I'd like. I'm totally ok pumping in my office. I know several coworkers pumped in the bathroom before this. . . For shame.

ella.mabel · July 2012

There is now a federal law that your employer has to provide a place for you to pump that is not a bathroom. Bathrooms seem too unsanitary for that purpose in my opinion. Definitely contact HR and give them some time to figure something out for you. A conference room, supply closet, file room, etc. The hands-free pumping bra was definitely a life saver for me. At my last job, i could keep working, answer emails, take calls, etc. At this job, i will likely be in the file room. I've even pumped many times in my car and just put my cardigan on backwards to cover everything up. Good luck!

big_noise · July 2012

ella.mabel:
There is now a federal law that your employer has to provide a place for you to pump that is not a bathroom. Bathrooms seem too unsanitary for that purpose in my opinion. Definitely contact HR and give them some time to figure something out for you. A conference room, supply closet, file room, etc. The hands-free pumping bra was definitely a life saver for me. At my last job, i could keep working, answer emails, take calls, etc. At this job, i will likely be in the file room. I've even pumped many times in my car and just put my cardigan on backwards to cover everything up. Good luck!

Hands-free pumping bra is a must. OMG I never would have made it the entire year without it. I mostly EPd.

KJohnson826 · July 2012

I know some states, like mine (Oregon) have laws that state employers need to have an area dedicated for breastfeeding mothers. I'm not sure where that is for myself, but I will ask when I return to work. Either way, I would ask your boss, but you may just have to contact your HR department (I know you said it is a representative somewhere) but that might be the only way to get a for sure answer.

I personally wouldn't want to pump in the bathroom (yuck!) and if that was my only option I would rather pump in my car and use one of those nursing wraps.

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