Pumping at work

JenR85 · May 2013

So I just casually brought up to the office manager asking where I would go to pump when I return to work because I basically work in a fishbowl, surrounded by windows including all offices having windows to the inside of remaining office. She told me I would just have to go in a bathroom stall......ummmmm that doesn't sound right or sanitary. Don't workplaces have to provide you a place? I am pretty sure I'm the first person to have a baby that has worked here in the past 10 years at least.

PrimRoseMama · May 2013

JenR85:
So I just casually brought up to the office manager asking where I would go to pump when I return to work because I basically work in a fishbowl, surrounded by windows including all offices having windows to the inside of remaining office. She told me I would just have to go in a bathroom stall......ummmmm that doesn't sound right or sanitary. Don't workplaces have to provide you a place? I am pretty sure I'm the first person to have a baby that has worked here in the past 10 years at least.

Do you have an HR department? I would go there and ask them. I believe its federal law that you are allowed a place to pump, but I could be wrong.

https://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/breastfeeding-state-laws.aspx

https://breastfeedinglaw.com/federal-law/

JenR85 · May 2013

Well looks like it doesn't apply to
My employer because we have less than 50 employees. Our office manager is our HR person, it is a joke. Really annoyed by this.

Guillerma · May 2013

JenR85:
Well looks like it doesn't apply to
My employer because we have less than 50 employees. Our office manager is our HR person, it is a joke. Really annoyed by this.

Hmm. I might still bring up the federal laws, just as a point. There's really no room with walls and a door other than a bathroom??

Guillerma · May 2013

The other point is that you will need an outlet. Most bathroom stalls do not have outlets.

texgal79 · May 2013

The federal law doesn't apply to our firm, either, because we have under 50 employees as well. My colleagues and other friends in the same situation have reportedly used bathrooms, supply closets, server rooms, janitor's closet (yes, super sketchy), conference rooms, their cars, offices of colleagues who were out of town where they could close the door... etc. You don't have to have an outlet; many pumps run on battery packs. But obviously it sucks ducks in terms of convenience. Just one of the many indignities we have to put up with in teh workplace

eoub · May 2013

My office is set up similarly with windows everywhere. Are there any internal IT rooms or file storage rooms that you could use? Or does the building itself have a rarely-used "conference center" with conference rooms that you could use? I'd poke around the office a bit with an open mind as to what would work (maybe even talk to the building manager, if that's a woman and not some gruff dude) and propose your own solution.

JCWhitey · May 2013

Being the slightly evil little person that I am, I would just whip out my pump and start pumping away at my desk in the middle of everything. They don't have to give you a spot, but also by law I don't think they can banish you into a bathroom which doesn't sound sanitary to me. I'm sure after a session or two of that and they'll magically find you a place to go.

PrimRoseMama · May 2013

Hmm, in your situation I would bring my pump and a cover. Its not ideal, but you can turn towards the corner, cover and pump for 15 to 20 minutes. It sucks but that's all I can think of. You can use burp clothes or even a large baby blanket if you don't want to spend a bunch of money on a cover.

alexandra1818 · May 2013

JCWhitey:
Being the slightly evil little person that I am, I would just whip out my pump and start pumping away at my desk in the middle of everything. They don't have to give you a spot, but also by law I don't think they can banish you into a bathroom which doesn't sound sanitary to me. I'm sure after a session or two of that and they'll magically find you a place to go.

Ha, I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought of this! Pumps can be LOUD, and distracting for others, and I'd be quite unapologetic about how I have to pump, and since there's no where else, at my desk is where it's going to happen.

Dani428 · May 2013

I'm sorry that really stinks. I have an office and last year I offered a girl who worked in a cube the permission to use my office for pumping. I worked in a conference room while she used it. Maybe you can ask someone you're close with at work for the favor? Maybe the HR dept could set something like that up for you? It's probably asking a lot but it doesn't hurt to ask. It's better than the john!

JenR85 · May 2013

Thanks ladies for the responses. We have 4 offices all being used by men and the rest are cubicles. We have a conference room that is always being used. We do have a storage closet but no light. Maybe I will go back in between the filing cabinets lol. I am in a 14 story building so we are in a suite surrounded by outside windows and all the rooms have these windows next to the door so others can see in but besides the case there isn't one available to use. I am the back cubicle so pumping at my cubicle out if spite might not be a bad idea haha

bunnie712 · May 2013

JCWhitey:
Being the slightly evil little person that I am, I would just whip out my pump and start pumping away at my desk in the middle of everything.nbsp; They don't have to give you a spot, but also by law I don't think they can banish you into a bathroom which doesn't sound sanitary to me.nbsp; I'm sure after a session or two of that and they'll magically find you a place to go.nbsp;

Ooh I should do this! I work for a lrge corporation, but am in engineering. I was given a supply closet to pump in that had a leaky ceiling. I tried to use conference rooms, but we are very short on availability for those. A lot of times I would be at the mercy of conferece room availability and would be leaking by the time I could get a room. Even still DD never had formula until she was 10 months, so it worked out in the end as frustrating as it would be.

I definitely would not want to pump in the bathroom though.

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