Working moms - Check In

Bunnyfer · December 2013

Hey ladies....another week over.....are we all still alive? Share your week with us...

QOTW - If you pump at work, tell us about your space.

LokiLahve · December 2013

Another week past and it continues to get easier. Things are INSANE at work right now and I'm overwhelmed but I just tell myself I do the best I can and move on. I can't work ot like I used to before LO, so I'm trying to find ways to work more efficiently.

Pump space....the men's bathroom. SO glamorous! It has a numeric lock on the door so no one can get in. They put a comfy chair and side table in there, but it doesn't change the fact I can see a urinal. It's not the BEST but I'm thankful I have a dedicated space I can go and don't have to worry about someone barging in on me. The running water is nice also.

Bunnyfer · December 2013

Week was good for me, but drug due to looking forward to taking LO to Disney on Thursday. I am bummed I cannot get Christmas Eve off...the person who took the day off does not even celebrate the holidays....so kinda bummed about that. Otherwise just plugging along...I still miss LO terribly every day...

QOTW - My space feels like a prison. Its a rarely used First Aid room, but it has a couch, and a bathroom, so it works. I usually have my phone to keep me company, and I usually bump while pumping....which I do twice while at work. I also get paid while pumping....which is awesome

LEMSA · December 2013

Credentials finally cleared so I can start seeing patients!! Who hoo! Now my schedule is typical hospital style jacked up. Noon-midnight, 10a-10p, 2p-2a. All kinds of jacked up. But as long as LO stays on his schedule we should be good!

Imma totally AW my pumping room. It's in the hospital and pretty nice. Microwave to sterilize your supplies, reclining chair, computer. Plus you get to use hospital grade pumps. You get one free pumping kit that goes with the pump.

Surprisingly not a lot of people know about it! Everyone I know I works with always brought their own pump and pumped in the managers office. I'm trying to spread the word so the hospital will make more rooms. Right now there's 4 rooms for a 10 story hospital.

LJUTCMommy · December 2013

I'm still dealing with some weirdness at work, but I'm hoping it's just an adjustment period. I'm at work today too and pumping as I type. We have a meeting at 10am and I really hope it's short. Sometimes these meetings go on for hours and it's me and a bunch of elderly men and I don't want to explain that I need a pump break.

I have my own office with a door that locks. I made them put up blinds before I returned so people can't see inside my window when I pump. I have a "Privacy Please" door hanger sign that I put out when I'm pumping. I think half the employees still have no idea what I'm doing when the sign is out though. I realize I am very fortunate to have an office I can comfortably pump in, but it has drawbacks. For one, I keep making little milk messes on my keyboard and desk. And, another, I'm still expected to answer phone calls and emails and do work on my computer while pumping, so there's no real "pump break". However, I know many women have it much worse.

carrotcake06 · December 2013

This week was okay at work. My big Friday deadline had two significant changes thrust upon it in Wed and Thurs that are just insane, so I don't know if we ever decided to follow through w Fri or if we'll wait to submit, essentially, after the new year. Fri was our year end mtg and holiday party.

My pumping space isn't great. I share an office with two other guys, so I can't pump at my desk. There is another vacant office with a bunch of shared equipment in it that I pump in usually. The down side is that it's also used by consultants and employees not based at corporate, so I lose that space if someone else is there. And then I pump in a bathroom. Next time, I think I may just kick that person out for 20-30min.

The spare office has a comp, so I can work while I pump which is really nice.

mommabmb · December 2013

I had a mini-meltdown Wed night. My H is sweet, but he just doesn't understand. I just can't stay on top of everything. We overcommitted ourselves this holiday season, and I'm medically not doing well. I posted a few weeks ago that I thought I might have RA. All of the tests were negative, so we are running more. I have this ache in my whole body that keeps me from walking or picking up LO without serious pain. It's been rough.

CupcakecutieRN · December 2013

This week went better. I'm finally enjoying working again although I miss lo like crazy. I need to start working out again. I miss it and I just don't feel like me in this new body. I just feel so guilty like I should be spending time with Emma when I'm not working. But I guess I need to start making time for me too.
Qotw. I do Peds Homecare so I pump in my car. I have literally pumped up and down the highway and through most of east cleveland. I don't even bother covering up anymore.

sftbllstr87 · December 2013

This week was no good! I was too busy at work thurs and fri that each day I missed a pump session! That along with LO not being sure if he wants to sttn consistently or not my boobs are all confused on how much to produce and when!

I get to kick my boss out of her office whenever I need to pump, I feel terrible stealing her space 3 times a day but so far it's been working ok

LJUTCMommy · December 2013

@sftbllstr87 I'm sure your boss doesn't mind. If we ever have any other pumping employees, I'd be happy to let them use my office.

Emeraldeyed315 · December 2013

I'm only working Mondays (I'm a teacher.). We follow an A or B day schedule. Every A day I have the classroom to myself so I lock the door and pump. B days I share the room, so I have to pump on the bathroom.

Emeraldeyed315 · December 2013

gtobias said:
This week went better. I'm finally enjoying working again although I miss lo like crazy. I need to start working out again. I miss it and I just don't feel like me in this new body. I just feel so guilty like I should be spending time with Emma when I'm not working. But I guess I need to start making time for me too.
Qotw. I do Peds Homecare so I pump in my car. I have literally pumped up and down the highway and through most of east cleveland. I don't even bother covering up anymore.

I pump on ny drive home and always wonder if people can see me haha

kkay1982 · December 2013

Week was ok. But I have no desire to be there.

There is an empty office I use on most days to pump and one other mom uses it as well. We had some scheduling issues this week and got moved around but it all worked out.

sftbllstr87 · December 2013

@LJUTCMommy ik she doesn't mind she's wonderful she gets mad at me when I'm late to pump or miss one! She knows how important it is!
I'm sure work would suck much more if I didn't have such amazing bosses, were like a giant family! If I could bring LO with me so I didn't miss him so much It would be perfect

PB102012 · December 2013

This past week was a lot easier (excluding the whole car wreck thing). Our caregiver is wonderful, and LO has really taken to her. I still dart out the door at 4, but I don't think that will ever change. DH had a better two days with LO on their own so that made me feel better too. I only have seven days and then I am on vacation from Christmas to New Years so that will be good!

Throw3ks · December 2013

What a week. Back to work for the first time. I pump in an exam room at work. It's quiet, comfy chair. But my dr browns pump is horrible!! Thinking if taking my medela to work and trying that.

Jamie7981 · December 2013

Works going! Counting down the days till Xmas break. I'm a teacher
And my pump space is my classroom. I have chart paper cover door to classroom. The door locks and I have the blinds down
I have my own refrigerator In there to store my pump parts and milk before going home.

kmr333 · December 2013

Dreading another week. The commutes have been bad due to snow, so that is adding to my time away. We have a room in the basement of one of our buildings. It isn't beautiful but it has a sink and a fridge, plus a shelf for us to leave our pumps for the day. My only gripe is that I have to trek across the street in the cold each time I pump, which is up to four times each day due to being away 11 hours each day.

PB102012 · December 2013

Going back to work today.... Having crazy anxiety about driving. I just want to stay home and snuggle with LO.

kkay1982 · December 2013

Good luck @Christy32685!

PB102012 · December 2013

@kkay1982 Thanks! I know it sounds stupid because it happens to a ton of people.... but still makes me nervous now. Today was a ton of traffic but no crazies thankfully!

csm7979 · December 2013

Had my work holiday party last Friday, which was much fun and much needed! Drank a little too much wine, though; am such a lightweight now. :-/

This week starts my third full week back and getting much less stressed out about pumping output. My before-bed pumping session is pretty much routine now, and gives me 2-3 extra ounces for the following day.

QOTW - We have a "mama lounge" at my company – basically an empty office with a mini fridge and locked door. It works. I bring my laptop in with me so I can "work" while pumping. (Yeah right, most of the time I'm surfing online, lol.) One other mama here also is pumping. Next week another woman returns from maternity leave, and in March 2014 we've got two more returning to work. Whoa!

cortneyloo · December 2013

Work has been super stressful lately. It's nothing to do with the actual job and everything to do with workplace politics. Apparently a co-worker voiced their concern over my "excessive breaks"...aka pumping sessions. Mind you during a 12 hour shift I only pump 3 times, and sometimes it's 5 hours before I'm even able to fit one in. I'm already having supply issues, and now I'm dealing with annoying people butt-hurt because I get an extra break (although I hardly consider being hooked up to a machine in all my bovine-like glory to be a break.)

The space at the hospital I work in is actually fairly nice. It's keypad access only and they provide comfortable chairs and hospital-grade pumps you can just plug your parts into. A major problem though is that there are only 3 rooms for the entire hospital and they're often full and I have to wait my turn. I also wish they provided a sink so I didn't have to take my parts in a bathroom to wash them. But overall it's better than I think a lot of employees get.

MammaBear81 · December 2013

We have started prep for year end and quarter end, fun times. I ended up doing OT last weekend (Sat and Sun) and while I'm hourly (yay for more money) I would have preferred to spend the weekend at home.

My pump space is a small closet they keep the server in. I have a chair and a shelf, and it's nice and warm

. I was offered to take one of the conference rooms but they do not lock and no doubt I someone would end up walking in (possibly with a client) so I opted for the small, but "less frequented" storage closet. I get to keep my pump in there, so I save time not having to put together/take apart.

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