New Job, pumping and 8 month old, wwyd?

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

Hey Gals.

I accepted a position at a new company, yesterday, I start the beginning of next month, LO will be a little over 8 months at that time. So far, pumping has been going well, I thought I was going to have to quit for awhile, but I was able to build back up a tiny freezer stash over the holidays and LO is taking a few less ounces at daycare, due to being started on solids.

I did ask the HR person at this new company about pumping. It's a large company, so I know they have to following mothers rights laws and all of that (I didn't say that to HR). Anyway, she told me that the office doesn't have a designated pumping space, but that, in the past mothers have just reserved time to pump in the conference room.

So I have several concerns. I usually pump 2-3 times a day (usually 3). Currently, I have my own office and I close the door and pump and keep working. I am not sure what my set up will be at the new place, but I will likely not be by myself for quite sometime, as I'll be being trained. I would feel really awkward about asking to go and pump 3 times while I am there. The only one I'm thinking I can still swing is lunchtime, even if it means going out to my car to pump, which I do one day a week for the current job. However, I don't want to give a bad impression, by not going out to lunch and stuff with my new coworkers/bosses, etc.

How can I handle this? Is there any hope that I can still make my goal of nursing/pumping for a year and then nursing thereafter until LO is ready to be done?

I'm pretty bummed out right now, it's actually sucking the joy out of having gotten a new job.

Any thoughts or advice are greatly appreciated.

XP BMB and BF

shannm · January 2014

Honestly, if it were me, I would stock up as much as I could then stop pumping when starting at the new job. I just started a new position and it has kicked my butt. I can't imagine trying to figure pumping into that equation. This is coming from someone who did pump till a year with DD. however, I only pumped till six months with DS because of work stress yet continued to BF at home. It's ok to find a middle ground where you are not completely stressed out. Flame away, but the extra stress is not worth it, IMO. Now if unnecessary self imposed guilt creates more stress, well that's another thing.

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

Thanks everyone!!

JessAnnJ · January 2014

I would aim for 2 pumps a day and see how it goes. With pumping I think the anticipation is always worse. If you know someone that works there now that you can talk to great, if not I would mention it on the first day. Just let them know that you have a young child that you are still BFing and you are trying to figure out times that will work for pumping. I would personally feel less awkward having this discussion with a female. Do you know who will be training you? Have you met your boss? Or maybe you can get more information from someone at HR. PP mentioned stopping before you start. For me I think I would want to at least give it a try and see how it goes.

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

Thanks @JessAnnJ, I think I will reach out to HR and try and find out who I can talk to at the new place. I don't know anyone there currently, but my new boss seems very friendly and my being a mom came up a couple of times in the interview and she seemed cool with that. I also mentioned I'd had a baby over the summer, so at least this won't be a complete surprise to them. I will talk to her and find out if there is a way for me to pump a couple of times a day, by splitting my lunch hour in half, or something like that. I don't really want to stop before I know what I'll be facing, I'm worried about being pretty uncomfortable by the end of that first day if I don't have a chance to pump, so I'd feel a little better knowing ahead of time if it could even be accommodated. With just 4 months till goal, DD taking less milk than before, and nursing being so easy at home, it's not something I want to give up if at all possible.

Thanks for all of the great advice!!

JessAnnJ · January 2014

Good luck, you can do it! You are right you are so close to your goal. I think your plan sounds like a good one. I didn't switch jobs while I was pumping, but there were times that I had to coordinate with other people about my pumping times. I always hated bringing it up, but I found that everyone was always very understanding.

shannm · January 2014

Well, if you actually have a dedicated lunch hour, I see no reason why you can't pump at least one time a day. Worst case scenario, you have to go to your car.

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

I totally hear what you are saying @amy052006, however, even though making it to my goal is important, so is getting off on the right foot, and I have to be willing to tolerate whatever they throw at me, because I need the job.

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

amy052006 said:

I totally hear what you are saying @amy052006, however, even though making it to my goal is important, so is getting off on the right foot, and I have to be willing to tolerate whatever they throw at me, because I need the job.
I get that and I totally feel for you. And you are right, when you need that particular job, you are limited in what you can do. I still feel like there is no reason to just politely inquire about what you are legally entitled to. You could be making a mountain out of a molehill at this point and it is a non-issue.

You're totally right, that is what I'm going to do. I do tend to overthink things

Do you think I should inquire ahead of time? If so, with who? My new boss?

shannm · January 2014

amy052006 said:
Stop treating it is some sort of awkward privilege to beg for. Seems like they are legally obligated to accommodate, so just politely ask where you should go to pump when it is time.

No way in hell I would go to my car, in the winter nonetheless, when they are legally obligated to provide a pumping space. There is no need to sell yourself short.

I get wanting to start off on a good foot, but you aren't asking for anything crazy here. You are legally entitled to the time and space, and all parties involved know that. If it is going to be an issue for employer, well, at least you will know. If that is really the case, you can decide how much your are willing to tolerate their (possibly illegal) inflexibility.

But why do you think it would even ever come to that? Just ask what to do and where to go, and explain you are pumping when you need to excuse yourself. At any decent employer, it's a non-issue.

ETA: Pumping isn't the end all be all, BUT not being able to accommodate it, to me, would be indicative of larger work/life balance issues I would not be willing to compromise on at this point. Today it's pumping. Next week it's getting crap for having a sick kid. I'm past that point in my life now.

No one is telling her to beg. I bet they absolutely would work to accommodate her. My employer has nurture rooms in several locations. But if logistically, it is faster to go to my car, I would have no problem doing it. No one at my work place would tell me I couldn't pump but it would seriously extend my day and make it hard to get my job done at this point. No one is saying that it isn't her right, there is just a lot else to consider and it is very situation specific. If she does nothing but computer work, with few timely obligations, it should be pretty straightforward. If she is running from meeting to meeting, doesn't have a regularly scheduled lunch, can be called upon at any moment, it will be more of a challenge, dedicated space and policy aside.
Like other PP said, the best thing to do is reach out to HR. but ultimately, it will come down to the nature of the job and the fact that you will be new and perhaps trying hard to get your bearings.

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

shannm said:

Stop treating it is some sort of awkward privilege to beg for. Seems like they are legally obligated to accommodate, so just politely ask where you should go to pump when it is time. No way in hell I would go to my car, in the winter nonetheless, when they are legally obligated to provide a pumping space. There is no need to sell yourself short. I get wanting to start off on a good foot, but you aren't asking for anything crazy here. You are legally entitled to the time and space, and all parties involved know that. If it is going to be an issue for employer, well, at least you will know. If that is really the case, you can decide how much your are willing to tolerate their (possibly illegal) inflexibility. But why do you think it would even ever come to that? Just ask what to do and where to go, and explain you are pumping when you need to excuse yourself. At any decent employer, it's a non-issue. ETA: Pumping isn't the end all be all, BUT not being able to accommodate it, to me, would be indicative of larger work/life balance issues I would not be willing to compromise on at this point. Today it's pumping. Next week it's getting crap for having a sick kid. I'm past that point in my life now.
No one is telling her to beg. I bet they absolutely would work to accommodate her. My employer has nurture rooms in several locations. But if logistically, it is faster to go to my car, I would have no problem doing it. No one at my work place would tell me I couldn't pump but it would seriously extend my day and make it hard to get my job done at this point. No one is saying that it isn't her right, there is just a lot else to consider and it is very situation specific. If she does nothing but computer work, with few timely obligations, it should be pretty straightforward. If she is running from meeting to meeting, doesn't have a regularly scheduled lunch, can be called upon at any moment, it will be more of a challenge, dedicated space and policy aside. Like other PP said, the best thing to do is reach out to HR. but ultimately, it will come down to the nature of the job and the fact that you will be new and perhaps trying hard to get your bearings.

That is the thing, I'm not entirely sure yet what my work environment will be like. I know that I'll be doing a lot of work on the computer, but I don't yet know about meetings, interaction with others, the structure of my day, etc. I feel like I need to get to know the lay of the land. when I went back to work, I was very clear with my boss and HR that I'd need a non bathroom space to pump and they were semi-accomodating, but I've been there awhile. This new job, I was fortunate to get and it has a great outlook for my future career. I don't want to rock the boat too much, that's where I am coming from. I know that breastfeeding is important and I truly love doing it, but pumping definitely takes a lot out of my day currently, I am definitely not as productive as I could be if I weren't pumping and that's just not the impression I want to give at my new job. But like you've all said, minimally I will get a lunch break, so I can pump then. I don't have a problem going to my car, even in winter, it sucks, but it is what it is. The conference room would be acceptable, but hopefully it locks. I've had to use our conference room at my current job, and it's fine, I have a sign I put on the door because it does not lock.

shannm · January 2014

I will also add that I am a paranoid weirdo and would prefer my cold car in the back corner of a parking lot over a communal conference room that may or may not lock. I would let down much better knowing I was truly "alone."

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

@shannm, that's where I am at too. The car's not so bad, I turn on the heated seat, and the heat, and I take my phone with me and watch an episode of something on Netflix.

jf198400 · January 2014

I started a new job when DS was 8months, I had been pumping twice a day. I decided it would make the transition easiest if I went to 1 pump per day at lunch. I talked to hr before I started and they gave me a key to an empty office to use. I ended up going to lunch with coworkers every day to get to know people, and then pumping right after lunch. It worked out fine for me. If I were you I would try to pump twice and then cut down to once if it's too stressful.

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

Thanks @jf198400- very good to hear the thoughts of someone who went through this. Thanks!

ss265 · January 2014

OP, I went through something similar when my son was 8 months old. I was lucky in that I knew I would have my own office in my new position but regardless, I asked the HR person where I could pump. For your first day, I would maybe plan to pump in your car until you understand how to reserve conference rooms etc. I would also sit down with your manager and let them know that you are nursing a young child and that you need to pump X times a day. I would stress that it's short term and that you would like suggestions on how to maintain your productivity while pumping. Maybe ask for a company issued laptop etc. The main thing is that you should show them that you don't plan to use the pumping time as a "break" but that you would like to continue working while you pump if possible.

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