Pumping at Work Question

[Anonymous]

I’m a FTM about to return to work from maternity leave, and I plan to pump at work. It isn’t uncommon for me to need to attend all-day meetings, and I’m wondering how to fit pumping in on those days. I’m not sure that I’ll be able to excuse myself from these meetings when I need to pump since I’m usually responsible for taking detailed notes, being “on call” to quickly find a document we need, etc. As a result, stepping away from the conference room for 20 minutes at a time would not fly.

We typically take a couple of 10 minute bathroom breaks and a lunch break during these full day meetings. I think I could probably pump during lunch, but I probably would not have enough time to pump during the bathroom breaks, which also may not align with my pumping schedule. Bathroom breaks are typically taken when we get to a good place in the workflow (a natural stopping place) and not on any set schedule.

I’m curious how others handle pumping during long days of meetings like this. For context, I’m a junior litigation associate at a big law firm, so the types of meetings I’m talking about are witness prep, depositions, witness testimony, etc. Sometimes they are at my office and sometimes not. The logistics seem even more complicated when I’m stuck in a conference room at another firm or at a regulator’s office all day.

[Anonymous]

You need to ask your mentor and the director of professional development (or whoever is HR for attorneys at your firm). Hopefully they are women.

If you'll be at another office, bring a soft cooler and ask Reception or a secretary if you can store milk in their fridge. Label it with your name and the date and don't forget to grab it when you leave.

[Anonymous]

Do these meetings have any facility for dial-in? I'm in a totally different field (tech) and our all-day brainstorming meetings usually have a zoom link even if everyone's in the office, so I would just step out and joining "remotely" with video off while pumping. It's super awkward, but my kid gets fed. No idea if that's feasible with lawyer things.

[Anonymous]

I'm a litigation counsel in big law. For witness preps, I would go to another room and dial in for the 20 mins while you are pumping. For depositions, I think it would be totally reasonable / normal to ask the partner/counsel to take slightly longer (15-20 min) breaks when you need to pump. Or the partner/counsel can handle for the few minutes while you are not there. In short, talk to the partner--I think he/she would help you come up with a plan. And if you are the one taking the deposition, then you control the breaks.

Other law firms (where you would likely be) will have pumping rooms as well, so just ask your contact there in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do these meetings have any facility for dial-in? I'm in a totally different field (tech) and our all-day brainstorming meetings usually have a zoom link even if everyone's in the office, so I would just step out and joining "remotely" with video off while pumping. It's super awkward, but my kid gets fed. No idea if that's feasible with lawyer things.

She can't do that if she's supposed to be sitting next to a partner digging through two bankers boxes to pull out a sheet of paper to put in said partner's hand during the deposition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a litigation counsel in big law. For witness preps, I would go to another room and dial in for the 20 mins while you are pumping. For depositions, I think it would be totally reasonable / normal to ask the partner/counsel to take slightly longer (15-20 min) breaks when you need to pump. Or the partner/counsel can handle for the few minutes while you are not there. In short, talk to the partner--I think he/she would help you come up with a plan. And if you are the one taking the deposition, then you control the breaks.

Other law firms (where you would likely be) will have pumping rooms as well, so just ask your contact there in advance.

I'm the PP who posted this. If you have a very clear outline and tabbed folders, the person taking the dep will be able to pull the docs you need and hand them out in your temporary absence. If he/she has questions, he / she can come back to that topic later and discuss with you during the next break.

[Anonymous]

I'm in a different field, but I occasionally had days off site, where pumping couldn't be easily accommodated. On those days, I used a portable pump like a Willow or an Elvie, so I could pump in the car on the way to work, during lunch, and then on the way home. I'd also bring a manual hand pump for bathroom breaks, so I could quickly take the edge off if I got engorged.

[Anonymous]

When I had one-off meetings like that, I pumped myself dry as much as possible immediately before the meeting - like letting the pump run for the 45 min drive to the client site.

I ran to the bathroom and used my manual pump for 2-3min per side every break.

As soon as the meeting is over, I would run to my car or pumping room and pump a bit longer.

For me this was once every few weeks, not one day a week. My supply was not abundant and I had to work on my hydration and nutrition to make enough or just a bit more milk.

Part of getting into a groove with pumping is figuring out how flexible your body is. For my first, was like a finely tuned professional athlete who had to stick to a strict eating / hydration / pumping schedule. For my 2nd I could swing my pumping times +/- an hour, I could skip one of 3 sessions once a week, and had very little reduction in output.

[Anonymous]

You need to talk to the people you are working with and they need to accomodate you. The partner can survive for 20 minutes while you are gone or can take a longer break.

For days at other firms' offices, either get a really good cooler/ice packs or ask to use their fridge. You can ask reception if you aren't comfortable asking opposing counsel.

But really you just need to get comfortable letting people know that you are pumping and need accomodations. I found colleagues (and opposing counsel and witnesses) very understanding. Many of them are parents too.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the others who said you need to talk to the partner and tell them you will need pumping breaks. Don’t be afraid to figure out when you need those to be and say, “I will need to take two 20 minute breaks around 10am and 3pm.” Or whatever. It’s not a big deal, but you might just have to be very clear about what you need if the partner is a man or a woman who hasn’t breastfed.

[Anonymous]

Get a cover and pump during meetings

[Anonymous]

what have they been doing while you are on leave? Did they have another associate cover your work? Could you be tag-teamed with someone else for a few months just for those longer all day meetings?

My first few months I needed to pump three times a day, but after that I was able to be more flexible with my schedule and time it differently. I could pump before a meeting, at lunch, and then after meeting drive home with a long drive home. So, even though I pumped for 12 months, I only needed to be rigid for the first few months. Then I was able to make it fit around my schedule.

Those wearable pumps would be an option to wear them and then go into a private space / bathroom while you pump just to release some pressure. Then you would need to pump for a sustained session at lunch.

[Anonymous]

It will take you more than 20 minutes to pump. Can you be listening on the phone in the next room?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to talk to the people you are working with and they need to accomodate you. The partner can survive for 20 minutes while you are gone or can take a longer break.

For days at other firms' offices, either get a really good cooler/ice packs or ask to use their fridge. You can ask reception if you aren't comfortable asking opposing counsel.

But really you just need to get comfortable letting people know that you are pumping and need accomodations. I found colleagues (and opposing counsel and witnesses) very understanding. Many of them are parents too.

If they are lawyers they should be scared of opening themselves up to a discrimination lawsuit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a cover and pump during meetings

Ok no. I have a pretty supportive team but this is so awkward to picture doing. Also OP will likely need her hands free.