Pumping at your desk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a coworker that does this and it’s fine.

In a cubicle????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 12 - when she was born, I and another colleague were the reason they turned an office into a pumping room. We asked for a small refrigerator and two desktop computers so that we could do work while pumping. Why can't you do that? When my youngest (now 8) was born, I worked full time in a SCIF. I would print out reading materials and take them with me to mark up while I was pumping in the lactation room. You could do the same. Be creative.

Because you didn’t have the option of a wearable pump.

Let the new generation move forward without your limitations.

What limitations? The new generation has an ACTUAL lactation room!

[Anonymous]

I'm a healthcare worker and I used wearable pumps at my desk. There was a pump room but I couldn't reliably get breaks and ended up getting clogged ducts etc. I also feel it harmed my supply, but not necessarily the pumps and moreso the fact that I wasn't able to pump as often as I really needed to.

[Anonymous]

Take your laptop to the room. How do you wash your hands before and clean the equipment after if you are at your desk?

Check into the laws in your area because a reasonable amount of time to pump should be covered.

[Anonymous]

Hell no. You are not working from home anymore and need to act accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Yes!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Judgment call really. I would be fine with a coworker pumping and would support her. Myself, I don’t think I’d feel comfortable doing it! I’d feel too awkward. Even though I support BF in public, work feels different to me - similar to how I don’t think I’d want to wear a swimsuit in front of colleagues either. Call me old fashioned.

What I would do:
Make a minor stink about either getting your time in the lactation room accommodated or getting permission to do some kind of offline work in there. Improve policies for the next person to benefit as well.

Working and pumping is a lot to manage and requires support. Do whatever you need to feel comfortable and don’t let it take time from your kid.

[Anonymous]

This is fine.

[Anonymous]

There IS a lactation room and you want to pump at your desk to avoid hassling about time to be in lactation room? As some kind of principle?

As noted, you will be spending time washing, cleaning. Use you rightful time to pump in lac room. If there is none, use lunch time allotment split among sessions and eat at your desk whilst "working."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would it be totally obnoxious to pump at my desk (it is a cubicle) using a wearable pump? No one would really see me because the cubicle walls are high but my office is quiet and coworkers would definitely hear it. We have a lactation room but I do not get time off to pump, so I have to make up the time I spend pumping and not at my computer by working late. It feels like such a bad choice between breastfeeding or spending time with my child.

Yes. Do not do this because your employer is mandated by law to provide a room for you to pump, so use it! The rest of the office doesn't want to hear your pump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely pumped with wearables at my cube. I exclusively pumped for a NICU baby with feeding issues. I used my wearables EVERYWHERE. People can handle it.

If a lactation room is provided, I don't have to handle you pumping from your desk. Use the lactation room or don't pump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's by law they have to give you time to pump? Personally I wouldn't pump at my desk, also I guess it would depend the type of pump you had.


Congratulations with your tiny human.

But it doesn't have to be paid time. You are hired to do s job not to pump breast milk. So, do it on your own time in the provided lactation room! As for working during pumping, bull, you don't work and you know it. I have seen more than one woman taking naps, online shopping.

[Anonymous]

Do it at your desk. 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There IS a lactation room and you want to pump at your desk to avoid hassling about time to be in lactation room? As some kind of principle?

As noted, you will be spending time washing, cleaning. Use you rightful time to pump in lac room. If there is none, use lunch time allotment split among sessions and eat at your desk whilst "working."

+1

You sound difficult.

It’s like someone with colitis saying they are going to use a bedpan at their desk because they don’t want to sacrifice their time. Not the perfect analogy but you sound ridiculous, OP.

Do you also clip your nails at your cubicle? How about changing menstrual products? Picking your wedgie?

[Anonymous]

At my office a lactation room with a sink and refrigerator is available and you would be told to use the lactation room or your car to pump but not in your cubicle.