Pumping at your desk

[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.

Do you have a laptop? I have been remote with all three, but when I had to go into the office when I was pumping (on work trips) I would bring my laptop and just work on my laptop in the pump room. I think it’s fine to do it at your desk if you have a pump you can put in your bra (wearable) and no one sees anything, but I would personally be uncomfortable pumping at my desk if the pump made a noise even if it wasn’t visible. If you pump every few hours and you don’t have a laptop then you have no choice but to pump at your desk. You can’t be expected to spend 9 hours at work.

[Anonymous]

Fine. I’d put a sheet or something to give you privacy. And a fridge.

[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.

I was offering up some solutions, which is what OP asked for, sweetie.

[Anonymous]

Completely fine op. A lot of the people responding don’t realize how much better pumps are now. With a wearable pump barely anyone needs to know. As other healthcare workers have mentioned - they pump all over, including while doing your surgery (to all the pps). Take care of yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I was offering up some solutions, which is what OP asked for, sweetie.

Not the pp but you did it while adding a clear tone of shame and insinuating she should figure out an alternative because you did. My oldest son is 7 and agreed, at that time pumping at my cubicle would not have been reasonable and we used many of the solutions you mentioned and we were doing all sorts of advocating etc.

You got that response because you implied she isn’t being creative by using a wearable pump at her desk. And you’re responding about pumping when you’re 12 years behind on the technology. It truly is so so different. It’s quiet, hidden underneath your shirt, it doesn’t need to impact this poor woman’s life the way it did ours. Let her live.

[Anonymous]

If women can pump at their desk I should be free to jack off at mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If women can pump at their desk I should be free to jack off at mine.

Agree

[Anonymous]

Totally fine in my book. Pump, store milk, throw pump parts in fridge until next pumping session—will take max 5 min of non-work time to facilitate. Physically moving all belongings to the lactation room, setting everything up, preparing work that can be done off WiFi feels like a frustrating waste of workday time.