The dump where you pump

Smashie · #1 August 29th, 2011, 02:20 PM

Okay pumping mommies (or former pumpers). Describe the room your employer assigned for you to pump.

Mine is an anteroom off the women's bathroom in the basement of the building. It has one dim light, a green vinyl bench from, like, 1972, a mini fridge that's always piled high with other people's disgusting food, and centipedes. Also, the door doesn't lock. I have to put a sign up that says "In use. Please knock before entering" though the sign has not prevented custodial staff from walking in on me twice.

Did I mention the centipedes?

Irishgirl · #2 August 29th, 2011, 06:48 PM

That's awful! I'm sorry you have to deal with that. Are you in the US and does your employer have more than 50 employees? The health care bill had some provisions about pumping that already took effect, namely that the employer has to provide reasonable time and a clean, private, non-bathroom place to pump. You might want to push them on that!

Thankfully I have an office, so I can close the door and pump in there.

BabyLover · #3 August 30th, 2011, 07:55 AM

I went back to work for two weeks after maternity leave, and I pumped then. It was actually a really nice pumping room! It had a comfy chair with a tray to set your pump and whatnot on, a sink and counter area, a mirror and a lock on the door! It also had a pump you could use, but I just used my own. I worked at a large hospital.

zkat · #4 August 30th, 2011, 08:32 AM

I have a sweet set-up also. There is a reclining massage chair, plus another regular chair, end table with lamp, cabinet space that is exclusive for pumping moms and a fridge that is for pumping moms only. The door has an occupied/unoccupied sign on the front and a slide bolt. It is an interior room of our building, so it used to be storage since there are no windows.

The basement room sounds creepy.

MrsBauhaus · #5 August 30th, 2011, 11:07 AM

Razzle's room sounded pretty sweet when she was pumping. Smashie, I would push a little more on that. Unsanitary and not private...uncool. Centepedes...creepy.

slyrket · #6 August 30th, 2011, 12:35 PM

When I pumped at work there is a designated "lactation room" that you must have a key to get into. It is just a smaller office that was vacant. There was only one other pumping mommy at the time so there weren't too many times we conflicted. There was a sign to dangle on the outside so we knew it was occupied by the other. It had a lazy boy chair, an end table with a lamp, a radio, a mini fridge, and a mirror.

That basement area sounds very gross! I hate centipedes with a passion! That many legs just gives me the heebyjeebies.

razzledobe · #7 August 30th, 2011, 07:09 PM

Yeah our room was similar to Kat's. There was a small couch a reclining chair and a regular chair ( I guess you could choose whichever was more comfy).... multiple outlets in case someone needed to plug it in... a fridge... and lockers as well. It was badge access only so you couldnt even get in the room if you didn't have access from HR and you just had to sign up for your time on Outlook. Not bad!

I will say I felt pretty stupid using that when I could have just shut the door to my own office like another co-worker did when she came back from leave. DUH!! I just though I had to follow the "rules" and pump in the special room LOL... I are oh so smart.

angeleyes04 · #8 August 30th, 2011, 08:29 PM

I also pump in a basement bathroom. I have two hard *** chairs that I sit on and place my pump on (after disinfecting the heck out of it). And sometimes it smells like someone took a **** in there that didn't courtesy flush. It is either that room which is more private, or a storage closet in the Sheriff's department that I would have to put a sign on the door that says "Please knock before entering" because it doesn't have a lock. And yes, I work for the government.

I actually rarely pump at work anymore since I can go home for lunch. Thankfully my supply hasn't dwindled.

Smashie · #9 August 31st, 2011, 01:52 PM

Whoa, some of you have sweet setups. This is giving me hutzpah! Maybe I'll go in and demand a chair! Or light! Or bug spray!

RahRah · #10 September 1st, 2011, 09:39 AM

I never pumped at work, but if I had there wouldn't have been anywhere to do it other than the old x-ray processing room which had no door, no chair, nothing. I would have been pumping on a stool with the pump on some old boxes. Within the last week they sent "privacy screens" that can be used to cover the window but without a door I don't see how that would have mattered anyway. I would really push your employer for something better, that's unacceptable!

soonermom · #11 September 1st, 2011, 10:33 AM

I pump 2x at work and i have a sucky set up also. I have to pump infront of everyone i work with or that happens to come into the room at the time. I sit almost right next to my co worker (we each have our own work station). I work with mostly men to so it's just fantastic

. I do not have a pumping area to go to, just my chair. Also, i dispatch for police, fire and ems so i have been on many 911 calls while my pump is going in the background. The guys i work with always know when i'm pumping because they can hear it when i'm talking on radio. I get comments all the time, it really gets on my nerves. I have one co worker that actually gets up and dances to the sound of my pump. Also, i have a camera right above my head so i get to be on camera the entire time i'm pumping. It really, really sucks. I just have to remember to bring my cover to everyday.

LoLo'sMama · #12 September 1st, 2011, 06:30 PM

Wow for some of you that sounds pretty horrible! I'd complain, but then again, I can be a ***** like that. Good for you for not letting you stop!

jjc99 · #13 September 1st, 2011, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soonermom

I pump 2x at work and i have a sucky set up also. I have to pump infront of everyone i work with or that happens to come into the room at the time. I sit almost right next to my co worker (we each have our own work station). I work with mostly men to so it's just fantastic

. I do not have a pumping area to go to, just my chair. Also, i dispatch for police, fire and ems so i have been on many 911 calls while my pump is going in the background. The guys i work with always know when i'm pumping because they can hear it when i'm talking on radio. I get comments all the time, it really gets on my nerves. I have one co worker that actually gets up and dances to the sound of my pump. Also, i have a camera right above my head so i get to be on camera the entire time i'm pumping. It really, really sucks. I just have to remember to bring my cover to everyday.

Ok, this is illegal. they HAVE to give you an adequate space AND TIME to pump. And the fact that they are making you uncomfortable with comments, dancing, etc. all this equals a hostile work environment/harassment. You need to speak to HR immediately. this is completely not acceptable. And don't think you're being a B!tch by talking to HR. this is for your LO. You LEGALLY have the right to do this.

As for me, I have a pretty nice room. I have a dedicated lactation room. It used to be a massage room, so it has a sink in there. a few decorative tables. a lazy-boy chair. There is also a hospital-grade pump I get to use. It locks and i hang an "occupied" sign. For anyone else, they have to ask for someone to let them in. I have a key, since i'm there 2-3 times a day. Since i work in a gym, it's more for women who need to pump before/after a work-out, etc. but it can be used by anyone in the university.

Smashie · #14 September 2nd, 2011, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjc99

Ok, this is illegal. they HAVE to give you an adequate space AND TIME to pump. And the fact that they are making you uncomfortable with comments, dancing, etc. all this equals a hostile work environment/harassment. You need to speak to HR immediately. this is completely not acceptable. And don't think you're being a B!tch by talking to HR. this is for your LO. You LEGALLY have the right to do this.

There are loopholes, unfortch. I think if there are less than 50 employees, the employer is not legally obligated to make accommodations.

My friend, a veterinarian, spent a year pumping three times a day while sitting on a toilet and eating her lunch because her a**hole boss wouldn't give her time or space for pumping. Now that's dedication!

~Lindsay~ · #15 October 7th, 2011, 09:00 AM

I don't know if we have one...I've never asked. I go home for lunch, and pump when I get home for the night (or after she eats if she is still up).

martilynne · #16 October 7th, 2011, 09:30 AM

I would pump in the back of the ice cream shop...no door or anything but if other people were working at the same time they wouldn't come back there. That was my only option other than the bathroom

I did try to pump in my car once but it is so smoking hot here and it was hard to get in a good position that I never tried again.

Once Jax started solids and I was able to make through my whole shift without pumping, I would just pump when I got home.

Now I think my stash is big enough so I'm pretty much done pumping now. I just feed him as soon as I get home.