When I returned to work after having my first child, my boss was a full-time working mom and our employer was a small division of a large, multi-national corporation. I am thankful that my superiors and co-workers were so accommodating to help me comfortably pump but still get my work done.
Here's how they helped me:
- Installed blinds in my office to give me more privacy
- Allowed me to use a fan to help drown out the sound of the double-electric pump (my office was next to the main conference room and this was a compromise after a visiting exec from NJ asked what the noise in the other room was!)
- Provided me with plenty of time to pump - but understood just because the door was closed I would still be checking emails, generating reports, and/or reviewing data
- Delayed meetings (if possible) that fell around the time of my pumping schedule
- Supported my commitment to pumping (and defended it) when co-workers may have felt I was receiving "special" treatment
A friend recently shared with me that her employer has a sign-in sheet for the shared lactation room in her building. The women work out a schedule that allows them each to have privacy but still lets others use the room when needed.
Another woman mentioned that she donates her office to a lactating co-worker because her office provides more privacy than the set of cubicles shared in the main office room.
What does your employer do to help you while you're pumping?
