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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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BFing and work
sigh. this is so annoying... I must vent
legally, any employer in NYS must provide a seperate area for BFing that is NOT a bathroom. most BFing moms know this.
well, I just returned to work... they're remodelling my floor. I just discovered I will not have an office for a while.... so, I go to the chairwoman and ask where I may BF. she said she didn't know. she said more senior faculty don't have offices, and everything is up in the air blah blah blah... she said when she BF'ed, she had to walk to the NICU BFing room in the university hospital. Well, not only is that not appropriate (my kid is at home, not in the NICU!), it's also probably a 20 min walk in each direction, and on the other side of campus.
my response: well, if I have to go THAT far, why don't I just go home to BF every time. she said yeah, you could do that
sigh. do I REALLY have to print out the law and demand the room? there is another woman on this floor who is due in a couple months who likely will need the room too. I mentioned that and she said 'oh, but not everyone chooses to BF. she may not need it'
She then offered me a tiny office that is inside the ladies room that belongs to the cleaning staff.
#1- that's THEIR office
#2- it's locked with a padlock on the outside, so there's no way to garantee privacy (i.e. lock yourself inside)
She then said I should ask researchers if they have a small room in their labs where I can BF. In a LAB? Legally, you're not allowed to eat or drink in a lab.... not even while standing in the doorway. do I really want to feed my son milk that has been in a lab near tons of toxic chemicals?
I'm frustrated. not sure what I will do. I will likely have to pull strings. I don't want to have to print out the law and force them to accommodate me, but I will have to do some arm twisting. this is ridiculous.
Message edited 12/23/2008 2:55:42 PM.
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Posted 12/23/08 2:54 PM  |
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headoverheels
s'il vous plaît
Member since 6/07 42079 total posts
Name:
LB
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Re: BFing and work
there is no other option. you MUST print it out and show it to them. not only is it the law, but it is VERY important that you have someplace to go that you know is 100% secure and private so you can actually relax enough to pump! the one time i had to pump in the "lounge" inside the ladies' bathroom i barely got any milk because i was so nervous that someone was going to walk in - there is no lock on that door and all i could do was put a chair in front of it. 
i am sorry you are dealing with this now but if you are committed to BFing and pumping this is something i would really recommend you taking a stand on. 
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| Posted 12/23/08 2:59 PM |
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Celt
~~~~~~~~~~
Member since 4/08 7758 total posts
Name:
colette
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Re: BFing and work
OMG how frustrating. I can't believe the chairWOMAN was so thickheaded.
Would you have an HR department that can make a recommendation??? Would they extend your lunch break to accomodate either a trip home or to the NICU??? Maybe there's a faculty online bulletin board where you can see where other staff members go?? I don't know just trying to come up with something reasonable...
So sorry though, you're trying to do the best for your baby and all these obstacles are
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| Posted 12/23/08 3:02 PM |
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nbc188
Best friends!
Member since 12/06 23090 total posts
Name:
C
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Re: BFing and work
Ugh, that is so frustrating! But fight for your rights, NONE of those options she gave sound acceptable to me either!!
Honestly, I would have BF much longer if my work situation was more accommodating, I hate that I had to give it up when I did b/c it was just impossible to pump at work!
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| Posted 12/23/08 3:02 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: BFing and work
Posted by colette
OMG how frustrating. I can't believe the chairWOMAN was so thickheaded.
Would you have an HR department that can make a recommendation??? Would they extend your lunch break to accomodate either a trip home or to the NICU??? Maybe there's a faculty online bulletin board where you can see where other staff members go?? I don't know just trying to come up with something reasonable...
So sorry though, you're trying to do the best for your baby and all these obstacles are
actually, it's typical that this would come from a chairwoman, from my experience. these women fought their way up through male dominance, and frankly don't see why we shouldn't also have to She told me she BF'ed both her kids until they were 2 and a half! She just looked like she couldn't be bothered with trying to find a place for me. she said 'well, not even the tenured faculty have their offices yet, not even me' (she has her office, just not her shiny/new furniture). then her excuse was 'all the offices have glass doors or windows' (uh, that's what drapes are for....)
I'm a researcher. I don't have set hours or a timed lunch. conceivably, I COULD go home... but it takes 10 min to get to my car, and then it's a 10 min drive... so pumping would take an hour rather than 20 min, and I'd be wasting my time and braving the weather... also, it would break up my day so I couldn't pump while doing a 30 min incubation... I'd have to postpone my experiment until I was done pumping. I have some experiments that run 6 hours with only maybe 30 min off. does that mean I can't do that work until I'm done BF'ing DS???
I don't know. day 2 back from maternity leave and not very happy.
Message edited 12/23/2008 3:17:26 PM.
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| Posted 12/23/08 3:16 PM |
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jrbaby
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 1204 total posts
Name:
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Re: BFing and work
So sorry to hear you're experiencing trouble. I'm having a hard time at work too! I'm in a cubicle and there are no open offices. Every day I have to figure out if someone will be out and when I can use their office. This must be the reason I can't pump as much as DD is drinking!
Good luck! I would fight more in my office, but we're really small and don't want to lose my job.
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| Posted 12/23/08 3:37 PM |
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DancinBarefoot
06ers Rock!!
Member since 1/07 9534 total posts
Name:
The One My Mother Gave Me ;-)
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Re: BFing and work
Posted by jrbaby
So sorry to hear you're experiencing trouble. I'm having a hard time at work too! I'm in a cubicle and there are no open offices. Every day I have to figure out if someone will be out and when I can use their office. This must be the reason I can't pump as much as DD is drinking!
Good luck! I would fight more in my office, but we're really small and don't want to lose my job.
You can't lose your job over it (I mean, you could, but then you can sue).
As for the OP and you as well - both you ladies should stand up for your rights. DD hit the one year mark and was BF all along - even when I went back to work and had to pump. It is IMHO well worth the effort.
Keep up the good work - there are plenty of ladies her who support you!!!!!
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| Posted 12/23/08 8:39 PM |
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LJSMommy
Love him!
Member since 10/07 3189 total posts
Name:
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Re: BFing and work
Posted by nbc188
Ugh, that is so frustrating! But fight for your rights, NONE of those options she gave sound acceptable to me either!!
Honestly, I would have BF much longer if my work situation was more accommodating, I hate that I had to give it up when I did b/c it was just impossible to pump at work!
I feel the same way I am starting to feel like I might have to stop soon. I really only can seem to find time to pump 1 time a day. And besides not having a dedicated place in each building (we have 3 places I travel back & forth to).......2 of the 3 are impossible to find a room that locks. PLUS I start at sporadic times....anywhere from 7AM - 9AM. So its tough to keep on schedule in the morning when nursing before work.
I have the laws printed out & stowed away in my pump bag! Print it & show them!!
And what about your HR department? Maybe start there
Good luck! It's tough but I have been doing it 3 1/2 months now! It is all worth it!
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| Posted 12/23/08 8:57 PM |
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