Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

I have to go back 2-3 months after the baby is born. I would really like to continue with the BFing. I would have to pump in the "lounge" before the ladies' room which consists of three plastic couches and a mirror. Women are going in and out of there all day AND the doors are automatic so they take a good minute to open and close where ANYONE can walk by and see what you are doing.

We work in a cubicle environment, not even the managers have offices. I am wondering if anyone has to "make do" with a situation like this. . . is it one of those things that you just get used to? I am a very private person and I am not sure if I could do it but maybe there is some sort of "mommy strength" I will get if I know I am doing what is best for the baby? LOL

Any thoughts? Thanks for listening

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

Found this for you:

Guidelines Regarding the Rights of Nursing Mothers to Express Breast Milk in the
Work Place
Section 206-c of the New York State Labor Law provides as follows:
Right of Nursing Mothers to Express Breast Milk.
An employer shall provide reasonable unpaid break time or
permit an employee to use paid break time or meal time
each day to allow an employee to express breast milk for
her nursing child for up to three years following child birth.
The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a
room or other location, in close proximity to the work area,
where an employee can express milk in privacy. No
employer shall discriminate in any way against an
employee who chooses to express breast milk in the
workplace.
This law is applicable to all public and private employers in New York State, regardless
of the size or nature of their business. In administering this statute, the Department
applies the following interpretations and guidelines:
I. Notice
A. Employers shall provide written notification of the provisions of Labor Law
§206-c to employees who are returning to work, following the birth of a child, and their
right to take unpaid leave for the purpose of expressing breast milk. Such notice may
either be provided individually to affected employees or to all employees generally
through publication of such notice in the employee handbook or posting of the notice in a
central location.
B. An employee wishing to avail herself of this benefit is required to give her
employer advance notice. Such notice shall preferably be provided to the employer prior
to the employee’s return to work following the birth of the child in order to allow the
employer an opportunity to establish a location and schedule leave time amongst multiple
employees if needed.
II. Reasonable Unpaid Break Time
A. Reasonable unpaid break time is sufficient time to allow the employee to
express breast milk. Each break shall generally be no less than twenty minutes. If the
room or other location is not in close proximity to the employee’s work station (e.g. as in
a shared work location with a common lactation room) each break shall generally be no
less than thirty minutes. Employees can elect to take shorter unpaid breaks for this
purpose.
B. The number of unpaid breaks an employee will need to take for expression
purposes varies depending on the amount of time the employee is separated from the
nursing infant and the mother’s physical needs. In most circumstances, employers shall
provide unpaid break time at least once every three hours if requested by the employee.
C. Upon election of the employee, unpaid break time may run concurrently with
regularly scheduled paid break or meal periods.
D. Upon election of the employee, an employer shall allow the employee to work
before or after her normal shift to make up the amount of time used during the unpaid
break time(s) for the expression of breast milk so long as such additional time requested
falls within the employer’s normal work hours.
E. This benefit is available to the employee during their basic work week and any
overtime or additional hours worked.
F. An employee may be required to postpone scheduled unpaid break time for no
more than thirty minutes if she cannot be spared from her duties until appropriate
coverage arrives.
III. Reasonable Efforts and Privacy
A. All employers are required to make reasonable efforts to provide a private
room or other location for the purpose of expression of breast milk. “Reasonable effort”
requires that the room or other location must be provided for use of employees expressing
breast milk so long as it is neither significantly impracticable, inconvenient, or expensive
to the employer to do so. Relevant factors in determining significant impracticality,
inconvenience, or expense include but are not limited to:
1. The nature of work performed at the business;
2. The overall size and physical layout of the business;
3. The type of facility where the business is housed;
4. The size and composition of the employer’s workforce;
5. The business’ general hours of operation and the employees’ normal
work shifts;
6. The relative cost of providing a room or other space for the dedicated
purpose.
B. The room or location provided by the employer for this purpose cannot be a
restroom or toilet stall.
C. An employer may dedicate one room or other location for the expression of
breast milk and establish a schedule to accommodate the needs of multiple employees
needing access thereto.
D. An employer who is unable to provide a dedicated lactation room or other
location under these guidelines, may allow the use of a vacant office or other available
room on a temporary basis for the expression of breast milk, provided the room is not
accessible to the public or other employees while the nursing employee is using the room
for expression purposes.
E. As a last resort, an employer who is unable to provide a dedicated lactation
room or other location under these guidelines may make available a cubicle for use by
individuals expressing breast milk, provided the cubicle is fully enclosed with a partition
and is not otherwise accessible to the public or other employees while it is in use for
expression purposes. The cubicle walls shall be at least seven feet tall to insure the
nursing employee’s privacy.
F. Each room or other location used for the expression of breast milk under these
guidelines shall be well lit at all times through either natural or artificial light. If the
room has a window, it shall be covered with a curtain, blind, or other covering to ensure
privacy for the mother as she is expressing breast milk. The room shall contain, at a
minimum, a chair and small table, desk, counter, or other flat surface. In addition,
employers are encouraged to provide an outlet, clean water supply, and access to
refrigeration for the purposes of storing the expressed milk.
G. An employer is not responsible for insuring the safekeeping of expressed milk
stored in any refrigerator on its premises. The employee is required to store all expressed
milk in closed containers, regardless of the method of storage and to bring such milk
home with her each evening.
H. The employer must maintain the cleanliness of the room or location set aside
for the use of employees expressing breast milk at work.
I. An employer may not deny an employee this benefit due to difficulty in finding
a location for purposes of the same.
J. For the purposes of this provision: “Private” shall mean that the room or other
location shall not be open to other individuals frequenting the business, whether as
employees, customers, or other members of the public. To insure privacy, the room or
location should have a door equipped with a functional lock. If a door with a functional
lock is not available (in the case of a fully enclosed cubicle) as a last resort an employer
must utilize a sign advising the room or location is in use and not accessible to other
employees or the public.
IV. Close Proximity
A. Any room or location provided for the expression of breast milk must be in
close proximity to the work area of the employee(s) using it for the expression of breast
milk.
B. Close proximity means the room or location must be in walking distance and
the distance to the location should not appreciably lengthen the break time.
C. Should an employer have more than one employee at a time needing access to
a lactation room or other location, the employer may dedicate a centralized location for
use by all such employees, provided however, that the employer shall make every effort
to locate such space at a reasonable distance from the employees using it.
D. Employers located in shared work areas such as office buildings, malls, and
similar premises may cooperate with one another to establish and maintain a dedicated
lactation room, provided however, that such rooms must be located at a reasonable
distance from the employees using the room. Each employer utilizing such common
dedicated lactation room will retain individual responsibility for ensuring that it meets all
the requirements of these guidelines with regard to their employees. Use of a common
dedicated lactation room pursuant to this paragraph will not reduce, mitigate, or
otherwise affect the employer’s obligations under these guidelines.
V. Non-Discrimination
No employer shall discriminate in any way against an employee who chooses to
express breast milk in the workplace. Encouraging or allowing a work environment that
is hostile to the right of nursing mothers to take leave for the purpose of expressing breast
milk could constitute discrimination within the meaning of this section of the guidelines.
VI. Suggested Employer Activities
A. In addition to the activities set forth in the guidelines above, an employer may
consider implementing one or more of the following activities in connection with the
needs of employees who are breast feeding children:
1. Providing educational information in the lactation room or area regarding
the benefits of breastfeeding and tips on expressing and storing breast milk
including posters, newsletters, books, and referral information to health
education programs about breastfeeding.
2. Allowing flexible work hours, job sharing, and/or part-time scheduling to
accommodate employees with children of nursing age.
3. Providing an easily accessible sink to wash tubing used for pumping breast
milk.
4. Allowing mothers of nursing children attending on-site day care to take
breaks to breast feed in lieu of pumping.
5. Providing a listing of lactation consultants whom breastfeeding mothers
could contact for assistance.
6. Including protection for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in the
company’s sexual harassment policy.
7. Designation of a breastfeeding coordinator to allow consistent and
coordinated implementation of this benefit in the workplace.
B. Not all questions can be anticipated; therefore these guidelines may not cover
all situations that may arise. For additional assistance or information please contact the
Division of Labor Standards office nearest you.

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

Tilde, I work with you The health unit has a pumping/nursing room. It has a reclining chair, sink, locker & I think even a fridge to store pumped milk. If your baby is at the daycare, you can even take him/her in there & nurse.

I used it everyday for a month or two when I first came back to work.


Oh, & ds is in the daycare now & I love it! You might even qualify for tuition assistance. You should def take a tour before you go on mat leave

Message edited 12/19/2009 2:30:09 PM.

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

I used to bring a chair into the women's room and pump there, facing the wall. My shirt always covered as I was pumping. My male boss tried EVERYTIME to get into the women's room. Such a perv.

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

I pump in the bathroom at work. It is a 1 person bathroom, with a good amount of space. I asked the custodian for a table and a chair. It's not the best situation but it's what I have. I would talk to your manager see if you ccan get a cubicle wall to block a space for you in the bathroom so you can have some privacy! Good luck!

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

My company also has cubicles, or offices with glass (so no privacy).

I haven't seen it myself but I have been told by other moms that they provide a closet (literally) to pump.

I have the opposite problem - I might get claustrophobic!

If you do have to pump where others might see you, maybe you can get a nursing cover?

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

Message edited 12/19/2009 2:23:12 PM.

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

Posted by sweetie

Tilde, I work with you The health unit has a pumping/nursing room. It has a reclining chair, sink, locker & I think even a fridge to store pumped milk. If you're baby is at the daycare, you can even take him/her in there & nurse.

I used it everyday for a month or two when I first came back to work.


Oh, & ds is in the daycare now & I love it! You might even qualify for tuition assistance. You should def take a tour before you go on mat leave

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

They prob have no idea about the health unit. I used a bathroom stall my first day back & it was so stupid trying to do that.

Ds started at the daycare when he was 9 months but the infant room is really great too. It's like being at home.

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

I used to pump hidden in the corner of my class timing it perfectly so my kids were not coming back to get stuff...it was a race against time.....I used a shawl thing so if someone came it, at least my boobs weren't hanging out! good luck!

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?

I am a teacher too & w/ DD would pump in the psychologist's office (she was in only 3x a week)...so the first time I'm pumping (nervous to begin with), I put the "do not disturb" sign on the door....it's a private, locked office so I had my shirt completely off...all of a sudden I see the doorknob turning...2 teachers (female) walk in & were like "oh, sorry, we had no idea" but then continued to stand there & stare like they were totally in awe. Later they apologized, but from then on I was so paranoid. I then pumped in my class; I'd put something over the door window, but got caught a few times w/ firedrills.

Now I'm in a separate unit & have no choice but to pump in the bathroom, door locked.

Re: Crashing :) anyone have less than ideal pumping conditions at work?