What would you do (Working/Nursing mom)?

[Fishbone†]

Our company (like many others) provides a room for the working moms to pump in. Our room is a little room off the lounge to the bathroom. Since my schedule at work is busy, I would like to use it over my lunch hour to minimize interruptions to my workload, and to eliminate the possibility that I have a meeting at the time I would like to pump (which has happened due to the following). Unfortunately there is a lady that likes to eat her lunch in there. At one point I was trying to beat her to the room, but lately she's been going in there even earlier, and staying about an hour. Due to my morning calendar, I can't leave my desk any earlier, and I end up going after lunch which is not at all convenient. I have emailed our HR dept. and I was informed that there is no company policy on the room, and that I should either knock on the door and ask if the person in there is using it for it's intended purpose, or try going at a different time. I think that's cruddy, but it is what it is. I really feel like she's being rude and plus, who wants to eat lunch in the "bathroom"? But on the other hand, I'm nervous to knock on the door and have her frustrated with me or think I'm being rude or something. Obviously due to the "race to the room", she knows I need it, and doesn't care, so I don't know how to handle that.

Has anyone else run into this, or does anyone have any good suggestions on how to handle it?

 

[2girlsmom]

Do I understand you to say this is a nursing/pumping area and she is NOT nursing/pumping during the lunch time, just eating lunch there? Is there only room for one person in there at a time? I'm not sure why it matters if she is in there, as long as she doesn't try to stop you from using the room too.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I would go and pump in the room while she is in there eating. The company has to provide someplace for you to pump. So if she complains they have to come up with another office etc. for you to go to.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Is it commonly know that this room is used by nursing mothers to pump in? If it is, I would just go in and do what you need to do. If she doesn't like it she can use somewhere else as her lunchroom.

 

[Bren's Mom]

I am assuming there is an ACTUAL lunch room, and that your 'little room' off the bathroom isn't it.

If that's the case, I'd just be very direct. I'd walk in there at the time you want to be there and if she's there just let her know, nicely, that this is the company's designated pumping area for nursing mothers, in case she 'wasn't aware'. Let her know that you will be pumping in there every day at x time from now on. In case she's new, tell her where the lunch room is.

And then I'd set up my pump and bare all.

She probably won't be back.

 

[Fishbone†]

Do I understand you to say this is a nursing/pumping area and she is NOT nursing/pumping during the lunch time, just eating lunch there? Is there only room for one person in there at a time? I'm not sure why it matters if she is in there, as long as she doesn't try to stop you from using the room too.

The door has a lock on it, and she locks it. It also has a plaquard that says "Occupied" which she displays. It's a small room with a chair and a love seat.

And the room is marked with the initials of the act that requires the company to provide the room, so it is the intention of the room, but again, the company doesn't have a policy on the use of the room.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I would just keep knocking in the door until she opened it. I would tell her "Thanks! I need to come in and pump!" If she pulled the whole "I'm having lunch" etc. I would show her the plaque and tell her that the room is for pumping. I would so obnoxiously sweet about it and edge my way in the room. It is not her personal lunching suite.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Hmmm, that's a little tougher.

What state are you in? Some states have specific laws pertaining to pumping at work. Perhaps that will give you some leverage in getting your company to MAKE a policy that at least would keep the 'eaters' out of that room.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Wow, that stinks. You don't need this stress, do you? Bless your heart. I hope that it all gets settled real soon.

 

[Disney Doll]

If there is a posted "act" that the company has to provide a room for breast pumping, then, in effec t, they do have a policy. The policy is that the room has to be availabl, by law, for the purpose for which it is intended...that being breast-pumping, not lunch eating.

It's an HR issue. And you probably need to force their hand a bit to make them step up to the plate to enforce their policy, which is to obey "the act" under which they are providing the room.

Otherwise, knock on the door, and when she opens, say pleasantly "I hope you don't mind if I pump my breasts in here while you are eating lunch. As you can see by the placard that the compnay has placed next to the door here, that is the intended use for this space". Say this as soon as she opens the door, gently push your way in if you have to and have a seat.

The next day, when she doesn't unlock the door when you knock, THEN you go to HR.

My guess is if you read the placard, somewhere on there is what to do in the event that the breast pumping room is NOT provided in your place of employment. My statement to HR would be "According to the regulation noted on this placard the "breast pumping act" (or whatever it's called) says that a room must be provided. The fact that this other woman uses the room, locks the door and won't let me in means you are not following the regulations as stated. It says here that if the regulations aren't followed, that I can contact _______. I don't want to do that, so I would expect someone from HR to make it clear to this woman that the company will not allow her to make the company be in violation of this regulation."

 

[Mouse House Mama]

If the door has a plaque on it with the intention of the room then that is all you need. That is the intention of the room.

 

[Beca]

Why not make a sign that states the act's number, and corresponding definition. You could also state that there is a nursing mother who needs the use of this room between the hours of (whatever your lunch hour is), and is asking others not to occupy this room during that time.

You might also want to call HR back, and ask them to assign you another unused room to pump. Know your rights, and keep on them until they provide you another space.

Good luck!!

 

[Laura]

Fellow working and nursing/pumping mom weighing in; I'm really mad on your behalf. What a rude woman!!!

With a lock on the door, it makes it impossible to pump if this lady is in there, right? I would go to HR, explain that you need a room that is AVAILABLE to you for pumping on your lunch hour. Having the room occupied all the time is not the same thing. Ask if there is an unused office or something. They may not be able to stop the woman from using the room for eating her meal, but they must be able to provide you with a private space for pumping. If it were another nursing mom, I'm sure they would ask you two to work things out between yourselves. But it's not a lunch room, and she doesn't need to lock herself away to eat a sandwich.

Alternatively, see if you can have them at least take the lock off the door and just muscle your way in every day. I have a cover-up that I keep handy in case someone walks in on me. (I pump in a "sick room" and there is no lock.) I know you don't want to be showing her everything.

In the meantime, go ahead and knock away!

 

[TomLovesBecky]

Stand up for your rights and your baby! Knock and let her know you need the room for pumping. If she refuses to leave, then you need to address the situation with HR again. If she does this everyday, you NEED to push the issue. It's not a lunchroom, it's a pumping room which in some places is required by law if requested. This woman is clearly not a very nice person, if she's going to inconvenience a breastfeeding mother who NEEDS to pump just so she can eat her sandwich in solitude. I would just make it clear to her and your company that they can possibly get in trouble for refusing to provide clear access to such a room, not just the room itself occupied by silly people for crazy reasons, if that's the law in your state. GOOD LUCK!

 

[SDFgirl]

What a weirdo. This woman obviously has a huge sense of entitlement.

Sorry you have to deal with this. Good luck!

 

[lovetoscrap]

How about tomorrow you walk into the HR directors office, pull out both breasts and begin pumping. Tell them that since they won't enforce keeping the pumping room free for you then you will be pumping in his/her office from now on. Or show up in the lunch eating woman's office/cubicle and start pumping there!

On the serious side it sounds like the lock needs to be removed/disabled from the door. OR could you ask the the door be locked at all times and the key only provided to the nursing mothers that need to use it? That seems like the best option to keep it for the purpose it is intended.

Heck, maybe even something as simple as putting up a typed sign on the door that says "RESERVED from 12-1" Or if there are other's that use it maybe make a time schedule for the door, much like you would have for a conference room. That way all mom's onsite can pencil in when they plan to use the room. Even if it is just you, go ahead and block out the time you will be using it.


And I assume that you have actually talked to this other woman? Said look, I know you enjoy using that room for lunch but it is intended for pumping and I need to be in there from 12-1 taking care of that.

 

[momof1princess]

If the company is allowing this woman to deny you use of the room they have specified you should use for pumping, they are in violation of the law. You need to make them aware of this and let them know that if they don't rectify the situation with this woman IMMEDIATELY, you will be contacting the appropriate entity regarding the violation of your rights. i think a PP mentioned a lock for the room's door with keys only provided to nursing moms-this is a great idea. good luck!

 

[Hoodie]

I agree with the PP that perhaps you should ask for a key as a nursing mother and see if they can keep the door locked. If that is the purpose of the room, you should be able to use it.

I am VERY fortunate that I have an office with a lock. I had to ask for the key to my door, but I'm one of the lucky ones. Most offices here don't have locks and the room they provide is the sick room (which, btw is always locked - pumping mothers are given a key). Some of the other mothers have even asked to have locks installed on their doors and been denied.

I don't know why - I can work and pump at the same time rather than hike every thing up to the next floor to pump. It's much more effective for them to allow us to pump in the offices.

 

[malibuconlee]

How about tomorrow you walk into the HR directors office, pull out both breasts and begin pumping. Tell them that since they won't enforce keeping the pumping room free for you then you will be pumping in his/her office from now on. Or show up in the lunch eating woman's office/cubicle and start pumping there!

On the serious side it sounds like the lock needs to be removed/disabled from the door. OR could you ask the the door be locked at all times and the key only provided to the nursing mothers that need to use it? That seems like the best option to keep it for the purpose it is intended.

Heck, maybe even something as simple as putting up a typed sign on the door that says "RESERVED from 12-1" Or if there are other's that use it maybe make a time schedule for the door, much like you would have for a conference room. That way all mom's onsite can pencil in when they plan to use the room. Even if it is just you, go ahead and block out the time you will be using it.


And I assume that you have actually talked to this other woman? Said look, I know you enjoy using that room for lunch but it is intended for pumping and I need to be in there from 12-1 taking care of that.

HA at the first paragraph!!

I agree with the rest...suggesting to HR that a lock be placed on the door and keys provided to the pumping mothers with a schedule on the door so you can sign up for a time.

This is an HR issue and you did the right thing by going to them. If they are unable to resolve the issue, well it depends on the size of your company if there is only one person in HR for a small company or if there is another person in HR you can talk to. If not, then I would go to your direct boss. I could see if you were uncomfortable confronting this woman directly about it.

Good Luck!!

I have to relate a funny story to you. My DH manages large construction projects. He works on-site in large (currently quadruple sized) trailers. not a lot of extra room when you get 20 plus people working in them!! He had a female engineer last year that had a baby. We had known her for several years and while she didn't work for this company when she had her first child I knew she breast fed. One day I asked my husband what he was going to do about a place for her to pump after she had the baby and came back to work. Construction, while making strides is still a male dominate field and he hadn't had to deal with this before.

So, he moved her from a cubicle to an office she was sharing with a young male engineer that could totally relate as he had a wife that breastfed. When she came back they put a sign on the door that said if closed knock before entering and while her office-mate was out on the site she would pump. Well one day a subcontractor came in upset about something and threw the door open not noticing the sign. That female engineer laid into him and let him know what for!! He was embarrassed as well. Her office-mate went out that day and bought and installed a deadbolt for her. She has a good sense of humor and could laugh about it, but boy did she let him have it for not knocking!!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I don't know the answer here, but wanted to send out some congrats to you for keeping up with the pumping. I am pumping at work for #2 now, and my office provides nothing (thinks I can do it in the bathroom!). I go to my healthclub which is nearby and pump in the locker-room. It's totally wierd and takes up my whole lunch hour.

Have you said anything to the woman who takes over the room? I don't know how someone could keep that up knowing that she is denying you the opportunity to pump. Maybe she thinks you're just looking for a place for lunch or a little nap too.