Expressing milk at work

moneypuddle

ktothema wrote: »

I had a suspicion you may say that. I wouldn't want to myself either.

To be honest I think they might feel uncomfortable about it too, especially one in particular

LTL

moneypuddle wrote: »

I disagree. I wasn't 'child bearing age' when I started at the company, but now nearly 6 years down the line, I am. It happens. I've not asked what I'm entitled to, just what others thought was reasonable or what they had experienced. Surely its all just the normal "give and take" of life. The company have had very loyal service from me for a long period with excessive hours, huge stresses and major ups and downs. I didn't think asking to be able to express milk to feed my baby would be anything other than an issue we would work on together to arrange.

... and in return they pay you a wage. That's the "Give & Take".

Sambucus_Nigra

moneypuddle wrote: »

I don't mean to sound prudish but am really not keen on whapping my boob out at my desk, since I'm sat in with 4 women and 1 man. Especially not with the noise the pump makes. I think it might be a bit of a distraction and would make me feel very awkward

I know that - and you know that - but the thought of you having to do it because there is nowhere else should sharpen their focus a little.

It's called calling their bluff.

skintandscared_2

I have worked in offices for 28 years, alongside many women returning to work after maternity leave who are still breastfeeding. Never have any of those women had to express milk during their working day. Would that be because their babies were older when they returned to work? Genuine question - why can't mums express before and after work? Is it a comfort thing or do you literally have to do it every few hours or so?

westv

skintandscared wrote: »

Genuine question - why can't mums express before and after work? Is it a comfort thing or do you literally have to do it every few hours or so?

I sort of asked the same question earlier but I don't think it was understood.

Hmm71

I was wondering what the OP is going to do with the milk once it's been expressed. Will you have to drive home with it to feed the baby? I'm sorry if I sound thick and I'm genuinely curious. I was fortunate enough to be able to take six months fully paid maternity leave when I had my daughter and I'd stopped feeding her by the time I'd returned to work so it's not a situation I've found myself in.

System

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I know that - and you know that - but the thought of you having to do it because there is nowhere else should sharpen their focus a little.

It's called calling their bluff.

But there is nowhere else because the company do not own/lease anything else except the 2 office units they have. It is not reasonable:-

1. to expect the company to lease a further office unit to allow the OP to express her milk in privacy.
2. to expect the building owner to let somebody use an office for free. They are after all in business. They probably wouldn't object if the OP paid the rent on it.
3. TBH expressing milk in an office environment with an electric pump is not reasonable moreso due to the disturbance factor rather than embarrasment.

The bottom line is that the company set-up is not in a position to accomodate milk expression on premises. The only other possibility is extended lunch period to do it.

Sambucus_Nigra

!!!!!! wrote: »

But there is nowhere else because the company do not own/lease anything else except the 2 office units they have. It is not reasonable:-

1. to expect the company to lease a further office unit to allow the OP to express her milk in privacy.
2. to expect the building owner to let somebody use an office for free. They are after all in business. They probably wouldn't object if the OP paid the rent on it.
3. TBH expressing milk in an office environment with an electric pump is not reasonable moreso due to the disturbance factor rather than embarrasment.

The bottom line is that the company set-up is not in a position to accomodate milk expression on premises. The only other possibility is extended lunch period to do it.

I'm not saying that the answer is in any of the above, I'm saying that the response that it's her problem is actually, not her problem. If they won't even discuss it, then the response that she will do it at her desk should focus their minds on sitting down and discussing the matter.

Whatever the answer is I don't know, I've not been to the site and do not know the ins and outs of the business premises. But a discussion should be held in the first instance rather than a carte blanche 'not our problem luv' which is what seems to have happened.

denla

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I'm not saying that the answer is in any of the above, I'm saying that the response that it's her problem is actually, not her problem. If they won't even discuss it, then the response that she will do it at her desk should focus their minds on sitting down and discussing the matter.

Whatever the answer is I don't know, I've not been to the site and do not know the ins and outs of the business premises. But a discussion should be held in the first instance rather than a carte blanche 'not our problem luv' which is what seems to have happened.

If she does it at her desk, others might complain she's disrupting them.

UK law doesn't allow extra time off work for breastfeeding.

pimento

I'm not saying it's right but if the OP was a bloke, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Just saying..