Overhead Coworkers B*tching About My Pump Sessions

@sierra98loveretail When I breastfeeding my first child, I was working as a nurse in an inpatient psychiatric hospital. I would pump once or twice a shift so I would be off the unit and completely unavailable for 30-60 minutes every shift. If my acutely psychotic 19 year olds can be patient and wait for me to finish pumping to get them their medication, then I think your grown and apparently mentally sound coworkers can handle it. Feel free to share my story
 
@sierra98loveretail How incredibly uncomfortable and creepy for them to be tracking how long it takes you to pump! I am so sorry that happened and they made you feel that way. Please consider reporting to HR if you are not comfortable confronting them directly.
 
@sierra98loveretail "Sorry I couldn't hear you, what was that?"

I find that's the best response when you overhear someone say something shitty. It forces them to repeat and qualify what they just said. Guaranteed they will never say it again.
 
@sierra98loveretail Depending on what state you’re in, HR can help shut them the F up quickly. And regardless of where you’re located, they can shut the F up.

I had to leave a 4.5 hour exec meeting to go pump in a private office nearby, while a peer opened teams so I could “call in”. I rushed through the session, hardly got what I needed, didn’t even get my bra back on right, and rushed back into the conference room. I was engorged, miserable, and sweating bullets that they could see my bra riding up under my sweater when my suit jacket opened. When I excused myself finally to go fix myself and express into the sink to relieve pressure I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and had a true-life WTF AM I DOING moment. How did I let myself RUSH back there?? The fear and shame was so real. I had to pep talk myself big time the next week- I was going to have to leave for 30-45 minutes. Period.

I don’t know if it helps at all, but what helped me was thinking, “how would I want my daughter to feel in this moment?” I’ve never rushed back since.

Hang in there, and F them.
 
@sierra98loveretail Echoing what others have said, however, If it’s a corporate style office, don’t confront them. Two people in my husband’s very corporate office got demoted after a confrontation regardless of whether it was warranted or not.

Take note of the incident by date and time and contact HR about hostile work environment especially because this is mandatory for a nursing mother to be able to empty as needed. It’s not worth risking mastitis for, and it is directly health related if you don’t pump on time. It’s a medical necessity, not a leisure break for funsies. Emphasize the need for medical necessity in your HR complaint too.
 
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