6 Ways To Avoid Getting Naked In The Boardroom.
Better breast pumping at in the workplace.
There’s nothing like being naked in an office conference room. It’s sounds like an adventurous fantasy, but it’s more of a messy reality for working mothers. As a working and nursing mom this nudie session was a thrice daily appointment for me at my fancy corporate job. It was not sexy. Wear a dress to work, you’re down to your undies when you’re pumping. Except the top half of you is hooked up to a breast pump.
While the Affordable Care Act requires employers to provide time and space for pumping (that’s not a bathroom), the majority of workplaces don’t have a good place. I’ve pumped in countless bathrooms, copy rooms, server rooms, boardrooms, full-windowed conference rooms, construction areas and closets. And once or twice, in a mother’s room.
The lack of a not just comfortable, but appropriate place to pump, puts the whole process to bed for many women. I had to give myself a pep talk every time I headed into the boardroom, and eventually (when my baby was eating solids), I stopped pumping there and instead, pumped in my car on my way to and from work. Somehow, driving topless felt less humiliating.
-> A friend who’s a surgeon had a shared office and had to find an empty exam room each and every time she pumped — after being walked in on by a male colleague, she there in the towel.
-> A friend who’s a principal had to pump in her fully windowed office. There was no privacy, she felt humiliated every time she shut the blinds and her loud pump when on, she made it four months.
-> A colleague at a tech company, who was too afraid to ask for something better pumped in the office bathroom (4 stalls) — she stood at the mirror, where the only outlet was located, and pumped while others did their business. She made it two weeks.
-> And the number of women who’ve been relegated to pumping in the copy room or server room or storage closet is just depressing.
It’s so disappointing because it’s another time where as women (and as a mother), you have shut down a part of yourself in order to fit into the confines of the working world. Instead of embracing this stage for women, the workforce makes it incredibly difficult.
So what’s one to do? Here are six tips to successful pump breastmilk at work:
Educate yourself on the benefits of nursing (for both mom and baby). The more you know why you’re doing it, the more empowered and committed you’ll be.
Have a plan for nursing and pumping, before you head out on maternity leave. Don’t come back on day one and ask where you’ll be pumping, work with your HR contact before you head out. This doesn’t mean you’ll get a comfy place to pump, but you’ll know you’re options and understand what you’ll be dealing with.
Find a buddy, someone you can compare notes with, commiserate with and encourage.
Be courageous. When you’re frustrated by the time, space and location you’ve been given, it probably really is bad. Being a mom is a one long lesson in standing up for yourself and your family. This might be where it starts. Know who to talk to in your organization and speak up. It’s hard, but there will be other moms after you in your organization.
Pump around work. As you’re able, shift more of your pumping to time when you’re home. At the beginning, this isn’t an option, as you’re pumping when you’d normally be nursing, but around six months, you have more flexibility. Pump when you’re doing your make-up, when you’re watching TV at night and even when you’re driving.
Get a Willow. This is a game changer. With a Willow I pumped in my office, doors/windows open. It’s cordless, leakproof and quiet. You can pay for it with your HSA.
At some point, you’ll still be naked, somewhere, pumping. And it’s still going to be humbling. But the nudity is worth it. Not only will it feed your babe, but it’ll integrate your amazing femininity into the masculine world of the 9-5 job.