Pumping in public bathrooms?

Am I the only one that things this is not reasonable?
Is this along the lines of people thinking one can nurse in a bathroom
stall?

Two people today suggested that in such a matter of fact way like why
was I concerned?There are bathrooms in that building... Neither of them
have ever BF'd or pumped before, though.

next week I have two full days where I'll be at an alternate site for
an exercise. I know the building well and there are plenty of little
rooms so I'm not worried. But I mentioned to my boss (male) that I'd
need to take 2 breaks from the exercise so I could pump (normally I do
it in my office), he said no worries, I said now I just have to figure
out where i'll go and he said "You know there are plenty of bathrooms
there." I said that was not ideal ..... then later, I mention the same
to a nurse who will be working with me that day, and she says "you know
that building well, you KNOW how many bathrooms there are there."

Ummm, 1 - the bathrooms are often not equipped with an outlet (I don't
have mine battery operated at the moment), 2-even if it was I'd have to
stand up in the common area and pumping standing is no fun 3 - I'm sure
as hell not going to sit in a gross bathroom stall to pump.
And just to make it fun I hate that place - it's what we used for the
Katrina shelter last year and I have such horrid memories (I worked it,
didn't stay in it).

It's no big deal, I'll find a place and my workplace is 100% supportive
of BF/pumping - they'd better be as the dept (not our division) is
launching a big BF campaign shortly, but it made me wonder if I need to
take this opportunity to educate people on what it means to be
'BF-friendly' - ie, the bathroom doesn't work - or if it's just me and
that's a common place for people to pump.

cjra writes:
: Am I the only one that things this is not reasonable?
: Is this along the lines of people thinking one can nurse in a bathroom
: stall?

: Two people today suggested that in such a matter of fact way like why
: was I concerned?There are bathrooms in that building... Neither of them
: have ever BF'd or pumped before, though.

Honestly, I'd just say "Oh, I'd NEVER pump in a bathroom, I would be
afraid of the bacterial contamination," and smile.

Larry

cjra skrev:
It's no big deal, I'll find a place and my workplace is 100% supportive
of BF/pumping - they'd better be as the dept (not our division) is
launching a big BF campaign shortly, but it made me wonder if I need to
take this opportunity to educate people on what it means to be
'BF-friendly' - ie, the bathroom doesn't work - or if it's just me and
that's a common place for people to pump.


Ask them if they would like their own food prepared in the bathroom.......

Tine, Denmark

Workingmom writes:
: cjra skrev:
: It's no big deal, I'll find a place and my workplace is 100% supportive
: of BF/pumping - they'd better be as the dept (not our division) is
: launching a big BF campaign shortly, but it made me wonder if I need to
: take this opportunity to educate people on what it means to be
: 'BF-friendly' - ie, the bathroom doesn't work - or if it's just me and
: that's a common place for people to pump.
:

: Ask them if they would like their own food prepared in the bathroom.......

: Tine, Denmark

To confrontational; see my reply. :-)

Larry

"cjra" wrote in message
oups.com...
Am I the only one that things this is not reasonable?

Nope. Can you make your office private?

Jess

On Oct 6, 12:51 pm, "cjra" wrote:
Am I the only one that things this is not reasonable?
Is this along the lines of people thinking one can nurse in a bathroom
stall?


Ummm, gross. Uncomfortable and gross. And I know; I tried it last
year when I was at a big job conference. I couldn't get *anything* to
come out, and the Isis sounded sooo wheezy and loud... I was picturing
the interviewing committee chair in the stall next to me the whole
time. Somehow that impeded letdown. :P I think if you point out your
very reasonable objections, that should be enough to educate people.

Em
mama to Micah, 11/14/04

"cjra" wrote in message
oups.com...
Am I the only one that things this is not reasonable?
Is this along the lines of people thinking one can nurse in a bathroom
stall?

You are right on target and I think you are well within reasonable if you
choose to say something about it. i have nursed in a bathroom, never pumped
in one.

Actually I'd rather nurse in a bathroom then pump. Nursing the milk goes
directly into the baby. It feels gross and uncomfortable but I don't think
there is any real risk to the baby. When pumping you have parts and crap
all over. Much less sanitary IMO. I also don't think I'd let down at all
in a bathroom.


--
Nikki, mama to
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Brock 4/06
Ben 4/06

cjra wrote:
Am I the only one that things this is not reasonable?
Is this along the lines of people thinking one can nurse in a bathroom
stall?

Um, count me as someone who thinks that it's not reasonable, but in the
grand scheme of things, a lot more reasonable than a 6-week or 8-week
maternity leave.

Two people today suggested that in such a matter of fact way like why
was I concerned?There are bathrooms in that building... Neither of them
have ever BF'd or pumped before, though.

next week I have two full days where I'll be at an alternate site for
an exercise. I know the building well and there are plenty of little
rooms so I'm not worried. But I mentioned to my boss (male) that I'd
need to take 2 breaks from the exercise so I could pump (normally I do
it in my office), he said no worries, I said now I just have to figure
out where i'll go and he said "You know there are plenty of bathrooms
there." I said that was not ideal ..... then later, I mention the same
to a nurse who will be working with me that day, and she says "you know
that building well, you KNOW how many bathrooms there are there."

Ummm, 1 - the bathrooms are often not equipped with an outlet (I don't
have mine battery operated at the moment),

I've found that most bathrooms, oddly enough, have been equipped with
outlets; figuring this out was a *profound* relief (the Lactina didn't
have batteries), and the key was a really long extension cord and an
attitude of what could best be described as 'screw you, I need to do
this for my baby.'

2-even if it was I'd have to
stand up in the common area and pumping standing is no fun

Long extension cord. I kid you not.

3 - I'm sure
as hell not going to sit in a gross bathroom stall to pump.
And just to make it fun I hate that place - it's what we used for the
Katrina shelter last year and I have such horrid memories (I worked it,
didn't stay in it).

Weeell, it's not entirely fun, but I'm guessing that it's not like the
bathroom in a off-the-beaten-track Mobil station.

I hear your frustration, and I completely understand that -- for me,
the majority of my work happened at client sites, and they didn't
having pumping rooms. (Actually, many of the (client) staff who were
being re-org'd at one site sat in a sea of cubicles -- 300 or so of
them -- making me feel like I was in a Jacques Tati movie, and I know
they only had access to a 'break room.') My company was moderately
breastfeeding friendly, but I wasn't in the office a whole lot, and I
knew the game when I signed up. At a very small client (one of those
cheesy internet everyone-is-25 and we're-all-going-to-be-rich moments
-- 1999), I think the staff (99% male) believed that I was shooting
heroin, hence the padded purple bag and the loooong time in the
communal bathroom.

Ime, I know of 2 other women who used the bathroom to pump; it's not
ideal, but it's better than nothing, and 'nothing' is often an the
third option, right after 'the car'. (Pumping in the CAR? While going
through the two-lane all-holds-barred ROTARY? With a stick shift, and a
cup of coffee?)

It's no big deal, I'll find a place and my workplace is 100% supportive
of BF/pumping - they'd better be as the dept (not our division) is
launching a big BF campaign shortly, but it made me wonder if I need to
take this opportunity to educate people on what it means to be
'BF-friendly' - ie, the bathroom doesn't work - or if it's just me and
that's a common place for people to pump.

I commend you on your desire to educate people -- I didn't have that
desire nor was my employer engaged in a push to promote breastfeeding,
so in that regard, my desires dovetailed with those of my employer. I
think you have a far better case to make than I ever had.

But think "extension cord" and "attitude" and imo, it will help a lot.

Caledonia

I think you may be over thinking this, all he was probably thinking is
you need somewhere private, ahh, bathroom is a place that is private.

A year ago I went to a massive conference, it was the only reason we
even tried to put DD on a bottle as I'm a SAHM, it was all arranged
when I was pregnant and I asked our group organiser if she would be
able to arrange for somewhere to pump, she's single, not sure how much
she knows about breastfeeding and what not and she asked me, what
should I say if they suggest a bathroom, my response was that with 2000
people, a bathroom was hardly likely to be a quiet comfortable place,
it wasn't a problem, there were loads of random empty rooms out of the
way and they just gave me access to one of those.

I have pumped in bathrooms, I worked in a building where I didn't have
a private office and all the windows faced in around a courtyard, it
was just a faff to arrange it so I could pump either in my own, or in
an unused office, when there was a disabled loo that no one used just
down the corridor. This was a less than once a week occurance though,
I'd have made better arrangements had it been a more regular thing.

Cheers

Anne

emilymr wrote:
On Oct 6, 12:51 pm, "cjra" wrote:
Am I the only one that things this is not reasonable?
Is this along the lines of people thinking one can nurse in a bathroom
stall?


Ummm, gross. Uncomfortable and gross. And I know; I tried it last
year when I was at a big job conference. I couldn't get *anything* to
come out, and the Isis sounded sooo wheezy and loud... I was picturing
the interviewing committee chair in the stall next to me the whole
time. Somehow that impeded letdown. :P I think if you point out your
very reasonable objections, that should be enough to educate people.

disabled loo, I don't know what provision is like in the US, but
anywhere I've been in the UK there has always been a disabled loo close
to the regular loos with stalls, I think it must be regulation in new
buildings, but usually almost entirely unused. Even if there isn't one
right there, there is likely to be one somewhere in the building, even
if it means going to the ground floor, then you can hide away and no
chance of anyone next to you. Though I guess if disabled provision is a
big stall in the main area then you are out of luck!

Anne