If you breastpumped at work, were your coworkers supportive?

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I pumped for a little over a year at work when I had my last child five years ago. I worked nights on a smaller unit; It generally took fifteen minutes every four hours to pump. I had a hands free set up so I ate my lunch while I pumped and never took a lunch break.

Most of my coworkers were supportive, but one was not. She would not get my callbells etc while I was pumping, even though I was careful to always ask my patients if they needed anything, change IV bags, etc prior to pumping. What was hilarious was this was a pediatric unit where we gave a lot of lipservice to being "so supportive" of breastfeeding moms. This particular coworker wore a breastfeeding pin on her nametag! She often said to me, "It must be nice to get 15 minutes breaks every four hours!"

I ignored her and pumped until my baby weaned. But I hear it frequently from other moms - that their coworkers aren't supportive of their breastfeeding/ having to pump at work. When I work with a woman who is breastpumping I always try to help her out and support her. I think it's sad when women don't support other women with this, especially of late when studies make it so that one just can't deny the benefits of breastfeeding.

Your thoughts?

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Wanted to add that I'm not excluding men from the conversation - I didn't work with any when I breastpumped, so I am interested to hear their thoughts, too!

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Specializes in Family Practice, Psychiatry.

I was not supported at all -- no relief when needed. Often could only pump once during the 12-hour shift, if at all. It was very unpleasant, and I dried up pretty quickly. :( Oh -- and I work in a LDRP unit (with full access to the lactation office). How sad is that?!

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I don't believe pregnancy and child raising should come into the work environment. Breast pump on your breaks. I never get any, why should you?????

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Specializes in NICU.

^^ Somebody didn't wake up on the right side of the bed this morning...

I work in a NICU and haven't seen any nurses pump, but one of our fellows pumps when she's on service and people have been supportive of her (well, duh!) I can't believe that people wouldn't be otherwise, especially when kiddos can get so many diseases (nec!)

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

It's really sad that even women can't be sensitive to a mother's needs. 10-15 minutes to pump every few hours is not long. Why encourage breastfeeding if you aren't even going to be supportive of your co-workers who are breastfeeding. This is just another example of the catty-like gossip that hinders our profession.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

It has never been an issue wherever I have worked. I would think since she supported breastfeeding she would have supported a co worker, but what do I know?

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I don't believe pregnancy and child raising should come into the work environment. Breast pump on your breaks. I never get any, why should you?????

How can you leave a bodily function out of the work environment? That's like telling someone they shouldn't have to pee or poop at work. LOL! Are you for real?

Breastpumping has nothing to do with child-raising. It's a normal bodily function that happens when, oh...you lose your placenta. And failure to remove the milk from an engorged breast can lead to serious medical problems.

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Take your breaks.....can't blame anyone else for taking theirs. Just because YOU don't choose to take what is your right doesn't mean others should have to do the same.

Ok, that being said. Does it have to be every four hours? Can you have the interval be longer between pumping times? I'm not talking waiting the whole 12 hours, but maybe every six hours? How could anyone complain about twice in one shift? Especially if you get a lunch, too. I think that two 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch are not unreasonable during a 12 hour shift.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

When I was a CNA a new mom did it and everyone was supportive. The nurse who was doing it was the one who made schedules, so that may have helped her, but I didnt see any problems.

This happened before I got there, but she kept the stuff in the frige. Someone got a bottle of.......pump fluid......mixed up with the coffe creamer. Yeah, that story was the stuff of legend on that unit.

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pump fluid! LMAO! hahaha! I always stored my pump fluid in my own little cooler. Now, food theft isn't unheard of amongst staff members at my hospital...but if they did that, they deserved what they got!

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
pump fluid! LMAO! hahaha! I always stored my pump fluid in my own little cooler. Now, food theft isn't unheard of amongst staff members at my hospital...but if they did that, they deserved what they got!

LOL. What do you call it anyway? Breast milk I guess or something.

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