Pumping at work... laws?

[nismi13]

I know the basic laws that your employer is required to allow time for you to pump, as well as a private lockable space that is not also a bathroom.
What I wonder, though, is if there is a time limit on how long you can pump for? I'm worried about feeling pressured to hurry... with my DS I stayed home for 6 months but with DD I will only be on leave for 6 weeks before I return to work =/

[greenmonkey1]

The employer is required to give a "reasonable break time" for pumping (DOL Fact Sheet - Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA). I suppose how an employer views reasonable is going to vary. Personally, I generally take about 30-minutes total and have no problem with two different supervisors (same overarching employer, different divisions). You could check with your company's HR department about what has been customary in the past.

[mana8503]

I read my hr document and for every question it just repeats "reasonable break, as frequent as needed". I take 3 - 30 min pumping breaks. It hasn't been an issue.

Also, I put my pump parts in the refrigerator (in my cooler) so I don't have to wash them after every use. Saves some time.

[Deleted]

As a director of my department, I would think 30 minutes every ~3 hours would be appropriate for any of my employees. It's hard to try to get in and out any less than that

[Deleted]

Feb 15, 2015 13:50:56 GMT -5 @babybeanerx said:

As a director of my department, I would think 30 minutes every ~3 hours would be appropriate for any of my employees. It's hard to try to get in and out any less than that

with that said, though, I wouldn't clock watch unless there were issues. It's hard enough to be a new mom, pumping.

[supertrooper1]

Like the pp's, I also took 3-30 minute breaks throughout my 8 hour shift. This was not something management was concerned with. I had two types of managers. Either they were understanding having been there themselves or their wives had pumped. Or some managers didn't want to touch the topic, either for fear of an EEO, violating the law, or the idea of me pumping grossed them out. Once you get into a routine, don't be shy in telling your manager what you need. Chances are they'll be more than accommodating.

[nismi13]

This is very relieving to read. I remember with my son, when I did pump at 6 months, I could manage 30 minutes between classes at school, but I wasn't working and if it had ever taken longer, I could have skipped class if absolutely necessary. And I didn't have a boss to contend with..
I am hoping to be able to find a new job shortly after returning to work, and the majority of this is because of the behavior of my supervisor. I guess I am just afraid of how much she will make this miserable for me. When I had to test/eat every 2 hours due to severe reactive hypoglycemia, she was aggressively involved in how/when I went about it, in an obvious micro-managing tactic. But it is good to know that 30 min is the norm.

*Edited because I pressed send too soon (being on my phone apparently makes me act like I'm texting)

[arkansasmom22]

One thing to keep in mind is that they are not required to pay you during your pumping breaks. If you are hourly they may require you to clock in and out for the time outside of your alloted 2, 15 minute breaks. If you are salaried they may expect you to adjust your work hours to make up for the pumping time. I would reach out to your HR department and ask what the policy is and what space they have available prior to your return.
Then on your first day back tell your supervisor the times you will be away from your desk for the times you discussed with HR and if your supervisor has any concerns they can talk to HR.

[nismi13]

I'm hourly.. I'll have to see about having to take them unpaid. I can do one session during lunch - which is also unpaid. But at 30 min a session, I'd be losing an hour a day. Meaning I'd have to make up 5 hours every week just to maintain 40 hours. And knowing my boss, she will expect me to make that time up.

[twinmomma]

I pumped in a conference room and used to bring my laptop in with me so I could use the time to catch up on answering emails and I was still "available" via IM if anyone needed to ask me something. It made me feel better so that I didn't have to stay late to make up the lost time. But, I know not everyone can pump while distracted like that. For me, it was no big deal with a hands-free bra on.

[harperandco]

I'm hourly and I wasn't required to clock-out when I was pumping (3 x day; approximately 30 minutes each). I have an office though so I was able to work while I pumped. My company is working-mother friendly and my supervisor (also a mother and one of the partners) was very supportive of my breastfeeding and pumping goals. Like mana8503, I refrigerated my parts to save time.

[needmorecowbell]

Wow, three 30-minute breaks in an 8 hour shift would be nice! I'm a resident physician and one of my bosses told me that if LO eats every 2 hours, I should pump every 4, and if she eats every 3 hours, I should pump every 6. She eats every 2.5-3 hours, and going 6 hours without pumping is painful!!

[liziz]

I pump 4x20 minutes, but I have an office, so I continue to work while I pump (mostly - I've been known to ignore a phone call or two, but if I'm in the middle of a project and it's time, I go for it). I also talked my work into a mini-fridge (that I provided) in my office, so I don't have to trek over to the kitchen to throw my pump parts in when I'm done. I don't think 30 minutes at a time is unreasonable at all to ask for (and a job search seems like a good idea)

[gamora24527]

Feb 17, 2015 12:40:59 GMT -5 needmorecowbell said:

Wow, three 30-minute breaks in an 8 hour shift would be nice! I'm a resident physician and one of my bosses told me that if LO eats every 2 hours, I should pump every 4, and if she eats every 3 hours, I should pump every 6. She eats every 2.5-3 hours, and going 6 hours without pumping is painful!!

needmorecowbell, Your boss is wrong (and clearly has no idea what they are talking about). You should pump about as often as you would nurse, or every three hours in your case. I could very occasionally go six hours between pumps, but it was painful. If you wait that long, you risk mastitis and your supply. Don't do it (at least not if you can avoid it). 

Y'all have made me grateful for my job and their family-friendly policies

[sissykate21]

Feb 17, 2015 12:40:59 GMT -5 needmorecowbell said:

Wow, three 30-minute breaks in an 8 hour shift would be nice! I'm a resident physician and one of my bosses told me that if LO eats every 2 hours, I should pump every 4, and if she eats every 3 hours, I should pump every 6. She eats every 2.5-3 hours, and going 6 hours without pumping is painful!!

That boss is way wrong. 
If LO eats every 3 hours you should pump - you guessed it - every 3 hours! 

I have no idea where they got their logic. 

[mustardseed2007]

I pumped 3x, 25 minutes start to finish including putting stuff away. I pumped in my office and kept everything in a cooler under my desk. I was an exclusive pumper, and so after my supply was established and I started to drop session I only pumped 2x at work.

By the way, this was my favorite online pumping resource:

exclusivepumping.com/

[sunbutter]

While I completely agree with PP who state the best advice, pumping when LO is eating….I and many others that I know survived ok with only two pumping sessions in our 8+ hour work day. For me, it was typically around 10 and 2. So I was going about 4 hours in between, even when they were infants.

I only say this because I don't want OP to completely stress out if she can't get that many breaks. You can make it work! When you get more information around your actual allowed time, come on back and we will be happy to troubleshoot with you if necessary!

[gamora24527]

Feb 17, 2015 16:50:05 GMT -5 sunbutter said:

While I completely agree with PP who state the best advice, pumping when LO is eating….I and many others that I know survived ok with only two pumping sessions in our 8+ hour work day. For me, it was typically around 10 and 2. So I was going about 4 hours in between, even when they were infants.

I only say this because I don't want OP to completely stress out if she can't get that many breaks. You can make it work! When you get more information around your actual allowed time, come on back and we will be happy to troubleshoot with you if necessary!

Agreed sunbutter. You can make four hours between pumps work. But I do think regularly going six hours between pumps is going suck.

[nismi13]

Thank you everyone for your advice!! Apparently I am going to be required to clock out to pump, so it's going to take some configuring. I work reception/billing at a Dr's office and do not have my own office that I could use. I work a rotation of 3 different "shifts".. 730-4, 8-430 or 9-530. Lunch is usually from 12-1230 or 1230-1. I'll have to eat locked up every day, but I can use that time to pump so I can hopefully adjust otherwise? Not sure.

[mustardseed2007]

I would look into figuring out how to pump in the car on the way to and from work since you have to clock out. That website I put up there goes through how to go about doing that with a nursing cover and I know a lot of moms, including ones on here did that. It would be a way to do one in the AM, one for lunch and then one on your way home, so you're hopefully pumping every 4 or so hours.

Either that or get to work early, pump, and then start your day, lunch break+pump, and then end your day and borrow a locked room to pump in before you actually leave.

[ss265]

Feb 17, 2015 20:51:43 GMT -5 nismi13 said:

Thank you everyone for your advice!! Apparently I am going to be required to clock out to pump, so it's going to take some configuring. I work reception/billing at a Dr's office and do not have my own office that I could use. I work a rotation of 3 different "shifts".. 730-4, 8-430 or 9-530. Lunch is usually from 12-1230 or 1230-1. I'll have to eat locked up every day, but I can use that time to pump so I can hopefully adjust otherwise? Not sure.

One of my co-workers would strap on her pump in the car and go through a drive through at lunch time. You would need a car pump charger, put on nursing bra and pump parts, put on seat belt and then a nursing cover on top. It's a pain but totally do-able.

I also like PP suggestions of trying to pump on your way to and from work.

[liziz]

Pumping in the car is a great idea! Once you get it set up, it's hands free, and a great way to get two things done at once.
I typically only pump at work, because my commute is short, but I've pumped often driving to and from evening activities. At night, I don't even worry about covering up.

[sissykate21]

I'm totally taking notes.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but do any of you have a favorite hands-free pumping bra that you would recommend? I had one before (4 yrs ago) but I felt like I had to sit very still or it wouldn't hold the equipment in place. The idea of pumping in the car is appealing to me but I'm nervous about how that might work if I don't have a trustworthy pumping bra.

Advice?

[mustardseed2007]

Simple Wishes was far and away my favorite. I also had a medela, but it wasn't near as good and I ended up using the simple wishes one exclusively.

www.amazon.com/Simple-Wishes-Hands-Free-Breastpump-XS-L/dp/B00295MQLU

sissykate21

[baytosa2013]

Feb 23, 2015 9:55:49 GMT -5 mustardseed2007 said:

Simple Wishes was far and away my favorite. I also had a medela, but it wasn't near as good and I ended up using the simple wishes one exclusively.

www.amazon.com/Simple-Wishes-Hands-Free-Breastpump-XS-L/dp/B00295MQLU

sissykate21

Wow! Thanks for posting this..I feel like I know NOTHING about all these necessary mom items. I had no idea this even existed. I'm adding to my Amazon registry/wish list!

[needmorecowbell]

Feb 17, 2015 14:32:19 GMT -5 sissykate21 said:

Feb 17, 2015 12:40:59 GMT -5 needmorecowbell said:

Wow, three 30-minute breaks in an 8 hour shift would be nice! I'm a resident physician and one of my bosses told me that if LO eats every 2 hours, I should pump every 4, and if she eats every 3 hours, I should pump every 6. She eats every 2.5-3 hours, and going 6 hours without pumping is painful!!

That boss is way wrong. 
If LO eats every 3 hours you should pump - you guessed it - every 3 hours! 

I have no idea where they got their logic. 

Yeah, I don't either! The most puzzling thing is that she's a physician and also breastfed two kids, including pumping at work. At any rate, the past few days have been so busy that I've only gotten 1 pumping break in the whole day. And since my days are 14-16 hours long, that means only being able to pump three times in 24 hours. It has not been fun. It's not like I'm being told that I can't take a break - but I'm one of the two senior residents on service at this hospital right now, and am responsible for knowing what's going on with all of our patients on the floor. On days that the other senior is off, post-call, or in clinic, I can't leave rounds because I don't trust the interns to tell me what happens while I'm gone, and what the attending says they want to be done. Because I'm the one ultimately responsible for getting everything done. And I can't very well ask the attending and the whole team to stop rounds for me to pump! Just venting a little.

Anyway. Re: hands-free pumping bras. Before my baby was born, I thought they looked super-creepy and they spooked me out. But I only had to pump exactly once holding those bottles, and I Amazon Primed one of those suckers, with $3.99 for one-day shipping. Mine is a Simply Wishes too, and I really like it.