Walked in on while pumping

[ndtrojan]

I am mortified. I have to pump in a small conference room with no lock on the door, so I always put a sign on the door that says Please Do Not Disturb. Apparently one of my older male coworkers thought the sign was for a meeting he was having in there later on in the morning, and they started without him, so he came in. The worst part was that he didn't immediately close the door and leave...he kept standing there staring at me explaining why he came in. I finally had to tell him Id be about 10 more minutes and he could then have the room.

I know he's feeling as embarrassed as I am...but I just want to curl up in a corner and not be in my cubicle trying to look productive at the moment. This makes me want to give up pumping for good :-(

[Unknown]

Yikes! Don't give up, you're doing awesome! I pumped in a small conference room w/o a lock as well. I got a door stop and put it on the inside so nobody could open it. You could also ask if there is a way to request a lock. We use to have a 'lactation lock', and it would just get switched out on office doors for whoever was in need of it since we don't have locks on any of our offices/board rooms. Of course when I requested the lactation lock on the conference room it was a bit busted and didn't fit on the door, so door stopper it was.

[theborg7of9]

Don't give up. He'll never walk in there again, I assure you! I always put a chair in front of the door.

[thechickencoop]

Jan 23, 2015 13:06:53 GMT -5 theborg7of9 said:

Don't give up. He'll never walk in there again, I assure you! I always put a chair in front of the door.

Lol so much this.  No matter HOW embarrassed you were, I'm positive he was MORTIFIED.  So no worries  

[20thirteen]

Ugh, the offices/conference rooms at my office don't lock either. When I was pumping, I would move a chair to the door so that if someone tried to enter, they'd hit my chair and I'd say "occupado!". It was awkward also since EVERY OFFICE AND CONFERENCE ROOM has one wall that's basically windows. Luckily, we're on the 3rd floor but still, felt very exposed all the time. I was actually really excited when DD was no longer interested in breastmilk.

[kcones88]

I plan to pump at work when/if we have a baby (God willing) and was just thinking this morning about where I'd do it. At the moment, there's a spare office that no one is using that would be perfect, but never thought about the awkwardness of being walked in on! I feel your pain

[supertrooper1]

Even with a giant stop sign on the door at my work, people would still try to barge in. We had a lock, but I was afraid that I was going to forget to lock it. Like pp said, I'd just wear a cover from now on.

[dizzycooks]

LOL I had the same person walk in on me twice. Seriously dude, the first time wasn't obvious enough?? I have a lock. Unfortunately he has a key and thinks he should do all his tech work while my room is closed.

[puffandstuff]

This happened to me as well. My sign has a cow on it that's kept people away.

[liziz]

I have told anyone that talks about it at all that they will be much more embarrassed and uncomfortable than I will be, so come on in if that's what they want to have happen.

[kcones88]

Jan 23, 2015 14:02:38 GMT -5 privacy said:

Also don't the new Federal regulations require a locking room be provided?

I stopped pumping before they went into effect so I'm not certain, but I think I read that somewhere

From  Section 4207 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

"Employers are required to provide a reasonable amount of break time and a space to express milk as frequently as needed by the nursing mother, for up to one year following the birth of the employee’s child. The frequency of breaks needed to express breast milk as well as the duration of each break will likely vary. The space provided by the employer cannot be a bathroom, and it must be shielded from view and free from intrusion by coworkers or the public."

[enigmaticdrscully]

Happened to me too, by my childless (female) coworker with a key. She was much more embarrassed than I was and also didn't immediately realize why I was asking her to close the door. It was awkward for the next day (and we shared an office) but it ended up being NBD in the end.

[ndtrojan]

Thanks for all the support! I'm sure once I get past my fear of pumping for the next few times, it'll be back to the same old routine again. And as for the locked area, tried that already and I got the pushback that the note makes a room secure. They even offered to talk to everyone to make sure they know the note means they can't come in...like that's not awkward or anything. I'm only a couple weeks away from my year goal, though, so I'll just deal for now. Maybe I'll push more if I decide to have another baby.

[CurlieWhirlie]

It's happened to me, too. Thankfully it was another mom of a young child, and it was someone I knew, so I was all "come on in if you don't mind seeing my boobs!" and she was like "no no, that's ok". Don't give up! Think of the heart palpitations you just gave that old dude!

[beevol]

Jan 23, 2015 14:59:42 GMT -5 puffandstuff said:

This happened to me as well. My sign has a cow on it that's kept people away.

I drew a cow on my pumping "Do Not Disturb" sign too! I never got walked in on, but for those who've been walked in on mite than once, take that to HR and tell them that they need a lock per federal regulations and the dude needs a talking to or you'll be claiming sexual harassment. Full stop. Once is an accident, twice and he's doing it on purpose.

[kewii]

Jan 23, 2015 20:22:41 GMT -5 @bears said:

Jan 23, 2015 17:46:20 GMT -5 ndtrojan said:

Thanks for all the support! I'm sure once I get past my fear of pumping for the next few times, it'll be back to the same old routine again. And as for the locked area, tried that already and I got the pushback that the note makes a room secure. They even offered to talk to everyone to make sure they know the note means they can't come in...like that's not awkward or anything. I'm only a couple weeks away from my year goal, though, so I'll just deal for now. Maybe I'll push more if I decide to have another baby.

Uh, no.

That's fucking stupid logic.

Seconding.

[chuggingwater]

I had a giant sign that included a how, and a sign beside it stating if they came it, their eyes would burn and they would have nightmares.

[amiee]

I am scared of this as well. I work in a school (not a teacher- with a grant funded program). I have an office at one school I'm at (but it is where the middle school sports equipment and other random things are stored. I plan on pumping in there at times when my students don't usually come in and lock the door with a do no disturb sign. It would be beyond mortifying if a student walked in!!

I will probably have to pump in the bathroom or something at the other school. I meet with my students in a conference room that is used by other people. I often have to move out for meetings and such. I don't get paid through the school but am a "guest" service so I don't think I can push back if there is no where to pump..

With my older son I got walked in on by my male boss (different job) and it was awkward, but that feeling passed in a couple of days and all was well. Don't give up= esp. so close to your goal!!

[phishgirl]

I used to pump in my classroom. Let's just say there was a fire drill and I didn't go outside for that one. Luckily it wasn't a real emergency and I never got caught! I've had my door jiggled a million times which is so unnerving!

[lingeringwithcoffee]

I had several people walk in on me while I was still pumping. I always made sure to use my nursing cover and face the opposite direction of the door so at least no one would see anything. I teach, so I pumped in my classroom with the door locked, but custodians, security officers, and my principal all walked in WITH STUDENTS, even with a sign up. I think it happens at least once to most pumping moms!

[needmorecowbell]

Jan 24, 2015 0:31:08 GMT -5 kewii said:

Jan 23, 2015 20:22:41 GMT -5 @bears said:

Uh, no.

That's fucking stupid logic.

Seconding.

So ... the people who told you that leave their cars and homes unlocked, with notes asking people to pretty please not steal their stuff, right? If they even have locks on them at all, since notes = security! Good grief.

(By the way, hello! I'm from the O14 board, and I rarely post anywhere because I can't keep up!)

[bsquaredmsquared]

I'm sure that he is mortified as others have said. The doorstop thing is s good idea as you can get a small cheap plastic one that you can throw in your bag. Personally, I'm not relaxed unless I'm facing away from the door with s handy cover close by just in case?

[jazzra369]

oh, my gosh, that sounds so embarrassing! I'm sorry! I hope you stick with it. I would die but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised because people never read signs. I like the idea of using a cow picture or something to really signify, hey Dude, do not disturb includes you too! If I were in your situation I think I'd put a cover over everything once I got all hooked up. I used one of those hands free pumping bras which was a life saver.

[somebabiesmom]

I've been walked in on 3 times by security, a janitor, and a coworker and I pump in my OFFICE. I started with a Do Not Disturb sign with a picture of DS. Which did not work. Then I went to a more strongly worded Do Not Disturb for any reason except for fire and tsunami. That didn't work, so I jammed a binder under my door.

In my office.

With DD, I decided I no longer cared to be discreet and just put "NURSING Do not enter" and I was never disturbed.

[ss265]

Just want to echo PP's opinions that you need to ask for a lock and not to give up! Especially since you are so close to your goal.

I've almost been walked in on, a couple of times (people were using my office as a conference room while I was on maternity leave and didn't realize I was back) which is unnerving but honestly, how much can they really see? Assuming that you wear a pumping bra and don't have to undress to pump, the only exposed area is your nipple which should be inside the pump connector right?

I would be more embarrassed about displaying my protruding, stretch marked belly than my boobs.