walked in on while pumping breast milk at the office

Julie - posted on 09/02/2010

my boob got loose from elizabeths mouth once an was squirting allllll over the place like a fire hose once....very embarrsing

Brandy - posted on 09/01/2010

I worked at Sheetz while nursing my younger son...I was a shift supervisor. While pumping one night I heard a knock on the door and since I only work with one other person didnt think twice about opening the door (I worked with one of my best friends and was comfortable pumping in front of her) Next thing you know the door is opened and there stands the Gallikers milk man! (LOL I know how ironic right) He needed me to check in the weekly milk delivery. He was so embarrassed his face got red and he hurriedly closed the door. By the time I got myself put away and came out of the office the other person I was working with said that he had left and left the invoice there for me and told her if there was a problem with the order he would take care of it when he came back next week. Which is a good thing b/c I was embarrassed myself and wasn't looking forward to checking in that order standing alone in the cooler with him!! After that night when someone knocked on the door I ALWAYS asked who it was!!

Aliska - posted on 09/01/2010

In my workplace we have a carer's room that can be booked. It can be used for breastfeeding mothers to either feed their babies or express milk or it can be used if you have a sick child that can't go to school/day-care. It has a desk, phone and computer so you can work in there plus comfy chairs, sink, microwavee and tv, dvd and game to entertain the child. I've never needed to use it because I was at home when my kids were babies and they are all old enough now to stay home on their own if they are sick but I'm glad it's there for other parents.

Natalie - posted on 09/01/2010

I pumped with both of my boys (who are now 6 & 8). At the time I worked in a dayspa. My boss was totally cool with me bringing my breast pump to work. I worked in an all female spa so that was a plus. Well as I was sitting in the waxing room using my double breast pump a co-worker and her client walked right in while my shirt was up, nursing bra down, and me attached to my breast pump. Can you say achward! Thankfully I knew the client and she knew that I had just had my second child so we all laughed and had a good day. So no you're not alone.

Nicole - posted on 08/31/2010

looks like i'm pretty lucky! i work for a rural ambulance service. i stay at the base, and my full time partner *unless she's off shift and i have a casual* stays at home 2 blocks away. i've joked with the guys that come through to not drink the frozen milk or put it in their coffee etc. i also have no problem with pumping in front of my partner (she's one of my best friends actually) but i stay in my bedroom if someone else here.
my horror story is when we had to take a patient in to the city, and i needed to pump on the way back... but we had a casual with us as well... so there i am, sitting and trying to be discreet and not spill in the back of a moving ambulance... hand pump going click click click click.... lol. we all laughed it off. infact the casual started calling my manual pump n cooler n ice packs my "transfer kit" which is rather suiting!
good luck to all you ladies. don't be embarrassed! be joyful that you are able to keep giving your babies the best food available on the planet for them! your breast milk is important, and like liquid gold!

Gretchen - posted on 08/31/2010

I have a room that is very small with just a light that has a plug also attached to it, a counter and a chair. Most importantly though, a door that has only a hook and eye lock. I thought that was a joke but have had a few people try to open it, no knowing what was going on inside. I totally freak out because I am SO afraid of someone walking in on me. I joke about my "closet" until I had to work at a different office for two days and had to use the men's restroom. I had to drag chairs in there and sit on one chair while I sat everything else I needed on the other chair.
I don't always feel comfortable pumping at work though because while I do it in the basement, sometimes customers have to come down there and they ask the one of my co-workers what that noise is. They just play it off like they don't hear it!
It can be awkward to say the least!

Alice - posted on 08/31/2010

When I worked at the nursing home I would use my mom's office and since most of the workers were ladies, they didn't seem to mind & neither did I; business went on as usual, I just hid in a chair and pumped. But whenever that door was closed the 7 guys there didn't even attempt to enter. The one gay guy was always making fun of it, but that didn't bother me either.



My "horror" story was at school (I was full-time in college then too). I was wearing a plain shirt (I always tried to wear a shirt with a bright color pattern or plaid so it doesn't show if I start leaking) and started leaking... I didn't even realize it until the biology prof (yep, perfect class, right?) goes, "and that is what happens when the mother's body thinks the baby is hungry." I almost died. My shirt was soaked!

Marilyn - posted on 08/31/2010

We hang a pair of plastic baby shoes on the door handle so that people would know we were in there.

Lika - posted on 08/31/2010

Maybe make your own "do not disturb" sign to hang on the door handle when you need to express next time.

I used to be a substitute teacher. I was expressing while the kids were at a specialist, and weren't supposed to be in the room for 45 minutes. A child ended up walking in to get situated and left, so I understand the awkwardness of it all. I ended up reporting that to the office, and they understood and told me not to worry about it. But yeah, I was low on supply that time too.

Sometimes there is an area just for that purpose, and if there is a daycare where you work, see if you can find a private spot there. The worst that will happen is that you'll share that spot with another nursing mom that may also be pumping or breast feeding.

Heather - posted on 08/30/2010

Oh- and I asked my employer to put window coverings on the room I use, b/c it didn't have any, and they also made a big "stop" sign that I can put on the door when I pump. That room also doesn't lock, but I've never had trouble (though I always turn my back to the door just in case).

Heather - posted on 08/30/2010

I never got walked in on... but there was one day when my daughter had just cut out a mid-morning nursing session, I couldn't stand the pressure and decided to go and pump just until it didn't hurt any more. When I turned the pump off and took it off my breast, the milk was still squirting out like crazy! It went all projectile-like and got all over the wall! I was so embarrassed when I had to go in search of something to clean off the wall before other people could use that room again!!

Amy - posted on 08/30/2010

I haven't had anyone walk in on me but I put a do not disturb sign right over the handle that they use to get in the door, lol! But my milk stops everytime the phone rings in the office probably because of the stress and not being relaxed.

Marcy - posted on 08/30/2010

Not sure how many people are at your office but law requires when there are over 50 that there be someplace for a mom to pump besides a bathroom. I had my own office but no lock. I actually made a sign for outside my door and I used to tape it to the door when I was pumping. It was bright red and I was never interrupted. My assistant used to just walk in when I was pumping but neither one of us cared.

Its pretty normal for your milk supply to go wacky especially if you were caught off guard. I used to cart all my pumping supplies to the bathroom to wash them out after Iused them and one day I dropped the bag of milk all over the floor. Of course it opened up and splashed all over one of the guys on my team. He was a little embarrased but even more so the next day when he came in and there was a big sign at his desk that said 'Got milk?". oh well...until you leak breastmilk all over your shirt during a meeting you haven't seen the worst of it HAHA.

Monica - posted on 08/30/2010

Hey Raquel, is there more than one stall in the ladies room? If so, I would go there and pump. I used to do that when I was breast feeding. At least no one will bardge in on you.