Privacy Please!!

[@llli*kevins-mom]

This is more of a rant than anything else. I returned to work when my son was 5 weeks old and began pumping in a storage closet out in the shop.

My station is an upsidedown crate that I sit on, up against the door (that does not lock) and a large cardboard box to put my pump on. The room is inside a garage and it is not air conditioned or heated.

Even though I am off the clock for my pumping sessions (3x a day), the guys at work sometimes feel the need to "track me down" to ask me a question. I've had a few people try to barge in on me because they need to ask me something or they need something from the storage closet (really, it can't wait 13 minutes??!). However, these times are rare as the storage closet is a pretty low traffic area, I just put up with it.....

My son is now 10 months old. I've put up with it long enough, and along with the below freezing temperatures, and my supply issues, I decided that I need a more comfortable pumping space in order to accommodate my son's needs.

So on Wednesday, for the first time ever, I decided I was going to take over the lunch room for 15 minutes, 3x a day. The lunch room does not have a lock on it, so I made a really nice sign that I can clip to do the door that says "DO NOT DISTURB"....even with the sign, I know my co-workers and still set up my pump so that my chair was up against the door in case anyone tried to barge in. MY VERY FIRST TIME PUMPING, someone tried to come in!!!

I just do not understand!!! Why would you attempt to come into a room that someone has clearly taken the time to post a do not disturb sign on? I installed a lock on the door without permission that day, I just can not stand insensitive people.

I have a feeling the owners will say something negative about it, but it's such a relief to finally have a private space that locks that is not freezing cold and on the floor!

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

I'm glad you've finally gotten yourself out of the frigid storage closet! Do people know you're pumping? I have a feeling if they did they'd be a lot more reluctant to barge in...

[@llli*k9companions]

Yay for standing up for yourself! I also don't have any good place to pump at my place of work. It's frustrating! Your co-workers should certainly be more respectful!

[@llli*tallmadre]

Good for you for coming out of the closet (hardyharhar)!

I was lucky in that I had a nice private office to pump in, but the door did not lock. The only private room that locked in our building was the bathroom, so I felt like my office was as safe a space as any. I also put up a Do not disturb sign, and instead of just putting it on the door knob, I actually taped it up so that it was at eye level with most adults. So one day, I'm pumping away and our art director comes barging in. Nothing was really visible, but I was pretty annoyed. He doesn't have kids and I think it never occurred to him why a woman with a baby would place a do not disturb sign on her office door.

[@llli*kevins-mom]

They know I pump a few times a day for my little boy, but I don't go around announcing it every time prior to pumping. Nor did I make an announcement that I was changing my pumping "spot".

I didn't just put a sign on the doorknob either. I put a little clip on the door so the sign could be easily placed up and removed.