Today was one of those “challenging” days. The morning
started off like any morning…Dreux woke up around 5 a.m. looking to be fed. I
fed her and snuggled up with her for two more hours. The longer we lay there,
the more I begin not wanting to get up and get ready to head to work. I
received an e-mail explaining the assignment I was scheduled on for the week. I
was placed on a new client and the team was reporting to the client’s office
instead of my home office for the week. After changing Dreux a second time,
changing the diaper genie, and attempting to clean up and mask the aroma of
spit-up from my arms and chest, I was heading out the door. (I didn’t have time
to change my out of my only clean nursing bra so I threw on a cami and went on
my way.)
As I walked to the bus stop I took a look at my Transit App
to determine the quickest possible way to get to the client. It was already
8:15a.m. and I had never been to this office. Anyone who knows me knows I have
trouble with any kind of directions. I went on a leap of faith! Two trains, a
bus, and a few walking blocks later I arrive- 9:02 a.m. I probably could have
made it at exactly 9am, had I began walking in the right direction the first
time when I got off the train. However I made it!
Walked into the audit room and as usual, I’m the only woman
on the team. This normally would not bother me, but today it did. I forgot to
inquire about a private or nursing room I could use while out here on the
client. I spotted a lady receptionist and figured she would be the best person
to ask. 2 hours later my worst nightmare became a reality- there was nowhere
for me to pump. I looked at my clock on my computer as the pain began to set
in. It was 11:27am and the last time I “relieved” these jugs was at 5am! I had
to figure something out quick.
Frustration, confusion, and anxiety, coupled with pain took
over my body. “The only place I can offer is the handicap bathroom or the
storage closet” the receptionist explained. The storage closet had a huge
boiler, a few cleaning supplies, dust bunnies and the door had no lock—I choose
the handicap bathroom.
Luckily the bathroom came equipped with a can of Lysol, a
chair, and an outlet. After putting my frustrations and anger to the side for
the moment, I disinfected the sink placed a few paper towels down in the chair
and began to pump –carefully.
This made me realize how unaware some companies are about
the importance of providing a clean and comfortable place for nursing moms to
express breast milk while at work. It’s hard enough we (young working mommies)
have to leave our little ones, but not being able to properly and safely pump
while at work, shouldn’t be a hassle. Although there are no federal laws on
breast pumping at work:
§ Forty-five states, the District of Columbia
and the Virgin Islands have laws that specifically allow women to
breastfeed in any public or private location. (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.)
§ Twenty-eight states, the District of
Columbia and the Virgin Islands exempt breastfeeding from public
indecency laws. (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada,
New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia,
Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.)
§ Twenty-four states, the District of
Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws related to breastfeeding in the
workplace. (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii,
Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New
York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.)
§ Twelve states and Puerto Rico exempt
breastfeeding mothers from jury duty. (California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon and
Virginia.)
§ Five states and Puerto Rico have
implemented or encouraged the development of a breastfeeding awareness
education campaign. (California, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Vermont.)[i]
In Illinois the law states that
“employers with more than 25 employees must provide a private location, other
than a toilet stall, where an employee can express the employee's breast milk
in private and if possible to provide a refrigerator for storing breast milk
that has been expressed.” It is completely mind boggling that it was suggested
I use a bathroom. A bathroom? I’m sorry, but I’m sure you don’t want your food
prepared in a bathroom next to a toilet, what makes you think my child does?
This just goes to show that although women have gotten far in the workforce, we
are still light years behind. New mommies should not feel ostracized or
punished for choosing the most natural and nutritious way to feed their
children. Today I felt guilty and
somewhat of a burden because I made the conscience decision to breast feed my
child; and today I needed a clean place to pump and this company could not offer
any viable options.
Mommies do the research and see if your state has laws relating to
breast feeding in the workplace. We have a right to decide to breast feed and
work. Companies step it up! Breastfeeding State Laws
