You Want Me to Pump Where?!
Breastfeeding Struggle in the Workplace
Two years since the birth of Demi and here I am still rattled by the breastfeeding ignorance in working environments all over this country. I’m no longer breastfeeding and much of that has to do with the lack of any kind of private space for me to freely pump – you know, since there’s this stigma about boobs being seen in public and all…
Even in the midst of the biggest “Free Boobies Movement” I’ve ever witnessed, employers in the free world aren’t jumping aboard as quickly as us mommies would like.
Let me be completely honest. I did not realize the necessity of there being adequate accessible amenities for working moms to pump breast milk or even customers to have a space to freely breastfeed prior to giving birth to Demi. It just wasn’t anything I thought about – it wasn’t my life. I hadn’t given it much thought until the first day I returned to work and realized there was nowhere for me to pump. Even though Demi was home with plenty of breastmilk, I still needed to pump. Because Demi was born 3 months premature, it was very important to us to make sure she received the best milk – and that milk was mine.
When asked where I could pump, the response provided was, “You can use the family restrooms.” I’ve been working on it, but my facial expressions strongly translate my thoughts. So in other words, the look I gave to that response could have likely got me into trouble if the words escaped my lips. But I digress. Instead of unleashing my new found Mommy-wrath, I educated that person on what is appropriate and was is not.
Believe it not, I’ve heard other moms complain about the same breastfeeding solution provided to them. Disgraceful and straight disrespectful.
“You want me to pump where?!” First of all (insert head and eye roll), no one in their right mind prepares a meal or eats in the restroom! It’s nasty, insensitive, and plain ignorant to even suggest sending a woman into a filthy restroom to pump or breastfeed their child.
It’s hard enough dealing with Post-Partum, suddenly leave your baby for eight hours out of the day to work and then discontinue pumping your precious liquid gold because there’s nowhere for you to do it. Sad. Really, it hurt to not be able to pump my breastmilk. I was worried about the effects of switching from my breastmilk to Similac, but thankfully it all worked out. Demi’s a tough cookie and I like to think my breastmilk had something to do with it.
Here’s an awesome remedy for working mothers to pump and/or breastfeed their child(ren)
After many discussions, I was finally able to convince my employer to take appropriate action to provide adequate, clean, safe, and mom-friendly amenities to support working moms and customers. Stay tuned for that.
Moms, don’t stop fighting for your right to pump your breastmilk even while at work. Push the issue. Make a change. To some this may seem minuscule, but it’s a big problem that is getting more attention. I just wanted to add my two cents.
Thank you for reading. Stay pumped up!
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MAMALOGUE is LSherie’s true stories of mommy life with a preemie.
Follow Demi Jade on Instagram and SnapChat @iamdemijade
