https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:11:15 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1748015 Wed, 09 Jul 2014 13:39:34 +0000 PurplePeony 1748015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not usually, but my boss LOVES to talk and can talk take up literally hours of my time talking about random subjects. More than once, he's caught me just as I was about to pump and I haven't been able to deflect...so I've had to interrupt him after awhile and say "can we finish this a little later? I REALLY have to pump soon." He then gets all apologetic. It's not awful but just sort of awkward. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1747996 Wed, 09 Jul 2014 13:30:27 +0000 catomd00 1747996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally, I'm not a fan of the word pump or having my coworkers thinking about me milking myself, lol - especially the males! I was so happy I managed to ask my boss about taking pump breaks and using empty offices to do it in, without ever saying the word pump lol.</p> <p>My female coworkers don't care, they ask me how it's going all the time (they've all had kids). The males don't even notice. I sort milk in the room where I pump and stick everything in a cooler bag that goes in the fridge so no one ever sees anything!</p> <p>I'm the first pregnant woman (and consequently pumping woman) in the office, so I'm trying to forge the path for the other young ladies in the office and feel less awkward about it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1744937 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 09:32:43 +0000 Adira 1744937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hahaha, the guys are awkward, but I try to be nice and never actually say that I'm pumping! I always just say "I'm going to be in the Mother's Room during that time" or something like that, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1744932 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 09:31:02 +0000 swurlygurl 1744932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess it was kind of awkward. 90% men (who all have their own children, so they know what's going on). It was an open office so I'd have to walk by everyone with my pumping bag several times a day. One time my old manager happened to be on my floor and caught me as I was walking to pump. He saw my bag which I guess looks semi-professionalish and asked me if I was headed out to a meeting. I said 'Uh, no...'. He kept on asking questions! Lunch? Interview? Going home? I just kept saying no and finally had to tell him I was on my way to go pump. The look on his face was awesome! That was pretty awkward... haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1744876 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 09:15:32 +0000 annie624 1744876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nah, not awkward! I work with mostly women and they are all super supportive. The only person who is awkward is my assistant (who works in my office). She is young and really sheltered and gets awkward almost every time I have to ask her to leave so I can pump. I think I probably talk more about it just bc I know it makes her uncomfortable. Haha!! :shocked: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1741094 Sat, 05 Jul 2014 12:26:33 +0000 Cherrybee 1741094@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of my team goes off on maternity leave in a few weeks and when I did her maternity risk assessment I talked to her about her requirements should she decide to pump on return to work. When I discussed said requirements with my (male - but has a young child) manager afterwards, he was so embarrassed!! He even said that he hates asking that question and usually just rushes through it because, well, it can always be discussed when she returns to work if she really needs to raise it. I was like: umm, it's a really important conversation to have because it's likely to be one of the main things she worries about on the run up to coming back!!! Some people are so clueless!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740938 Sat, 05 Jul 2014 08:21:20 +0000 Corduroy 1740938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>People in my office were desparate to see inside the 'mothers' lounge'. They were imagining something really luxurious. Someone asked me for the key so they could take a nap. They thought it had a bed. WTH? It's just an office with a fridge. One woman was so disappointed when I finally gave her a peek inside that she decorated it with fake flowers. </p> <p>It did get weird really weird when they switched rooms on me at 8 months pp. Everyone assumed I was done pumping and started talking about how awkward it had been. I was in the former pumping room waiting for a meeting to start and a VP walked by and asked the room where the cow went and moo'ed. Clearly he didn't realize I was that cow. So awkward since everyone else in the meeting that knew I was 'the cow'. Jack ass. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740923 Sat, 05 Jul 2014 07:46:03 +0000 krispi 1740923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a coworker who just finished pumping for her one year old. All the guys in our office have kids, so they're aware of the process, but they still didn't discuss it outright. Among the ladies, it wasn't a big deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740893 Sat, 05 Jul 2014 04:29:47 +0000 ElbieKay 1740893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work with a bunch of people who are younger than me. Most of them are single and childless right now. Thankfully, my boss has a daughter who is 1.5 years older than my son and who was EBF for a year. So, he has zero issues talking about it. About half of our office reports to me, so I just act like it's NBD and expect everyone else to act accordingly. I'm sure some of them think it's weird but I was my company's first pregnant employee and I feel like it's important to set the precedent that this is a normal thing to do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740860 Sat, 05 Jul 2014 00:15:00 +0000 Anagram 1740860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work with almost all women, and some of them unintentionally made it awkward. They just asked questions about it constantly--was I still doing it, when was I going to stop, wasn't I tired of it. I'm only the second teacher in the last 6 years to attempt pumping at work---everyone else switched to formula after mat leave (or used it from the beginning). So they all loooovvvveeed to talk about it and bring it up.</p> <p>I mean, I'm pretty laid back so it didn't bother me too much but some women brought it up so often. Just get over it already. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740711 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 19:56:48 +0000 wonderstruck 1740711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked with all guys and none of them had kids, so it was kind of awkward at first. The joking non-awkward way I found of saying it was, "I have to go feed the baby now." Sometimes there would be a brief look of confusion and then one of realization, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740708 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 19:55:19 +0000 meganmp 1740708@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. My male co-worker would harrass me all the time- in a good-natured way, though. He'd call me, and ask, "Whatcha doin'?" in a sing-song voice when he knew I was pumping, or ask if it was time for "squishy squishy "... stuff like that. That was our relationship, though, and I was OK with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740701 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 19:48:33 +0000 swedishfish 1740701@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: haha, I so wanted to do that but I was worried about what students might think. So I made a "Mrs. So and So is busy in the office. Please come back later" boring sign.</p> <p>I don't think anyone was awkward about pumping but maybe I just didn't notice it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740698 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 19:46:04 +0000 Mae 1740698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: thats amazing lol. </p> <p>I don't have a job right now but it's sort of funny to me that it would be awkward. I mean if you did it in the cafeteria, sure. But like... its not a secret that women pump to feed their babies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740662 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 19:00:35 +0000 MrsH 1740662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, i hung a cow sign on my door. How could that possibly be awkward? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740658 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 18:50:46 +0000 SouthPaw 1740658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was awkward at first. I was in the field with a small team of younger professionals and every time I got up to pump one of the males would chant "pump pump pump PUMP IT UP!!" I was mortified the first time but it made the situation less awkward for all in a strange way:) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740647 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 18:27:52 +0000 avivoca 1740647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The guys are a little skeeved out about it, but the ladies seem to be fine. I try not to be awkward, but sometimes it is when someone rattles the doorknob (I pump in a storage closet). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740584 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 16:01:33 +0000 autumnlove 1740584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think my coworkers were ok with it. We still had a HR department when I started pumping at work for LO 1 so they gave my team a heads up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-pumping-an-awkward-topic-for-your-coworkers#post-1740540 Fri, 04 Jul 2014 14:26:36 +0000 artsyfartsy 1740540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was getting ready to pump today and my boss (male) caught me and said, "Before you go....do business...I need you to (blah blah blah)"</p> <p>This is always how he describes pumping! Lol. Is "pump" a dirty word?</p> <p>Also I use a male coworkers office that he rarely uses. I was sorting my milk right after a pump and had the door open already and he saw my milk sitting out and hesitated to come in. Lol! </p>