please don't come in!

[captain optimism]

Okay, so my coworker doesn't understand privacy when i'm on the phone, either. But I put a big sign on my door that says"pumping, please do not come in." She knocked and didn't wait, but just started to come in! Come on!

I guess if they could repair my door lock--but that seems excessive, doesn't it?

And yes, it's the one colleague who expressed the opinion that women who want to succeed at work shouldn't have children.

[vesta]

I had this same problem at one of my jobs. I started locking the door when I pumped. I highly recommend it. My one nosy co-worker practically smacked her head into my door when she tried to fling it open and found it was locked! She got the message.

[QueenSheba'sMom]

I used to have thermostat wars in teh pump room (shared thermostat with maintenence office)

One day, a man came in to adjust the thermostat while I was pumping with my skirt hiked up so that I could use the area between my legs as a resting ground.

You have my sympathy

[Threefold]

I teach and once had the janitor come in (they are so used to unlocking the doors whenever they need too). Of course, he was so surprised he didn't pull the door closed hard behind him and suddenly a 6 year old popped his head in to ask to borrow a ball. Pumping the the classroom while recess was going on outside was NOT my favorite part of the day. . .

[shelbean91]

When I was pumping for dd, I pumped in a small office that I shared with 2 close friends. They would stay when I was pumping and we would lock the door (another friend would also come in to pump, so it was a big party). I felt ackward at first, but one of the ladies nursed her kids until 9 and 18 mos, so that helped.

Anyway, that was the only time I used a nursing shawl. No one would see anything. Even though the door was locked, our boss had a key and she would occasionally come in. Didn't really bother me. If any of the men wanted to come in, I was very open and said what I was doing, and it didn't bother me b/c they couldn't see anything, but I didn't want them to feel uncomfortable.

Again, it was very weird at first, but I just kept saying to myself that I was doing something wonderful for my baby. If someone didn't want to see it, they could stay out. If they needed to come in, they should be prepared to hear the pump.

I know it sounds weird that I was so open with pumping. My work situation was that I had been there for 5 years by the time I had dd. I had formed great friendships with my coworkers and saw them outside of work (boss included) quite often so it made things a little easier.

I hope things get better for you.

[chellemarie]

What if you were on an important call and had your door shut in order to give your full attention to the other person on the phone? It would be completely unacceptable for her to barge in at that time, why not while you're pumping?

I'd stop using "pumping" on the note on the door. "please do not disturb until 2:45" should work. If not, kick her in the head.

(I pumped at work for the first time today. we have a rather large ladies room with a fainting couch. I simply put a small, blank post-it note by the door handle. Eventually, they'll all know what that means and can choose to come in and not be weirded out or hold it and suffer. :))

[LiamnEmma]

Originally posted by vesta
I had this same problem at one of my jobs. I started locking the door when I pumped. I highly recommend it. My one nosy co-worker practically smacked her head into my door when she tried to fling it open and found it was locked! She got the message. :rolleyes: :) :LOL :bgbounce :rotflmao :rotflmao :rotflmao

I can remember being walked in on three times; once by a principal, who was mortified and beat a hasty retreat (that's watcha get for using that key!), once by one of my interns (dunno what she was thinking, she knew what I was doing), and once by a special ed teacher, who then just stood there, chit-chatting (we'd met maybe a month prior to that....Hello?!). It's amazing, isn't it?

[captain optimism]

Originally posted by chellemarie
What if you were on an important call and had your door shut in order to give your full attention to the other person on the phone? It would be completely unacceptable for her to barge in at that time, why not while you're pumping?


The problem isn't that she's insensitive to my PUMPING, it's that she doesn't respect a closed door. Ever. She constantly interrupts phone calls. I think the problem is that she needs to have her hearing checked! She's always barging in and then going, "oh, oh, you're on the phone, I'm sorry, I'm sorry you're on the phone." She also passed by another coworker's office door and bellowed "M. is always on the phone!" Well, she was on the phone just then! So much for letting your coworkers make phone calls in peace!

(You realize that often when I'm on the phone I'm asking someone for MONEY.)

She's a nice person, but I'm not infinitely patient about this stuff. I guess coming back to work I'm realizing how annoying it is.

Anyway, everyone else knows about pumping and they are totally cool about it. I wish they weren't quite soooo cool about it, I don't like people saying, "Oh, you're carrying milk for your cute baby!" as I walk to the fridge with my bottles. I mean, he is a cute baby, they are so right about that, but uh, I still feel a little bovine about the pumping thing.

[chfriend]

I pumped for about 1.5 years (for my dc and a couple of other babies who needed milk). I got walked in on a couple of times. If the door didn't lock I put a chair in front of the door (really). The door bashes it, and it slows them the heck down. I also often pumped with my back to the door.

(I had sign-ignoring coworkers as well.)

I know that bovine feeling. Mine is 2.5 years now and sometimes we moo at each other when we're nursing! (Nursing a toddler will bring out all your silliness!)

[buttercup]

Out of curiosity, did she say she was sorry or gave some indication that she was embarrassed?

[natashaccat]

maybe you could get one of those triangle shaped door stops and wedge the door closed with it.

[captain optimism]

Originally posted by buttercup
Out of curiosity, did she say she was sorry or gave some indication that she was embarrassed?

Yes, but only after I yelled at her, and she almost did it a second time anyway.

I think part of the problem is that she doesn't hear that well. She's not very old, only in her 50s, but I notice that she talks really loudly as her default and that she can't always follow conversations. So she might have some hearing loss. Okay, that doesn't explain why she can't read my door, but it does explain some of her other irritating behavior.

She's really good at a part of our job that I think is very valuable, she's a great worker, and a thoroughly nice person. but I think she's felt a little jealous of the attention I'm getting from the coworkers who are parents or parent wannabes. I am going to have to work on the relationship, and get a BIGGER SIGN. And the door stop.