Lactation Rooms
I recently became involved in a GLOW MERG to look at lactation rooms at Rochester. We are curious what your stories of pumping at work are? I am looking for anything from ANY site in the enterprise. Good and bad stories about finding a place to pump. Please share! @bettinahalvorson @paigelmi @lindseymarx @BethFlattum calling you ladies out as you all expressed (pun intended!) some feelings on pumping/working in previous posts.
I absolutely love the rooms here at the 41st professional building where I work. We have two rooms located on the second floor and one over on the NW clinic. For me, I only have to walk downstairs to use one of the rooms since I work on the third floor. You don't even have to carry your breast pump around since there is a medical grade (Medela) pump provided in both the rooms with a sink and a nice rocking chair. The only thing that bugged me at the beginning was that the Epic training was in that location and you never knew if there was a room open because you can't schedule it in advance but rather use the white board on what time you would be done with pumping (which some people even forget to add). I think if there would be an option to schedule the rooms it would be a lot easier and I wouldn't have had to walk the stairs multiple times a day in order to not use any more of my work time than I already had.
But all in all it is great. At my old job I had to use a meeting room and had to add Cardboard boxes in front of the windows (Not very comfortable).
Thank you for sharing your experience. How many times in a week do you think you would need to wait to pump? i.e. it isn't available the first time you look.
Thank you for sharing your experience. How many times in a week do you think you would need to wait to pump? i.e. it isn't available the first time you look.
That was only when the Epic Training was in house. Ever since we went live I had no problem at all. I never have to wait but it looks like there is a couple more women due soon so I think eventually it would be great to have a different option then just going downstairs to see if a room is available but rather be able to book it through outlook or somewhere on the intranet in order to not waste any work time.
I used the lactation rooms at St. Marys when breastfeeding my oldest (now 3 yo). Relatively good experience, but most of the time I had to wait for a room or go to a different building to try and find an empty room. They never felt very clean and always had spilled milk and lunch remains from all of the use. I always brought disinfecting wipes and took some time to wipe down the pump, chair, table, etc. before I started pumping. I don't need to use a lactation room with my 2nd baby as I have a private office. I like the convenience of being able to pump whenever I want and not feel like I am wasting time locating an open lactation room, but I miss having a sink (not in a break room or bathroom) to wash my parts.
I used the lactation rooms at St. Marys when breastfeeding my oldest (now 3 yo). Relatively good experience, but most of the time I had to wait for a room or go to a different building to try and find an empty room. They never felt very clean and always had spilled milk and lunch remains from all of the use. I always brought disinfecting wipes and took some time to wipe down the pump, chair, table, etc. before I started pumping. I don't need to use a lactation room with my 2nd baby as I have a private office. I like the convenience of being able to pump whenever I want and not feel like I am wasting time locating an open lactation room, but I miss having a sink (not in a break room or bathroom) to wash my parts.
Thank you so much for your story, Paige. We all thank you for cleaning the room up, even though you shouldn't have to! Cleanliness of the rooms is something we are discussing as a GLOW MERG.
I think there is a sign in the rooms (at least the ones I have been in) that say who to call if you notice something isn't working correctly. Did you see a sign with a phone number posted at all?
I actually just found it on the Intranet under the Employee lactation section. It is facility operation you will need to contact. Just contacted them to get it fixed.
One thing I have noticed in the SWMN region is that in the older buildings/areas the lactation rooms are kinda run down and supplied with old furniture- mostly a forgotten area. Definitely not a place that I would enjoy being and luckily my area has a really nice new lactation room.
Agreed for SWMN! Some locations are lactation space challenged.The location I am in has only one room in which you almost have to strip down in because it is so hot. An old table and couch, that is not maintained and no where to wash supplies except bathroom or breakroom.
Agreed for SWMN! Some locations are lactation space challenged.The location I am in has only one room in which you almost have to strip down in because it is so hot. An old table and couch, that is not maintained and no where to wash supplies except bathroom or breakroom.
Oh wow, a hot room to pump in does not sound fun!
Thanks again for sharing your stories. I will pass these on to our GLOW MERG work group.
@bettinahalvorson
I absolutely love the rooms here at the 41st professional building where I work. We have two rooms located on the second floor and one over on the NW clinic. For me, I only have to walk downstairs to use one of the rooms since I work on the third floor. You don't even have to carry your breast pump around since there is a medical grade (Medela) pump provided in both the rooms with a sink and a nice rocking chair. The only thing that bugged me at the beginning was that the Epic training was in that location and you never knew if there was a room open because you can't schedule it in advance but rather use the white board on what time you would be done with pumping (which some people even forget to add). I think if there would be an option to schedule the rooms it would be a lot easier and I wouldn't have had to walk the stairs multiple times a day in order to not use any more of my work time than I already had.
But all in all it is great. At my old job I had to use a meeting room and had to add Cardboard boxes in front of the windows (Not very comfortable).