In today’s world, the challenges faced by working mothers are often underestimated. Jessica Miller, a writer and advocate for working parents, recently engaged mothers on her social media to share their experiences with pumping at work. The resulting images paint a stark picture of the reality many face in their quest to balance motherhood and their careers.
Miller, who authored the insightful guide Work. Pump. Repeat: The New Mom’s Survival Guide to Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work, prompted mothers to showcase their pumping environments. The responses were hardly uplifting. “New parents often feel unheard, largely due to exhaustion and financial pressures. Many can’t afford the luxury of losing their jobs, especially with a new baby to care for,” Miller explained in an interview.
She curated a collection of photographs that highlight what she’s dubbed “Crappy Lactation Rooms.” These images reveal a deeper narrative about the struggles working parents endure. “This is where a woman at a Fortune 500 company pumps.” One photo depicts a storage room—noisy and sweltering—with nothing but an accordion door for privacy. While some facilities technically comply with legal requirements, they often fall short in terms of cleanliness and comfort.
“Many of these lactation spaces may meet the legal minimums, but they remain cramped and uninviting, making it difficult to achieve a successful letdown,” Miller wrote for a parenting blog. Some images even showcased blatant legal violations, such as non-locking spaces, sometimes located in unprivate bathrooms. These pictures underscore the determination and resourcefulness of working parents—relying on battery packs and shower curtains to make do.
It’s astonishing what lengths working parents must go to in order to make breastfeeding work. Beyond her book, Miller advocates for better workplace standards for parents and highlights the significance of parental leave. “I began writing because I felt a lack of representation for mothers navigating this journey. I wanted to share the humor and struggles of returning to work while breastfeeding,” she shared.
It’s not unusual for mothers to encounter stigma when breastfeeding in public, but for those returning to work, pumping becomes a necessity. Unfortunately, as these images reveal, many companies treat lactation needs as an afterthought. Who wants to be stuck pumping in a filthy storage closet? There’s no reason why a clean, private space should be so difficult to find, particularly in larger organizations.
“Some fortunate—though far too few—new mothers have employers that truly support lactation needs,” Miller concluded.
For more insights on the importance of paid family leave, check out Miller’s TED talk. If you’re interested in other topics about home insemination, you can read more in one of our other blog posts here. Additionally, if you’re looking for a reputable retailer of at-home insemination syringe kits, visit Make a Mom. For a comprehensive resource on pregnancy and home insemination, Healthline has you covered.
In summary, the photos shared by working moms serve as a stark reminder of the challenges they face. It’s clear that while some companies make an effort, many still need to improve their facilities for breastfeeding employees.
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