5 Mums Share Their Pumping Experiences At The Workplace

For many nursing mums in Singapore, the challenges of breastfeeding at work is real, given the limited availability of dedicated spaces for pumping. However, the spirit of collaboration and mutual support shines through. Local mothers are banding together, sharing tips and recommendations for the best places to nurse or pump discreetly.

Of course, there is ample room for improvement in enhancing the quality of breastfeeding facilities, both within workplaces and on a broader scale across Singapore. We speak to five mums who share their experiences with managing breastfeeding while working a full-time job, and what else can be done to improve the local breastfeeding culture. 

Nadine Poh, 39, teacher, mum of three children aged 7, 5 and 2

“In my breastfeeding journey, each child brought a unique experience. For my first child, going back to work after maternity leave was the hardest as I didn’t really know what to expect. Everything at work felt the same, yet entirely different at home so it was very surreal. The first time I forgot a few pump parts, I started crying because I felt so overwhelmed. Thankfully, my colleagues were very caring – we mothers also started sharing pump parts so that there was less stress. I’m also fortunate to have bosses who are very supportive towards nursing mothers; there’s never been an issue leaving meetings early or going in a bit later. 

At my school, there are three rooms available for mothers to pump – the setup is quite basic but it’s sufficient. Unfortunately, the rooms share the same space as the pantry so conversations can be easily heard, which can be awkward. Sometimes, colleagues who were unaware that I was inside the room would switch off the lights and walk away, leaving me to pump in the dark. There isn’t a dedicated fridge for pumping mothers so I had to store my milk in the shared fridge. However, the fridge is usually quite empty so it wasn’t a big issue.

Whenever I had to travel elsewhere for meetings or courses, I would ask ahead if there were nursing rooms available to pump. It was usually a hit or miss – one of the schools I went to only had a room with a glass door available. I was appalled but just tried to cover the door as much as possible with my jacket and whatever else I could find in the room. It was a memorable experience for all the wrong reasons!” 

Karen Fong, 41, freelance writer, mum of two children aged 3 and 1

“I went back to work when my second child was five months old. At that time, we were mostly working from home and I only had to return to the office for meetings, so navigating the pumping schedule wasn’t a big issue. The office has a nursing room with two cubicles and a small fridge, though it was a five-minute walk away. I preferred to pump in a meeting room in my office, which was a bit more convenient as it was close to my desk and I could store the milk in the pantry fridge, which was quite new, empty and clean.

I am very lucky to have had supportive colleagues and bosses who were very understanding about my pumping schedule. I have heard from other colleagues that when the building was at full capacity, the nursing rooms would have a line of mums who needed to pump throughout lunchtime – and sometimes you wouldn't even be able to get in!  

I've also heard that unlike my own team, others have been less than understanding towards mums who are pumping. Besides improving facilities, I'm sure improving mindsets would go a lot further.”

Anjali Petal, 40, senior manager, mum of a 14-month-old

“I went back to work four months postpartum. I am very organised and love planning so before going back to work, I put a lot of thought into how I could make my pumping sessions at work as short and as convenient as possible. This included buying spare pump parts to leave at work, preparing a well-organised caddy to plan for contingencies and even using flanges that allowed me to recline in my chair so that pumping at work would not be a chore. At my workplace, one of the meeting rooms has been converted to a space for mothers to pump. There is a large fridge but no sink.

I think a lot can be done to improve the breastfeeding situation in Singapore. Most women are returning to work at four months postpartum or even earlier. Many of them are still pumping but corporate expansion plans don’t consider this.

There is a common misconception that women can pump at any time of the day but in reality, most mums are pumping at roughly the same time of day so if the seats are limited, it’s a struggle to manage your schedule. It’s also hard for some people to understand that breast milk can’t be stored in small bar fridges that have poor temperature control, or why pumping rooms need sinks.

Anjali Petal, mum of a 14-month-old

Sometimes it can be exhausting to have such discussions because it’s so obvious to mothers yet so unclear to others.”

Francesca Romano, 35, client success consultant, mum of two aged 3.5 and 3 months old 

“After I had my first child, I returned to the office when he was five months old. Back then, there were no breastfeeding facilities available for mums not just in my office, but in the entire building. When I requested for a space to pump, I was offered the meeting room, which only had a glass door, or to use the office manager’s private office but that meant working around someone else’s schedule. The other alternatives offered to me were a pay-per-use meeting room in the building or the handicapped washrooms!

In the end, I had to go to a nearby mall three to four times a day to pump. This situation caused me so much stress, it impacted my work and personal life. I was so exhausted from the back-and-forth that I often found myself falling asleep while pumping and not having time to eat my lunch as I would use my lunch break to pump. I left that company not long after.

Despite the appalling situation at my former workplace, I think the breastfeeding facilities in Singapore are generally good. However, they are often abused by people who should not be using them. I’ve lost count of the number of times I had to shoo away men who were sleeping in nursing cubicles or had to cover myself in a hurry because people would enter the room to refill their water bottles. To avoid such scenarios, I think all nursing rooms in malls should be camera-controlled at the entrance.” 

Alice Wong, 37, business executive, mum of three aged 6, 4 and 5 months 

“There are no nursing facilities in my office so I pump at my desk for about 20 minutes each time, two or three times a day. Even though I work in a male-dominated environment, there hasn't been an issue with me pumping at my desk. I simply put on a nursing cover before pumping. Sometimes, a male colleague would wander by with a question but if he sees that I’m pumping, he will just return later – I’ve never been made to feel uncomfortable or awkward. As there is no fridge in the office, I store my milk in a cooler bag with an ice block.

While I do feel a private nursing room would be helpful, I personally prefer pumping at my desk so that it doesn’t break the rhythm of my workday, and I can use this time to read or catch up on emails. For women in my situation who do not have proper nursing facilities, I would encourage them to speak to the relevant stakeholders to find a mutually beneficial solution. There is no need to feel guilty – after all, this is just for a season. We’re not going to be pumping milk for our entire career!”