Small-minded colleagues WWYD?

[Kosmik]

I thought I should share my story of the attitude of my colleagues when I returned to work when my son was 8.5 months old.

I work as a registered nurse in a hospital in the North West of England. I informed my manager of my intention to express my milk at work and was provided with a clean private room in which to do this. I stored my expressed milk in a sealed bottle in the staff fridge and then took it home in a cool bag at the end of the day.

I was aware that this was a bit of a novelty with my colleagues which I can understand. However, one of my colleagues, also a registered nurse, asked me if I would store my expressed milk in a bag out of sight as the sight of it in the staff fridge was offending some people. In my initial shock I was actually holding back tears.

I have never got over this and it has made me more determined than ever to ensure that my children get the best possible start in life. I don't work on that ward anymore and I can laugh about it now.

Question for A1980 and Jennstar. Would you object to human milk being stored in your work fridge?

Jenstar - isn't that to start the "hilarious" med student joke of putting body parts from anatomy classes in the fridge?

Oh my, how we used to laugh at college when the medics started their classes: the prennially amusing tease of human bits stuck in the communal fridges.

A1980 why did you think that I hadn't read your post properly, or Jenstar's? Not being a medical microbiologist myself I found them quite informative and interesting, and was merely clarifying the point and agreeing with you; thinking out loud about why sheep's cheese was therefore not a hazard.

In future I will only think in my head and not on an internet forum.

Oops! Sorry - been away from here for a couple days.....

Yes, I would (and always did) keep BM seperate at home (and would have at work had I still been BFing when I returned). But - this is a woman who has a seperate meat fridge, so I'm maybe not the best person to ask!! :)

Oh, and yes - animula, we all chortle at that one, but the best one we ever had at my last place of employment was human body parts being left on a bus 'for a laugh'.... My colleagues and I keep a list of medics we never want to have to be treated by, based on student experience!