expressing at uni

[beansmum]

really annoyed! just went to see student welfare to ask if they could help me find somewhere to express milk for ds when i go back to uni in october. the stupid woman said, whats wrong with the toilet?

is it just me or is that really quite disgusting, I wouldn't eat food that had been prepared in the loo so why should ds?

ds is only 12 weeks now so will be 4 months when term starts, I really don't want to put him on formula but don't want to express in a toilet. Am i being unreasonable?

No you are NOT. An employer would be legally obliged, I believe (although I have not checked the legislation) to provide you with a proper place to express. Is there a women's officer at the union you could ask?

You might be better off going to your own department. In all honesty given most unis space issues I doubt they'll be able to provide a dedicated room but you'll probably find there's a little used office/lab that could be pressed into service.

As one of the big bad "central administrators" I have to confess that student union officers are not always on our list of priorites. Someone at departmental level will be more likely to find a solution in time. Is there a departmental administrator or friendly undergrad/postgrad secretary?

I don't think you are being unreasonable either. There is no way I would want to express in the toilets either. The idea of sitting on the loo whilst expressing sends shivers down my spine.

should have said, i don't think you're being unreasonable but maybe pre-empt the toilet suggestion with whoever you speak to next?

I realise that they have problems with space and i wasn't expecting my own private room but it was just the fact that the student welfare woman wasn't even prepared to try and find something. She said if it was her she would prefer to do it in the loo than to use someone elses office. I'm still angry, it's her job to help students and she was the opposite of helpful. GRRRRRR

couldn't find anyone useful in the maths dept today, will try again tomorrow.

hi... it is totally out of order to expect you to express in a toilet at uni!!!! I start back at uni in October too, but as a postgrad will have access to shared room, which is better than toilet. Go to the Student's Union and get them to help you sort this. You shouldnt have to contemplate using formula, you are being TOTALLY reasonable. Can I ask which Uni you are at?

I'm at heriot watt in edinburgh. will definitely try the student union tomorrow as well.

just had a thought, the health centre has a sick bay that is never used, fed ds there after his injections today, could ask them.

good idea... they'll probably be more ameanable.. if not, do you have a personal tutor? If you do get a satisfactory result for all this, please inform the welfare woman where others can go to express (and do it with a smug look on your face)

The sick bay was where women at my old workplace used to go, quiet, private, spotless, hardly used and usually has a fridge for the icepack!

are you a postgrad? is there something like a mature students rep? They might be more in tune with parents' needs. it's not acceptable to be only offered a toilet.

I work in a uni and do sometimes express in the disabled toilet when my room-mate is in but that's cos I've been too wimpy to ask for a special room . My sister asked in her NHS workplace and they decreed that her roommate had to leave the shared office whenever my sister wanted to express! not very good for office harmony.