The PUMP Act: What It Means for Breastfeeding Parents at Work
If you’re pregnant, postpartum, or supporting someone who is breastfeeding, you may have heard a lot of noise about pumping at work—but not a lot of clarity. Enter the PUMP Act.
This law matters. A lot. And it’s one of those rare policies that can truly change day-to-day lived experience for families.
So let’s slow this down, take a breath, and talk about what the PUMP Act actually is, why it exists, and how to use it to support your body, your baby, and your nervous system—not just your employer’s checklist.
What is the PUMP Act?
PUMP stands for Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act. It went into effect in December 2022 and expanded protections that already existed under federal law.
At its core, the PUMP Act requires employers to:
Provide reasonable break time for pumping breast milk
Provide a private, non-bathroom space that is shielded from view and free from intrusion
Do this for up to one year after birth (and in many cases, longer if state laws apply)
The big deal? The PUMP Act now covers almost all workers, including:
Salaried employees
Hourly employees
Healthcare workers
Teachers
Agricultural workers
Many people who were previously excluded under older laws
This is a huge shift.
Why this law matters (beyond legality)
As a pelvic floor PT, lactation consultant, and someone who has spent years in NICUs and postpartum homes, I want to be very clear:
Pumping is not a “break.”
It is work—physical, emotional, and neurological work.
When pumping support is missing, I see:
Supply challenges
Mastitis and clogged ducts
Early, unwanted weaning
Increased anxiety and stress
A sense of failure that never should have been there
The PUMP Act matters because it acknowledges—finally—that lactation is not a hobby. It’s a biological process that deserves infrastructure.
What does “reasonable break time” actually mean?
This is where things get fuzzy, and also where self-advocacy comes in.
“Reasonable” does not mean:
Rushing through a pump while answering emails
Pumping in your car between meetings
Skipping sessions to be a “team player”
For most bodies, reasonable looks like:
Pumping every 2–3 hours in the early months
Enough time to:
Set up
Pump
Clean parts
Store milk
Regulate your nervous system before returning to work
If your pump session is consistently cut short, your body feels that.
The space matters more than you think
The law is clear: a bathroom does not count.
But I want to go further than legality here.
A good pumping space should feel:
Safe
Private
Calm
Predictable
Your milk letdown is deeply tied to your nervous system. If you’re tense, exposed, or constantly interrupted, your body may struggle to release milk—even if supply is technically adequate.
This isn’t weakness. It’s physiology.
What if your employer isn’t compliant?
First: you are not being “difficult” by asking for what the law already guarantees.
Practical steps:
Put requests in writing (email is fine)
Reference the PUMP Act by name
Be specific about what you need (time + space)
Document interactions
If issues persist, employees can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor. Many states also have stronger protections than the federal baseline.
You deserve support—not just survival.
A nervous-system-friendly reframe
Here’s the piece I don’t see talked about enough:
Supporting pumping at work isn’t just about milk output. It’s about postpartum regulation.
When parents are forced to suppress bodily needs to remain “professional,” the cost shows up later:
Burnout
Feeding struggles
Pelvic floor symptoms
Disconnection from the body
The PUMP Act is one small but meaningful step toward saying:
You don’t have to disappear to be productive.
If you’re pregnant right now
Please hear this:
You are allowed to plan ahead.
Before returning to work, I encourage you to:
Ask about pumping spaces during pregnancy
Clarify scheduling expectations
Identify allies (HR, supervisors, coworkers)
Practice pumping before you’re under pressure
Preparation is not pessimism. It’s care.
Final thoughts
The PUMP Act doesn’t magically fix all workplace barriers—but it gives families leverage, language, and protection that didn’t exist before.
And just as importantly, it reinforces a deeper truth I want every parent to internalize:
Your body’s needs are not an inconvenience.
They are information.
They are worthy of time, space, and respect.
If you want more support navigating pumping, returning to work, or postpartum recovery as a whole, this is exactly the kind of thing we talk through in my programs and 1:1 work.
You don’t have to do this alone.
Love, Emily
