Catherine Reitman Recalls Pumping In A Storage Room At Work After Her Son Was Born

Some moments in motherhood feel almost universal: the love you feel when you look into your baby’s eyes, the exhilarating moment when they reach each milestone for the first time, the first time you hear mama. And then there are the other almost-universal moments, which are a little less Hallmark and a little more real. Like the first time you have to pump breastmilk in a completely unacceptable place because the world is simply not build to accommodate mothers in any way.

Leave it to Catherine Reitman to point it out. The Workin’ Moms creator and star celebrated her first decade as a mom by sharing on Instagram what her experience with parenting has been so far.

The first part of her message focused on how fast (and slow) time goes when you’re a parent, and how much she loves her kid on his double-digit birthday.

“10 years ago I had my first son,” she wrote. “I’m in utter and complete disbelief at how fast it has gone. Then again, he might as well be 30 for how much has transpired in the last decade. Watching him develop into such a compassionate, kind and hilarious young man has been the greatest joy. Happy birthday, J 💙.”

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The second part of the post focuses on the totally impossible work-life balance faced by any mom who wants to work outside of her home.

“I’ve also included the storage room I pumped in for my first job away from him, when he was six weeks old,” she continued. “I was pretty certain that I no longer had any magic left in me on that day. I wish I could talk to her now.”

Ooofff. That hits close and hits hard.

The post includes a carousel of pictures. In the first, Catherine is asleep holding her new baby, still wrapped in the blue and pink hospital blanket. The baby rests with husband and producer Philip Sternberg. In the last, we see the storage room, captured in a selfie by Reitman. In the foreground is the half of her face, with a serious expression, and bookshelves of paper and products in the background.

It’s easy to see how her experience trying to make it in her field while also trying to be a good mom heavily influenced the show she would become famous for just a few years later.

While the post is set to private and can’t be embedded, you can see it here.

In the comments, many celebrated Jackson’s birthday along with Catherine. Others, though, responded to her storage room pic, and her low moment without magic.

“You’re an inspiration to women everywhere,” wrote one person. “I feel that about not having any magic left.”

“You absolutely do,” Reitman responded.

“‘I wish I could talk to her now.’ I’m holding that sentiment close to my heart as a reminder that I’ll one day get my magic back,” another wrote.

“It’s right there. I promise,” she wrote back.

Many moms shared where their pumping room was, and it included a lot of closets of all shapes and sizes, server rooms, storage areas, and more.

Reitman, who is also mom to Liam, 6, of course went on from her storage room to create and star in one of the realest and most hilarious shows about work-life balance. Workin’ Moms played for seven seasons, won a bevy of awards, and wrapped earlier this year. More importantly, millions of women watch the show on a loop, where they not only keep the laughs going, but also feel seen, for real.

It’s good to know Reitman keeps inspiring. We can’t wait to see what she does next.