What electric pump did you use?
I used the Medela Pump-in-Style. It was great! Attractive leather bag and very efficient. I don't remember the loudness factor...that was 12+ years ago. But I would talk with your manager or personnel office to see if you can find a private place to pump. If you have one of the windowed offices, you might see if they'd install shades on the windows. So what if people know what you're doing in there. It's food and satisfaction for your new baby. Everyone will get over any possible embarrassment factor pretty quickly. Some will even admire your diligence and be very encouraging. You go girl!
The printing company I worked for at the time had a medical room for emergencies. It had a bed, a sink, a table, and a bathroom. It was ideal for pumping. I would suggest you try to find some place other than the bathroom. That wouldn't be very relaxing, which could slow down your flow, and feel awkward with people coming in an out.
I was able to put a do-not-disturb sign on the door and then get my pumping done within my morning/afternoon breaks and lunchtime. I set things up on the counter so that my back was to the door in case anyone made the mistake of barging in. It happened once or twice, but it was no big deal. My back was to the door.
Like another person below, I also had some of the cost covered by my insurance company. At this point, I forget how much they covered (some or all), but it is definitely worth asking. You will likely need a written request for it from your doctor, but go for it. It is worth every penny.
I don't know if companies will cover time other than your breaks and lunchtime for pumping, but maybe some are more progressive than others. My boss was very accommodating. I offered to work a little later if I ran over on my pumping times. But I got to the point where I could get hooked up, fill my bottles, clean up and be back to work by the end of my 15-20 minute break. Oh yah! I became a pro at it!
I wrote a short training manual during this pumping time which didn't hurt. I wasn't asked to do it. But I was tired of customers sending file formats incorrectly. So, writing this thing kept my mind off of the boredom of pumping and off of any self-consciousness of the sound.
If you find an adequate place to pump, bring a book or some manual you've been meaning to read. It sure beats counting the minutes until you're done! And you might just enjoy it more or learn something in the process.
Best of luck! You have every right to want to try to pump. You don't have to be Madame Demand in this situation, but don't be afraid to ask for a little help from your work place on this. If they haven't thought about it yet, you may be paving the road for women in the future. And, meanwhile, your baby reaps the benefits of your yummy milk.
Happy pumping...MOO! A little sense of humor goes a long way when you are mechanically pumping at work!