Pump It Up, Chris
My home pumping station.
My work pumping situation.
One of the difficulties faced by many mothers who choose to breastfeed is creating a routine for pumping, especially when returning to work after maternity leave. I want to share what I learned along the way, so you can start the pumping journey with a little more information than I had in the beginning!
Here are some ways that I was able to streamline my routine:
If you will be pumping at home and at work, it’s very helpful to have two breast pumps—especially two that use the same parts. Many insurance plans provide a breast pump free of charge, and you can sometimes find an inexpensive or free used ‘closed system’ or unused ‘open system’ on your neighborhood mommy boards or local Buy Nothing group. Also keep an eye out for any unused pumping parts and supplies—it’s incredibly helpful to have multiples of everything. If you are not able to find a second pump, you can still set up a pumping routine in a way that will allow you to grab and go with the parts that with travel with you to work every day. I chose the Medela Pump in Style Advanced for the ease of use and the universal availability of all of the parts and accessories.
Set up an at home pumping station. I hacked an IKEA RASKOG wheeling cart by installing the top shelf upside down. I kept my pump and daily makeup supplies on the top shelf, tissues, and breastfeeding supplies on the middle shelf, and pre-bagged pump supplies on the bottom shelf. I attached an extension cord to the bottom of the cart so I could plug in wherever I needed, and had battery packs for the pump and mirror as well. I was able to apply my makeup and leave a note for the babysitter while I was pumping, giving me a few extra minutes of precious sleep in the morning.
Set up a pumping work bag. You can purchase an on-the-go pumping bag, or create your own. I liked the Medela Pump in Style On The Go Tote, because it was plain, the front flap opened into a clean pumping space, and I could fit other personal items that I would normally carry in my handbag. You will need a cooler, a battery backup pack, and a DC plug. Depending on your work pumping situation (I never had a designated place to pump, so it was always a surprise!) you may want to have any of the following: alcohol spray to sanitize your hands and surfaces, a Betty Dain Styling Cape for extra privacy in a pinch; disposable changing pads or procedure towels to ensure a sanitary surface, extra disposable nursing pads, a travel pack of tissues, coconut oil as nipple cream, a travel pack of baby wipes, and a door sign that asks for privacy while pumping.
Invest in wearable hands free pumping bras. It saves a lot of time at home and at work when you are wearing one bra that does everything. I liked the Simple Wishes Supermom Nursing and Hands-Free Pumping Bra, because I was able to wear it without changing the silhouette of my work clothing.
Pre-bag your pumping supplies. I stored each set of pumping supplies (flanges, bottles, lids) in a gallon zip bag. I was able to easily grab a new bag for the day, and store it in the refrigerator or in a cooler between pumps. The best part of this hack is at the end of the day, you can separate all of the parts, put a little dish soap and water in the bag, shake it up, rinse, and then sanitize! This was my favorite timesaver. If you are concerned about the use of plastic, you could always use reusable silicone zip bags, but I personally felt that since I was reducing so much waste by solely breastfeeding, I could justify this disposable plastic usage.
Wash and reset everything in your pumping world as soon as you get home from work. This step is essential, because you don’t want to forget your clean pumping supplies. On that same note, if you can stash an emergency bag of pumping parts at work, do it!
Don’t give up! It wasn’t easy, but I managed to pump at work every day for well over a year. I pumped in lots of empty dressing rooms, and fielded MANY uncomfortable interruptions and questions. 🤦🏻♀️ That being said, I DID IT. Please reach out me if you need some help troubleshooting your pumping plan—you can do this too!
