My Top Tips for Pumping Milk at Work

I'm writing this with great love for all my fellow working mothers. It's not easy for a mama to return to work after having a baby. On top of still being postpartum, perhaps not having much sleep, and feeling mom guilt for leaving a baby at home, working moms have to also navigate the world of pumping milk for their babies while they're away if they choose to breastfeed. It can just be so overwhelming! But with a few tips and tricks, it doesn't have to suck that much (pun intended).

I was an exclusive pumper for my twin girls and also pumped for my son for his first year. I worked at two different companies and even switched jobs while being a pumping mom! Here is some basic guidance and some helpful tips that I hope will help my fellow working and pumping mamas out there!

FYI, I am in no way getting paid or am involved in any sponsorships for the products listed below, these are just some examples for stuff I used while pumping at work.

1. Set expectations with HR and your manager

Before returning to work, make sure you talk to your HR person about arranging a place to pump. You should also mention to your manager you'll need to step away a few times a day to do your motherly duty. You should not feel shy or weird about letting your boss know, but it's good to keep him/her in the loop so they are not wondering why you're MIA in the middle of the day.

You'll probably need to pump around every 3 hours, at least in the beginning. That means you'll need to pump two or three times if you have a normal work day of 8-9 hours. You can put your pumping times on your work calendar to help coworkers know not to schedule meetings during your pumping sessions.

2. Don't wash pump parts after every pumping session!! And have a plan for storage

Washing pump parts all the time would take forever, and many times you won't have access to a private sink to wash them out. I worked with mostly dudes and definitely did not want to wash pump parts in the break room! The bathroom seemed weird too. Luckily, I figured out you can just store all the pump parts in the fridge between sessions. I used a little mini cooler to keep my parts and milk in, I don't think anyone ever wondered what the contents of the cooler were. Even a plastic grocery bag would be ok for this! I tried to be as discreet as possible with my storage, but more power to you if you don't care about that!

I used something like this to keep milk and parts in (I really squashed everything in)

https://www.amazon.com/Homga-Breastmilk-Insulated-Important-Nutrients/dp/B074SDFDLX/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1525828543&sr=8-2&keywords=medela%2Bmilk%2Bcooler&th=1

Definitely be sure whatever you're using to store your milk in is relatively leak proof in case you get any leaks in the bottles.

Here was my routine:

1. Pump the milk

2. Wipe down parts with a paper towel or napkin

3. Consolidate milk into single bottle - Use empty bottle for next session.

3. Put everything into my storage container and put in fridge

3. Be prepared for when you forget something 

If you can, have some extra pump parts on hand. I had lots of hectic mornings where I would forget some crucial pump part. I had to either go all the way home to get it (60 minutes round trip) or buy some spare parts from Target or Walgreens near my office. Neither of those are good options. Having spare parts in your pump bag or stashed away in your desk really comes in handy. The things I forgot the most were the little valves/membranes and bottles.

https://www.amazon.com/Nenesupply-Breastpump-Breastshield-Membrane-Original/dp/B00GLHMQ26/

At a minium get yourself a box of plastic storage bags in case you run out of bottles or forgot to pack enough. One time I only had one bottle with me and I almost bought a whole new set of bottles from Walgreens when I realized I could just dump the milk into some plastic storage bags and reuse the same bottle. The bags saved me on multiple occasions!

https://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-Breastmilk-Convenient-Patented-Freezing/dp/B006XISCNA/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?th=1

4. Learn how to pump while driving.

This became super convenient for me. I would pump on the way to work and then be good till about lunchtime. It was so nice to walk into the office totally empty and not have to worry about it for a few hours. I also pumped on the way home to give me an extra pumping session. Driving while pumping is great because you get all hooked up before leaving the parking lot, and then you're all set till you get home or switch off the pump. You really get the most out of your commute this way!

Here's what you need to be a successful car pumper:

1. Hands free pumping bra - definitely a MUST

2. A car adapter for your pump

3. A cover or scarf or something to cover yourself as you drive, I was always self conscious about people peeking into my car, and it would have just felt weird to not be covered. Maybe it would even violate decency laws? Not sure, but I never had any issues when using a nursing cover or scarf.

5. Wear clothing with easy access

Seriously, you don't want to have to remove your entire dress so you can pump. Find clothes with low necklines or tops you can just lift up. I totally had to buy some new clothes for this reason, and had to hold off on wearing some of my dresses that didn't work with pumping. My favorite dress was one with a front zipper. Just zzziiipppp... and there they are! Easy access is key!

Go Forth!

Those are my biggest tips for pumping at work. I'm going to try to think of more, and I will add to the list accordingly. Good luck and feel free to reach out to me for clarifications or questions!