Pumping mamas?!

Question

Any mom have gone back to work and currently pumping? What do you pack with you? How do you schedule your pumps ? How do you clean your parts? How long do you air dry or what do you do to dry fast? How long does it take you? Thankfully I have a very pro-breastfeeding job and they are giving me 2 additional “pump breaks” including my lunch but I’m trying to make this process smooth as possible!! 
Picture of my NICU warrior for attention lol

Answer

I work 12 hour shifts and have a 30 min commute. So I pump on my commute both ways (630p-7p and 730a-745a). Nurse when I get home which is why I don't pump the whole time during my commute home. Then I try to pump in the 10 o'clock hour, 1 o'clock hour(this is my lunch time as well), and 4 o'clock hour. I am a nurse so I limit my pumping breaks so 15mins and 15-30 mins during my lunch break. Between pumping sessions I put everything in a ziplock bag and that plus the pumped milk in a lunch box that I only use for breast milk in the fridge and wash/sterilize everything when I get home. I have a Spectra S2 and I use the freemie pump cups :).

Answer

This cooler has been great! Hold pump parts and milk! I rinse the pump parts and put them in the wet bag and put the whole cooler in the fridge. I'm not sure what pump you have but I use the Spectra S9 at work so everything fits right in this bag.

Answer

Pumping is hard work, but truly a labor of love. I did it a year each for my first 2 girls before staying home with third. 
I tried to pump as many times/ounces as they were feeding while away, so for me that was 2-3x while teaching. One baby was a great sleeper, so when I woke up before her every day and I was really full, I’d pump once. Then a half hour later she’d be up to nurse and I’d still have plenty (obviously I didn’t pump until empty). Then at work I pumped mid morning and lunch/afternoon as well, so 3x plus feeding her in person as needed. Second baby nursed an extra time at night, so I didn’t do the early am pump, and only twice at work. Don’t go more than 3 hours between nursing/pumping ideally, 4 max during the day, or your supply will wane over time. 
Took me about 15-20 minutes from time getting in the room to done. It’s tedious to change and strip shirt off, but you’ll get faster! I had a mini fridge that several of us shared for milk and just rinsed parts until I could disinfect at home and transfer to bags later if needed. 
Hope that helps!! Good luck and know what you’re doing is hard, but such a gift, and that helps you stay motivated.

Answer

I bought a small fridge for my office because I didn’t want to store my breast milk in the community fridge. I also have a very pro-pumping work and they let me pump as needed which was about three times a day. I used the Medela pump in style and took an extra soft sweater, baby wipes to clean up and a hands free pumping bustier is a must. I would make phone calls while pumping or simply relax and listen to music on my phone. I would take everything home at night and put it in the dishwasher.

Answer

I went back to work last Thursday. I pack my pump, parts, storage bottles, a burp rag, wet wipes and a kitchen towel from home. My office is in a building of multiple businesses with one kitchenette for all of them, so I would only trust my own towel. I work from 9 AM to 5 PM with a 1 hr lunch break. I am fortunate enough that I work 4 minutes from home, so I get to go home on my lunch to nurse. I try to pump at 10 AM and 3 PM. I don't store milk because I go home on lunch, and breastmilk is good at room temp for up to 8 hrs, so it's just easier for me to store it at room temp and get it in the fridge when I get home from lunch and after work. Plus, its easier for Dad at home to just serve the freshly expressed milk from my morning pump in the afternoon than heating up the milk in the freezer or fridge.

Answer

My baby isn’t here yet but I plan on getting the freemie breast pump. You can pump literally anywhere! We don’t have scheduled breaks so I’ll be able to go hook everything up whenever I’m ready. I’ll bring a cooler and ice packs of course. We only have 3 women in our entire company and we share a bathroom with two stalls. One being a giant handicapped stall. Between the 3 of us we keep it pretty dang clean. I plan on turning that big stall into somewhere I can pump comfortably and still keep it sanitary. If it doesn’t work out there is always my car.

Answer

Just remember they cant limit your amount of pumping breaks. I have a semi private office where I have only 1 person with me. I am comfortable enough to pump in my office with the door closed. I plan to take extra storage bottles, my pump, small bottle of soap (for cleaning pump parts), cooler with ice packs. I would love to get a hands free bra or the freemie cups but I don't have them yet. I go back to work in 1 week☹. I would also pack lots of snacks. Pumping/breastfeeding makes you so hungry.

Answer

God bless him

Pumping mamas?!

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