Parenting Hacks: Tips for Pumping and Working
Heading back to work after having a baby is already a pretty stressful time. If you’re a body feeding (also referred to as breastfeeding or chestfeeding) parent, responsible for all of your babys meals, that stress is amplified. Not only are you returning to work and likely missing your baby, but you’re also now navigating pumping milk multiple times a day. What an enormous transition! We see how chaotic that can be. As lactation educators in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, we’re here to share some of our favorite tips to make pumping at work even the slightest bit easier.
Tip 1 - Ensure you always have a useable pump
At some point, you're going to find yourself in a position where you need to pump and there are no outlets available. Even more sweat-inducing is opening your pump bag only to realize you left your charger at home. It will happen, but if you're prepared, these events will be a lot less stressful.
You can prepare to be outlet-less in one of three ways: purchase a pump that is chargeable and doesn't require an outlet to run, invest in a car adapter, or buy a quality hand pump you feel comfortable with.
Several pumps currently on the market allow you to charge your pump and use it without plugging in. Depending on the pump, you can usually expect at least one work day’s worth of pumping sessions (typically three), on a fully-charged pump. Some rechargeable pumps include the Medela Pump In Style, Medela Freestyle Flex, Willow Wearable Breast Pumps, Spectra Plus models, Elvie Wearable Breast Pumps, and the BabyBuddha Portable Breast Pump.
Car adaptors are even easier to come by and may be a more affordable option. If you see yourself needing to pump-on-the-go, a car charger may be the perfect middle ground to make your pump more mobile. Most major breast pump brands have car adaptors.
Lastly, manual pumps can often be the unsung heroes of pumping. Way less bulky and still effective enough to get the job done, we love a good manual pump. Though not as time-efficient as a double electric pump, a manual pump can come in handy in plenty of other situations where you find yourself out and about. Both Medela and Lansinoh offer great, easy to clean manual pumps. We like both options, as most of the parts can also be used with their electric pump options. Even easier to clean is the Haakaa. The Haakaa is a one-piece silicone hand pump that works wonders.
Tip 2 - Make your pump pieces work overtime
When you’re squeezing in pump sessions at work, any small hack that can save you time is helpful. Many pumping parents have a limited amount of time to get to their pumping location, set up, pump, and pack up. Trying to speed through the process makes the possibility of spilling that freshly pumped milk even higher.
No one wants to spill their hard-earned breastmilk, and it's definitely something worth crying over. Use your flange (the part of the pump that attaches to your body) as a funnel when combing your milk into one bottle. Then, use that same flange to help funnel milk into your pumping bags. The safety of a funnel makes it less likely you’ll spill milk. Most non-wearable, electric pumps have detachable flanges, however, if you’re using the Spectra, this hack won’t work for you.
What happens if you forget your ice pack? No problem. Use one of your pumping bottles or bags as a make-shift ice pack. Fill a bottle or bag with cold water or ice to help get you through until you get home. We know human milk is OK at room temperature for 4-8 hours (ideally, 3-4).
Tip 3 - Avoid unnecessary cleaning
The first tip isn’t so much a hack as it is a division of duties. If you have a partner, ask them to clean your pump pieces each night. You’re doing the super hard work of pumping milk for your baby, and cleaning is an opportunity for your partner to be involved too.
Next, consider skipping the washing step while at work. Place your breast pump pieces in a gallon ziplock bag, then into a lunch box and place them in the fridge. As long as any lingering milk on your pump pieces stays cool, you should be good to hold off on cleaning your breast pump until you get home. Not only that, but cool pump pieces feel wonderful on your hard-working chest.
If you use water-based wipes for your baby, you can repurpose them for your breast pump too! Water Wipes or Seventh Generation baby wipes are both safe to use on your detachable pump pieces, like your flanges, membranes, bottles, and lids.