Oh the places you will pump: a spin-off from the classic Dr. Seuss children’s story. An ode to working mothers everywhere toting the extra bag.
Congratulations!
Today is the day. You’re heading out of the house. You’re off and away with no baby in tow.
You have pump parts packed in their bag and plans in your head. You have empty bottles to fill and no time to lose. You have no choice if working is the direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you aren’t sure what to expect. And you are the working mom who will decide what happens next.
At work things can happen and frequently do to people as determined and starved for sleep and adult conversation as you.
You can plot out your pump time in outlook and fill up your lunch. Searching for a quiet spot or a bathroom stall to spare.
Locate an outlet and strip off your top, its awkward at best with a whirring noise you can’t stop.
And when its time to travel or go to out-of-town meetings, don’t worry don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll soon become a pumping pro too.
You won’t forget a part, you’ll know the drill. Wherever you fly you’ll be the best of the best. You will have your pit stops mapped out, you may even have time to rest.
Except when you stress. Because sometimes planning all this is a mess.
The TSA agents, coworkers, clients or bosses may not be supportive. I’m sorry to say so but sadly its true, any one issue might happen to you.
You might get off schedule, you will be ready to spill. You might run out of batteries with no outlets to fill. It might make you late for a meeting, you might get the side eye. From those people who have no idea your baby isn’t with you for feeding.
And will you survive? Yes, you will indeed. No less than 100 percent guaranteed.
So be your pump electric or manual, one side or two. Brand Medela, Spectra or whatever the who.
You’re off to pump in random places. Today is your day, your pump bag is waiting so get on your way.
I loved being able to provide a fantastic start for my babies and give them what they needed (both nutrition and attention) but let’s face it, I despised the act of nursing and pumping. Some love it, but me not so much. The responsibility of being the sole nutrition source of a human being is enough to make one crumble under the stress.
Combine that with trying to provide nutrition while you are away from the tiny human for any portion of time and it’s a whole other world of chaos. I am well aware I brought this on myself (sort of, it does take two to create a baby after-all) but if baby is on board with the “breast is best” approach, you do what you need to do to make it work.
I was very lucky the second time around in that my work place had a nice mothers room with space for all of the women who have serious relationships with their pumps. Frenemies, as this great piece coins it. I was maybe not so lucky because my job involved a ton of travel. This was a completely new adventure and every time I had to be away for any amount of time, I spent every moment leading up to the trip freaking out. I heard many TSA and traveling with breast milk horror stories.
I did all I could to get actual info from working moms that had been through it. My work place was full of them and they were a great help. I also read up on the rules and never traveled without a printed copy in my bag. I got used to all the extra time needed to wash the parts, pack the freezer bag, pack the bigger bag of all the parts, include dish soap wipes and towels. I also learned to actually remember to take the whole bag.
Not only was I stressed about having all the supplies I needed, I was also stressed about how to manage the schedule and navigate etiquette to be excused when necessary. It took a few trips to figure out but once I learned how to ask for what I needed to be successful, it got easier. Thinking about all of the random and sometimes gross places I pumped just to either bring much-needed milk home or to keep up my supply:
- My car
- Rental cars
- Airport bathrooms: Indianapolis, Dallas, Nashville, Cleveland, Atlanta, Tampa, Milwaukee, Philadelphia
- Hotels: not just my own private room but public restrooms or meeting spaces too
- Corporate headquarters of businesses I visited
- Empty conference rooms
- Event venues: including the parking lot of a football stadium with two gentlemen standing outside the car in the snow waiting for me
Explaining my “situation” every single trip was less than ideal. Necessary to have an awkward conversation with the males and non-mothers to get the support needed. Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable or so they say absolutely applies to pumping while traveling for business. I also picked up some major hacks that made hauling the extra black bag easier.
Six Tips for Success
Buy the adapter accessories. Or extra batteries or both and keep them on hand at all times.
Pack the nursing cover. Not because you need to cover the baby but it comes in handy if you get into a tough spot and need to pump in a more public setting. Throw on the nursing cover and hook up mid-flight or Uber ride.
Dress for success. For me, that actually meant no dresses. Clothes that can be easily manipulated are a must. You never know how much time and space there will be.
Pack extra gallon-sized bags. Even if you use the best milk storage bags money can buy, there is nothing worse than spilled breast milk when you are traveling. Double bag everything just to be safe.
Use soda fountain ice to keep milk cold. Water and ice are free. When you have time, swap out the freezer packs with ice from an airport drink station to keep everything chilled to the max. Double bag it all to keep it locked in tight.
Dump it. Just the thought of dumping the precious liquid down the drain makes my heart rate jump. Fact is, sometimes it’s just not worth the massive hassle to get it home. If you don’t have supply issues or have a nice freezer stash, evaluate if you really need to bring everything back. Maybe some from your travel day home will be enough or maybe none at all.
I absolutely jumped for joy and maybe even shed a tear of happiness when I started to wean. The day I went to work without carrying the extra bag, cooler, bottles was so freeing! The first trip sans the extra bag had me smiling all through security. Like anything, it can be done if it is what you are committing to as a parent.
August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. So as this month comes to a close I salute the moms making it happen. If you aren’t or can’t, no matter the reason, I salute you too because while pumping may not be your cross to bear right now, there will be others. It’s all part of parenthood.
Its okay not to love everything about being a parent. Working full-time is important to me and for my family so carrying that pump everywhere became a part of normal life. Gross, satisfying, tiring, happy, stressful working- mommy life. And oh, the places it went!
Want to learn more about breastfeeding success? Read more here.
Have a fun or not so fun pumping story? Share it below!
