If you are a working mom, then you know how difficult it can be to juggle work with pumping. It can difficult to find the time, the place and to manage all of the “stuff” that you need to bring with you to successfully pump at work. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your pumping sessions and minimizing the time it takes.
I always recommend that a new mom talk with her boss prior to going back to the office. Tell him or her that you will be pumping and what you will need to be successful. If you don’t have your own office, find out if there is a lactation room or if one can be created. It never hurts to ask! You may not know about resources that already exist and your boss may not know what you need to be successful at your return to work. A happy mom makes for a productive employee – so your boss should be on your side and should work to get you the things you need to succeed. If your boss isn’t super helpful, then talk to HR – it is their job to be helpful!
I pumped and worked for 15 months. Here are some things that were “life savers” for me.
1) Get a dorm-style refrigerator and put it under your desk – you can use it to store all of your pump parts and any pumped milk.
2) Get a hands-free pumping device – this will be the best investment you have ever made. Not only will it allow you to pump with ease – you might even be able to get some work done too!
3) Get extra parts for your pump. The last thing you want to do is to spend a lot of time cleaning pump parts while you are at work. Put the dirty ones in the fridge and clean them later when you get home – and use clean ones each time you pump. This will save a LOT of time and effort and doesn’t require a large investment to make it work.
4) Pump into bottles and transfer to bags for freezer storage later. It is easier to pump into a bottle because you can put the bottle down with a lower likelihood of it tipping over and spilling your liquid gold. You can also combine multiple pumping sessions into one bottle. Deal with transferring to bags (if needed) when you get home.
With these four simple tips, you can make your working and pumping experience a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable. And with all of the time that you save and productivity you can attain while pumping, you will make your boss happy too!
Did you work and pump? Please share the tips that worked best for you!
I am currently on month 12 of pumping and don’t think I will stop till mid June( I am a teacher). Everything you Sooo true for a successful pumping at work experience. At first after my son turned a year wanted to stop pumping at work. I have a freezer full of milk but I have found every time I try to drop to 1 pump I get plugged ducts or worse. It is a good thing I love breastdeeding.
This is really great advice. I showed my wife this and she loves it. We actually went to Walmart and got a little refrigerator so she would have one at work.
What is the best brand and model of a hands free pumping device that you would recommend? There are so many different ones to choose from that my wife is having a hard time deciding which one wants? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Steve
Hi Steve, there are lots of hands-free pumping devices and the best one for each mom varies based on her needs. I personally prefer the “bustier” style to the hands-free bras because you can wear them for more days without having to wash them (since they are only worn while pumping). You can see all of the different varieties here: http://www.mothersboutique.com/hafrpu.html. Tell your wife to call/email me if she would like to discuss the different options. — Judy