It’s been two months since I’ve gone back to work after maternity leave… and I’ve survived! Some days I didn’t think it was possible. But here I am! Getting used to being away from my little girl for 10+ hours every day definitely has been an adjustment. Also, just getting back into the work flow has taken some getting used to. But I would say my biggest challenge has been pumping.
Kinley is exclusively breastfed and the whole experience overall has been pretty great for us. She had no issues latching in the hospital and she loves to eat! I’ve got plenty of milk, probably an over supply TBH which is why I’ve had mastitis twice already in the first 3 months. Ugh.
I realized early on that I hated pumping. It’s everything that breastfeeding isn’t. Cold, sterile and mechanical. No bonding… no special snuggles with my baby girl. Just suction. So I was already dreading it when thinking about going back to work.
Since then, I’ve gotten into the groove. And while I don’t love pumping…. it’s my goal to breastfeed for a full year. So I gotta make it work in the office! I’ve rounded up a list of all the things that I bring with me in my pump bag, and I thought it would be really helpful for other mamas heading back into the workforce after baby.
1. A cute pump bag – this may sound trivial to some, but if you’ve gotta lug it all over the place, it might as well be in a bag you like to carry. But also make sure it’s practical. I’ve linked my bag which is a backpack style, because my laptop bag is already an over the shoulder bag.
2. Parts bag – After I pump, I just rinse my parts and stick them in my parts bag in the fridge. At first I was just using a ziplock bag, but that wasn’t cutting it. With this parts bag, it gives you a bit of privacy in the public fridge in your workplace, but it’s also super convenient. It has a dry pocket, a wet pocket and even a wipeable staging mat for setup. I also don’t bring my pump bag home every single night, so I just grab my parts bag and toss it in my purse to take home to sanitize.
3. Cooler bag – you can always just use a regular lunch bag with an ice pack, but this one is super nice. It’s just the right size to stand up your storage baggies and prevent leaking. The patterns are so cute and keeps your milk discreet.
4. Pump – this pump is everything! It’s quiet and works like a gem. Mine was fully covered through insurance so I paid $0 out of pocket. Be sure to check your options before purchasing. I used — Edgepark Medical Supplies.
5. Hands-free pumping bra – Honestly, why do pumps come without this?! No one wants to hold the pump in place! This is an absolute must have game changer. Mamas gotta multi-task!
6. Storage baggies – these bags have worked out awesome for me! I love the screw top, because I don’t want to worry about leaking. It’s truly liquid gold so I can’t take the risk! What’s also awesome about this system, you can connect the bags right to the bottle’s nipple so there’s no bottle washing. Unfortunately, Kinley wasn’t a fan of this so it didn’t work for us and we ended up buying bottles, but I know for others it has and it’s super convenient.
7. Hand sanitizer – keep one of these in your bag and remember to sanitize before handling your parts. Keeping everything clean is key to successful pumping.
8. Extra pump parts – Trust me, there will come a day in the office where you will forget a part or something will stop working. You’ll need to be able to problem solve on site and quickly. Having extra parts on hand has saved me! Plus- it’s also good to replace your parts every 3-4 months to keep your pump working efficiently.
9. Lysol wipes – spills happen to the best of us!
10. Burp cloth – I like to use one of these to drape across my lap. That way if there are any droplets when you pull off, they land there and not on your lap.
11. Permanent marker – I always date and time all of my milk. Your daycare might require you to write your baby’s name on it as well. Check with them in advance so that you can make sure you’re labeling it accordingly.
12. Sanitizing bags for the microwave – these are seriously the best things ever! Each bag can be used 20 times! Even though I don’t sanitize at work (just rinse and throw in the fridge) I always have one of these on hand, just in case. If I needed to sanitize on the go, I can. But I do use these to sanitize every night at home, and then I boil my parts over the weekend.
13. Nipple cream – this one is my favorite. It’s nice to have this on hand when your nipples are getting used to pumping so frequently. It’s definitely a bit different than nursing.
14. Photos and videos of your sweet baby – when I pump, I love to look at photos and videos of her to remind and motivate myself why I’m doing this. Pumping at work can be stressful and time consuming, but you have to remember you’re doing it for your baby. They also say, this can help increase production so that is a win too!
As you go back to work, try not to stress about pumping. Honestly, I spent way more time thinking about it than I needed to the last few weeks of my maternity leave. I know I searched the internet for blogs like this one, so I hope this helps to provide some clarity. Also– just remember that is is truly your right to pump for your baby when you return to work. All employers, regardless of size, are required to comply with the “Break Time for Nursing Mothers” law. You must be provided with a private place to pump that is not a bathroom. Here’s a great article from KellyMom that provides additional support. If you have any questions about pumping or breastfeeding at all, I’m more than willing to chat. I love helping out a fellow mama when I can.
xo,
lauren
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