I know I might still be slightly in the minority here with being back to work, but I feel like I'm finally falling into a routine with what I like to keep in my pump bag. Besides parts, obviously, what are your essentials? (Or STMs, what did you keep in it last time that you plan to do again?)
I kept a dish towel in there. I laid it on my lap while pumping bc I kept getting milk drops on my clothes when I would pull the horns off. I don't like doing laundry.
Eta - I'm not back at work yet so I'm referencing last time.
Me: -Gallon ziploc and small cooler bag to keep parts in the fridge all day -2 or3 snacks (pack of crackers bag of pretzels -Hand sanitizer -Extra lids (IDK why. Makes me feel safe) -Hands free bra even though I don't use it anymore (THANKS @chuggingwater!) -Lanisoh 3in1's if I'm feeling lumpy -Car power adaptor -Nail file (my nails are still growing like crazy and it's literally the only time I have to file them)
My PISA bag has all of my spare parts and bottles. I also take a smaller bag with me that has a dish towel, Medela wipes to clean up after each pump, hand sanitizer and a bottle of water. My work has a fridge, so I store my bottles in there.
I somehow fit everything in my PISA bag. As a teacher, I carry enough bags full of stuff as it is, so I try to keep it all in one place!
- gallon ziploc bag for putting parts in the fridge - cooler bag with freezer pack - snacks (granola bars, fruit snacks) - burp cloth for my lap - extra breast pads - bottles and lids - nursing cover (sometimes I can't pump in the privacy of my locked classroom) - extra storage bags; I've forgotten lids for the bottles a couple of times and this has been a lifesaver! - wall plug
Also, I bring TONS of water with me every day. Nursing makes me so thirsty!
@tahloulah10@bethughknee sorry to ask, but why do you keep your parts in the fridge? I return to work on Monday and want to be as prepared as can be.
My bag is really simple. Besides the pump, parts and bottles, it has Medela pump wipes and freezer storage bags. That's it.
@cnctf and @thegosiers - Store parts in the fridge and you don't have to wash them between use during the day. Then at the end of the day, just throw them in the dishwasher.
July 2015 Jan Siggy Challenge: Snow Fails/Funnies
BFP #5 11/15/14, Team Green EDD 7/22/15
BFP #4 4/30/13, baby girl born med-free Jan. 2014
BFP #3 9/24/12, Missed m/c at 9w1d (baby measured 8w5d)
BFP #2 9/23/10, healthy baby girl born med-free June 2011
BFP #1 5/21/10, Missed m/c at 10w4d (baby measured 8wks), D&C 6/29/10 "Life is like a camera, just focus on what's important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don't work out, just take another shot."
Thanks @valigrl21 I've read sooooooooooooooo much about pumping and napping and breastfeeding and burping and swaddling and soothing over the past 11 weeks I can't remember anything for shit.
I leave a pump and a set of pump parts at work so I just bring my cooler bag and an ice pack to take the milk with me. I put the parts in a ziplock bag in the cooler bag with the milk I've pumped. This way my coworkers don't have to look at my milky parts! Then I just wash the parts before I leave work.
For those of you that use gallon bags for your parts, do you use a new one every day? I thought I'd do this, but seems like it would add up to be a pretty big expense!
Our Baby Girl, Emma, changed our lives forever when she was born 12-19-13
@cnctf & @thegosiers Like @valigrl21 said yes I keep one set of parts in the fridge all day. I actually read about it here and then looked it up on KellyMom to be sure. Before that I was cramming 4 sets of parts into the bag and then washing them all at night. It was driving me BANANAS. The fridge trick has been a lifesaver!!
@worleygirl I do fit all that in my PISA bag. Now that I'm only using one set of parts all day it fits so easily, too! Including the bottle cooler. I also keep empty bottles in that cooler until I'm ready to fill them. Otherwise the cooler is a waste of empty space until there's milk in it!
@onbabymaking226 I wash the bag every night and use it for a week. By then it's a little crinkled and I worry about it getting holes in it anyway.
@wilburbud My work has a sink but it's also full of creepy men who I DO NOT want seeing me wash my pump parts. Haha. None of them KNOW my pump parts are in the fridge. I feel like it's my little revenge knowing my booby milk suckers are sitting riiiiiight next to their lunches. MUAHAHA.
@NextVerseUnknown Per @chuggingwater's trick, I leave my cami and shirt on (I always wear a cami, now anyway) and unhook my nursing bra cups and sort of use those to stabilize the flanges. I hold them in place while I turn the pump on and then for the literal 7 seconds it takes until my first let down and then once I push the let down button I can let go. I think people with bigger boobs than me could prbly let go before that.
ETA: cami stays under the flanges, shirt stays on top.
@slmille4 I think the idea behind parts in the fridge comes from how long breastmilk is good in the fridge (6 days) so I would think you COULD but I don't think I would because the parts (and residual milk) are warmed again every time you use them. It just creates more opportunities for bacteria. I'm sure a couple of days are okay, though. I'm just kind of neurotic about it.
@bethughknee - I will have to try this braless system, although I am nervous because I *think* I understand what you're saying, though I may need a SC tutorial next time you do it. Haha- I'm so sick of my pumping bra that isn't even big enough for me.
Reading this makes me realize I'm going to need an f*ing pack mule every time I go pump! Great ideas and things I'll want to take to be comfortable, plus my work computer, headset, phone.... yikes.
@jblank03 My arms adjusted to my pack mule status surprisingly quickly! And I have learned to throw smaller things into bigger bags so it's less straps to slip down my shoulder. I hope the same happens for you!
Instead of using a gallon ziploc bag to store my pump parts in the fridge during the day, I use a dishwasher safe byo brand lunch bag that a coworker gave to me. It was great before I had my mini fridge in my classroom - didn't need anyone seeing my pump parts in the community fridge!
Now it's great so I can be discreet in front of my students. They just think I'm really hungry and eating an extra snack each time I leave the classroom in the afternoon...ha!
And sorry for not responding quickly to your question about the parts in the fridge @cnctf ! I bump from mobile and didn't get the notification.
@tahloulah10 NP. I work in a small office with about 5 other ladies, and I'm still kind of not fully comfortable with them seeing my pump parts. IDK why cause they all know I pump, but I hope I get more comfortable with NIP and anything to do with my breast soon! lol
@tahloulah10 NP. I work in a small office with about 5 other ladies, and I'm still kind of not fully comfortable with them seeing my pump parts. IDK why cause they all know I pump, but I hope I get more comfortable with NIP and anything to do with my breast soon! lol
Yeah, I totally get it. Everyone at my work knows I pump, too, but it is a little awkward having your pumping stuff around other people's things! Before I got a mini fridge in my classroom, I'd have to walk the halls with my pump parts in the lunch bag in front of students and other teachers! I'm pretty sure I blushed each time I saw someone!
@tahloulah10 I put my gallon Ziploc into a reusable grocery bag that's the size of a lunch bag. Working for a law firm of mostly old men = not the audience I want seeing my boob flanges. GAH!
Re: What's in your pump bag?
Eta - I'm not back at work yet so I'm referencing last time.
-Gallon ziploc and small cooler bag to keep parts in the fridge all day
-2 or3 snacks (pack of crackers bag of pretzels
-Hand sanitizer
-Extra lids (IDK why. Makes me feel safe)
-Hands free bra even though I don't use it anymore (THANKS @chuggingwater!)
-Lanisoh 3in1's if I'm feeling lumpy
-Car power adaptor
-Nail file (my nails are still growing like crazy and it's literally the only time I have to file them)
Married: 9.22.12 - DD: 1.7.14 - EDD 2: 10.30.17 - J14 OG
- gallon ziploc bag for putting parts in the fridge
- cooler bag with freezer pack
- snacks (granola bars, fruit snacks)
- burp cloth for my lap
- extra breast pads
- bottles and lids
- nursing cover (sometimes I can't pump in the privacy of my locked classroom)
- extra storage bags; I've forgotten lids for the bottles a couple of times and this has been a lifesaver!
- wall plug
Also, I bring TONS of water with me every day. Nursing makes me so thirsty!
Sanitizer wipes for the pumps, a small bottle of dish soap to wash the parts if I have time, and extra nursing pads.
Married June 2010.
DD born 1/13 via Csection at 41w5d after 47 hours of labor
@cnctf and @thegosiers - Store parts in the fridge and you don't have to wash them between use during the day. Then at the end of the day, just throw them in the dishwasher.
BFP #5 11/15/14, Team Green EDD 7/22/15
BFP #4 4/30/13, baby girl born med-free Jan. 2014
BFP #3 9/24/12, Missed m/c at 9w1d (baby measured 8w5d)
BFP #2 9/23/10, healthy baby girl born med-free June 2011
BFP #1 5/21/10, Missed m/c at 10w4d (baby measured 8wks), D&C 6/29/10
"Life is like a camera, just focus on what's important and capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don't work out, just take another shot."
Pump and parts obviously
Hands free bra
Extra storage bags
Medela cleaning wipes
Ziplock storage bag
Chapstick
Water
Snacks
BFP #2 (5/18/13) due 1/26/14. Grow baby grow!
Its a surprise! Team green!
@worleygirl I do fit all that in my PISA bag. Now that I'm only using one set of parts all day it fits so easily, too! Including the bottle cooler. I also keep empty bottles in that cooler until I'm ready to fill them. Otherwise the cooler is a waste of empty space until there's milk in it!
@onbabymaking226 I wash the bag every night and use it for a week. By then it's a little crinkled and I worry about it getting holes in it anyway.
@wilburbud My work has a sink but it's also full of creepy men who I DO NOT want seeing me wash my pump parts. Haha. None of them KNOW my pump parts are in the fridge. I feel like it's my little revenge knowing my booby milk suckers are sitting riiiiiight next to their lunches. MUAHAHA.
Married: 9.22.12 - DD: 1.7.14 - EDD 2: 10.30.17 - J14 OG
ETA: cami stays under the flanges, shirt stays on top.
Married: 9.22.12 - DD: 1.7.14 - EDD 2: 10.30.17 - J14 OG
Married: 9.22.12 - DD: 1.7.14 - EDD 2: 10.30.17 - J14 OG
Also, I bow to boobs too big for a pumping bra! ^:)^
Married: 9.22.12 - DD: 1.7.14 - EDD 2: 10.30.17 - J14 OG
Married: 9.22.12 - DD: 1.7.14 - EDD 2: 10.30.17 - J14 OG
Now it's great so I can be discreet in front of my students. They just think I'm really hungry and eating an extra snack each time I leave the classroom in the afternoon...ha!
And sorry for not responding quickly to your question about the parts in the fridge @cnctf ! I bump from mobile and didn't get the notification.
Married: 9.22.12 - DD: 1.7.14 - EDD 2: 10.30.17 - J14 OG
❤ What's in my Pump Bag:❤
Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump Backpack: https://amzn.to/15xLjeh
Medela Breast Milk Cooler Set: https://amzn.to/1yNf5aS
Blue Bottle Cooler Bag: https://amzn.to/1xKWdow
Simple Wishes Hands-Free Pumping Bra: https://amzn.to/1t7WncV
Nuk Breast Milk Storage Bags: https://amzn.to/1GJpBF8
Medela Car Adapter: https://amzn.to/1GJqMoj
Medela Breast Milk Labeling Lids: https://amzn.to/1CvC5wb
Motherlove Nipple Cream: https://amzn.to/1Eb6QrZ
Medela Quick Clean Wipes: https://amzn.to/1B02BJG
Pump stuff (tubing, connector, valves, flanges, membranes, AC and battery adapter, extra membranes)
Bottles (4 bottles + caps)
Ziploc bag
Sponge + dish soap
Hand sanitizer
Nursing pads
Sterilizer bag
Ice packs
Sharpie
Hair clip
Snacks/water
Nursing cover
❤ Leave at work:❤
Extra set of pump parts
Manual hand pump