What's in my Pumping Bag/ Pumping at Work

What's in my Pumping Bag/ Pumping at Work

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When I was about to return to work, I knew I wanted to continue to pump. I had no idea what to prepare for or what I would need. I also knew I needed to make time for it and it was important for me to make sure I was as efficient about it as possible. My goal in compiling this info is to help anyone else who is going back to work make the process a little less intimidating.

The best way for me to make sure I made the time for it was to block out my calendar every 3-4 hours. This would allow me to have time available and make sure I didn't get engorged.

The pump I used was the Medela PIS and I loved it. I highly recommend applying for your free pump with insurance: https://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/breastfeeding-insurance

Here is what worked for me and some of my favorite products:

* Disclaimer- 
I am not a lactation consultant, these are simply tips that worked for me. Also, none of the items below are sponsored. Each items I something I use and love, however, I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

First, I got a bag that was big enough to carry everything- I happened to have an old bag from Steve Madden (the last time I purchased shoes) that worked perfectly. I also picked up a small basket type bag from home goods that I kept the pump machine in.

I also got multiples of everything so I could have a set that I kept at work and a set that I kept at home. This made it a lot easier than lugging everything back and forth and worrying about leaving something out.

The absolute most important thing in this bag (other than the pump) was my hands free bra attachment! I LOVED this thing! It clips around your back like a bra and then clips onto your nursing bra. This also allowed me to have my hands free while pumping and just relax w/o having to hold the flanges on.

My Kiinde bag hidden in a coffee cup

Another game changer that made everything easier was these Kiinde bags. They attach directly to your pump, you pump right into them, and then you put the cap on when you are done. I liked these because I didn't have to worry as much about transferring the milk from the containers into the bags and didn't have to do as many dishes. Sometimes if I knew I wasn't going to pump very much, I would put a Medela container on one side and the Kiinde bag on the other- that way I wouldn't use as many bags and could pour the milk from the container into the Kiinde bag to store it. They also fit great inside a paper coffee cup if you have to store your milk in a community fridge.



Don't forget to buy the adapter:


My pump only came with about 4 pump containers- if you are not planning on using the Kiinde bags I would definitely recommend buying more containers.

My steam bag in the mothers room fridge

These pump sanitizer bags were a big time saver. I would pump, pour the milk into the Kiinde bag, rinse my pump parts, stick them in one of these sanitizer bags, put the bag in the fridge (along with the milk), and then pump again when the time came. At the end of the day I would thoroughly wash everything with soap and put the steam bag in the microwave with my parts so it would be ready to go for the next day.


I also liked to have a couple of the larger milk freezer bags on hand incase I ran out of kiinde bags or I pumped more than what would fit in the Kiinde.


Having some extra pump parts on hand is also a great idea. They recommend changing them out every few weeks and running out to the store last minute sucks.


I loved using this nip cream inside the flanges


I used vitamin e oil to help with stretch marks and would also use it to help massage out any clogged ducts.


I kept a phone charger in my bag so I could keep my phone charged while listening to a podcast or meditation.


and of course you need headphones to listen to them with.

The Mothers room

I liked having wipes in my bag to wipe down areas if needed


Leak proof water bottle- If you are like me I was always really thirsty while pumping.


As mentioned earlier, at the end of the day I always liked to clean all my parts so I kept a bottle brush and soap in my pump bag.


Lastly, after all that hard work, you will want to make sure you have a cooler that you can transport your milk home in.


You've got this mamma!!

Follow me on instagram @mrsgabbygabrielle 

tags: pumping at work, breastfeeding, pumping, working mom, how to pump at work, efficient pumper, exclusive pumper, pumping at the office, pumping tips