Going back to work when you’re breastfeeding can feel daunting! Here’s how to pack your breast pump bag when you go back to work to avoid pumping at work stress.
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What to pack in your pumping bag
Here’s a checklist of what you’ll need to bring with you to work. (You can download and print it here!)
1. Breast pump
This is an obvious one, I know.
If you don’t have one already, I would suggest getting a double electric breast pump. If you can get one with a rechargeable battery (like the Spectra S1), that would be ideal, so that you’re not tied to an outlet.
If you’re exclusively pumping, having a second pump to leave at work can make things easier – but it’s definitely not necessary.
2. Cooler
After you pump, you’ll want to keep your milk cool for the rest of the day or for the commute home.
Breast milk coolers are designed to fit bottles and usually come with an ice pack. Some people use a Ceres Chill to keep their milk cool.
3. Breast pump parts
Another obvious one – you’ll need your breast pump parts to pump at work.
Pack them either in a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag or Pumparoo. Putting them together before you pack them can help you make sure you don’t miss a part.
(If you can, leave an extra set of pump parts at work in case you forget something.)
4. Bottles
You also will need bottles to pump into and transport the milk home.
(Don’t forget caps for the bottles.)
5. Hands-free pumping setup
If you’re not using a wearable pump or hands-free cups, you’ll want a hands-free pumping bra so that you don’t need to hold onto your pump parts during your entire pumping session.
Below are some of my favorites.
Hands-Free Pumping Bras
6. Charger or power cord
If you can get another charger to leave at work, that can make things easier since it’s one less thing to pack.
If you need to power your power your pump and won’t be near an outlet, you can get a battery pack.
7. Breast pads
I once let down during a work lunch, and it was very unpleasant. Breast pads are a lifesaver.
Extras you might want to have in your bag
A few things that aren’t essential, but you might still want to have on hand include:
- A baby blanket or something to cover your lap and catch any drips or spills, so they don’t get on your work clothes
- Hand sanitizer
- Hair tie
- Bottle of water and/or snacks
- Breast milk storage bags
- Quick clean wipes (more on these here)
- Something to read or pass the time
What about the bag itself?
There are a lot of great options. Keep in mind that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a breast pump bag – you can use any bag that you can dedicate to carrying around your pumping gear.
But breast pump bags do have some helpful features like padded pockets to protect your pump and insulated pockets to keep your milk cool.
Here are some of my favorites.
Breast Pump Bags
What about stuff for washing your pump parts?
If you’ll be pumping multiple times per day at work, you have a few options:
- Bring multiple sets of pump parts with you (as many sets as you’ll have pumping sessions)
- Wash your pump parts in between sessions
- Put your pump parts in the fridge (in a plastic bag or Pumparoo) in between sessions. (The CDC discourages this, but says it’s an option when necessary.)
If you plan on washing your pump parts between uses, you will also need a wash basin, a bottle brush, dish soap, and paper towels. You obviously don’t need to carry these back and forth every day, but will need to bring them on your first day back.
Can you leave anything at work?
It’s inevitable that one morning, you’ll be rushing out the door and forget something.
To save yourself from having to leave work and come home (or run to Target), if you can keep extras of the following at work, I would:
- Set of breast shields
- A set of all pump parts you need for your pump – valves, connectors, etc.
- 2 bottles and caps
- Breast pads
- Washing gear (if applicable)
Transporting your milk home
If you have a fridge at work to store your breast milk in, and your commute home isn’t especially long and/or warm, a cooler isn’t an absolute necessity. Breast milk will be fine at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours, so you can take it out of the work fridge, head home, and then immediately put it in your home fridge.
However, I have found a cooler to be helpful anyway – it’s useful if you aren’t going straight home after work, and if you’re sharing the fridge with coworkers, you might appreciate having an opaque container to store your breast milk in.
If you don’t have a fridge that you can use at work but do have an outlet and a little space, you can get one of these tiny fridges to store your milk in during the day.
What do you pack in your breast pump bag that I missed? Share below in the comments!