If you’re exclusively pumping or pumping to build a freezer stash, you may need to pump breast milk while caring for your baby. Figuring out how to pump when you’re home alone with baby can be tricky at first – here are some tips and tricks for making it work!
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Pumping while simultaneously trying to care for a baby is not easy.
When you pump, your range of motion can be limited, you need to be careful not to spill, and older babies are fond of playing with the pump and pump parts while you try to use them (and least, mine was). So what to do with baby while you pump?
How to approach pumping while you care for your baby will change as your baby ages.
With a newborn, your best bet is to multitask pumping with either feeding or getting your baby back to sleep. This will allow the time when you’re not pumping to be time you focus on baby (baths, tummy time, snuggles), get some sleep yourself, or take a shower.
Later, with an older baby who is mobile, there are a few strategies you can use to get a pumping session in without your baby pulling your tubing out.
How to Pump When Home Alone with a Newborn Baby
With a newborn, you have a few options – pump while the baby eats, pump while the baby goes to sleep, or pump while the baby plays.
How to Pump Breast Milk while Bottle FeedingÂ
Pumping while bottle feeding seems like it totally make sense to me, in a bizarre way. You’re lactating at the same time you feed your baby, just like nursing! Except not.
So how does this work? Essentially, you set yourself up to pump using a hands-free bra. Once you’re all hooked up, you put the baby in your lap or next to you on a boppy and feed him his bottle.
This, of course, is a bit trickier than it sounds. Here are the steps you’d want to follow:
- Get everything that you need to pump. It’s easiest if you have a pumping station set up with all of your gear – pump, pump parts, bottles, hands-free bra, etc. – in one place and ready to go.
- Get baby’s bottle prepared.
- Put baby next to you on the boppy or in your lap (making sure baby is safe from falling) and set yourself up to pump with your hands-free pumping bra or hands-free pump.
- Turn the pump on, and start feeding baby.
One common concern with feeding baby while pumping is burping.
If you need to burp your baby while feeding, it can be difficult to do it on your shoulder as your pump parts may be in the way. You may be able to turn baby over on one arm, and pat his back with your other hand.
Another issue with feeding while pumping is when baby is really hungry and needs to eat immediately. When this happens, you might not want to take the time to set yourself up to pump before you feed him.
In this situation, what I did was walk around holding my baby and soothing him while warming the bottle. Then, once the bottle was ready, I fed him one ounce or so to take the edge off. (At night, I also did diaper changes at this point in case my baby fell asleep while eating.)
Then, I quickly set myself up to pump and finished the feeding.
Pumping While Putting Baby to Sleep
If it’s too difficult to juggle feeding your baby while you pump, you can try to get him to sleep.
If your baby needs to be held to go back to sleep, you can put him in your lap while you pump.
You can try jiggling your leg or using your arms a bit to give a little rocking motion. This way, you are right there if your baby needs a burp or a pacifier replaced.
Then, once you’re done pumping, you can move the baby to his crib or bassinet or wherever he sleeps.
Another option is to put the baby in a bouncy seat next to you.
This way you can rock baby as needed with your feet while you pump, and still be close enough to replace a pacifier. Once you’re done pumping, you can move your baby to his crib.
(Make sure to keep an eye on your baby, as some experts have warned against babies sleeping in bouncy seats unsupervised.)
Pump While Playing with Baby
The other option is to put baby on his play mat for tummy time or just to play with his toys while you sit next to him and pump. This works better if you have pumping sessions on the shorter side (around 15 minutes).
If this is a challenge, see if it’s easier if you single pump or use a manual pump, as it doesn’t restrict your range of motion as much.
What Should You Do With An Older Baby When It’s Time to Pump?
Pumping with a mobile baby can be really challenging, as many babies consider breast pumps a fascinating toy.
If your baby is mobile, at this point, hopefully naps are a bit more predictable and sleep is not at the premium that it was when your baby was a newborn. If possible, it’s easiest to pump while your baby naps or is asleep for the night.
However, sometimes you need to pump and for whatever reason, your baby is not going to nap. Here are a few ways to manage.
High Chair and a Basket of Toys
Put your baby in his highchair, and grab a basket of toys (or finger food/purees if your baby is eating solids) and sit next to the baby. Set yourself up to pump hands-free.
Try to keep baby entertained with toys/food while you pump.
A lot of stuff is going to get thrown on the floor, but just leave it until you’re done pumping.
Pump with Collection Cups
You may also be able to use collection cups with the pump you have now.
This keeps most of the tubing under your shirt, making it harder for baby to grab.
Some options are Legendairy Milk cups, Freemie cups, or Spectra Cara Cups.
Want to check these out? Legendairy Milk reached out and gave me a discount code – take 15% off with the code 15EPUMP!
Exersaucer
If you have an exersaucer or jumparoo, you can try getting a quick 10 or 15 minute pumping session in while you baby plays in it.
You can sit right by it and interact with him in case he cries, but he won’t be able to grab your tubing or pump parts.
Get in the Car
If your baby likes driving, put your baby in his carseat and go for a quick drive.
You can pump and drive at the same time, or you can drive until baby falls asleep and then pull over and pump.
Try a Pump Without Tubing
There are a few pumps (such as the Willow and Elvie) that are wireless.
These are expensive but can make exclusively pumping with an older baby much easier, since everything is in your bra.
Single Pump or Use a Manual Pump
If you’re really in need of a quick session and none of the above will work, try using a manual pump to get a quick pump in while playing with the baby.
There are less parts to grab and less chance of spilling. You can make the up any missed pumping time later, when your baby is sleeping.
Caring for a baby while pumping is a real challenge, but hopefully these tips will make it easier! Let us if you know if you have any other ideas in the comments.
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Comments & Chitchat
I bottle feed baby and then put her in her baby bjorn bouncer and pump. I sit and face her so I can talk/sing to her and read etc. I can normally do this for max 15 mins to entertain her while I pump. I might try pumping while feeding her soon but I’ll need to adjust her position as I normally hold her close in a cradle hold so the pump equipment will get in the way.
Help! Brand new FTM, baby won’t settle after eating till he’s burped for at least 30-40 min afterwards in an upright position or on my chest. By the time he’s done, I need to pump and then try and sleep/eat/function before he eats about 30-1 hour later! We’ve talked to the doc about the gas issues with no help. Any suggestions for that routine?
I would try pumping with Freemie cups while baby is on your chest!
Hi. It’s been a month and perhaps you’ve solved the gas problem already but if not, here’s what we started doing a while ago. My baby has always opened his mouth while feeding, swallowing a lot of air. Some time ago we started an osteopathy therapy with him but what helps the most is doing exercises before a feeding. With the baby on his back I roll his back – golf his legs over his tummy and if possible, let the knees put pressure on the tummy. I do that for several minutes trying to entertain my boy by tickling his face with his toes and making sounds. In a different exercise I gram my baby’s hands and ankles into a cradle and roll him left and right. We’re usually able to get at least a few farts out and I feel that that’s been helping. Belly time is also a good way for a tummy massage. Of course, we only exercises when the baby lets us. Sometimes he’s just too impatient.
Hi, Thanks for your great article. I want to add an important point with you that make sure your baby has ample time alone with Daddy. His touch and voice are different than yours, and this will begin a bonding process and give you a break. Plus, it gets the baby used to be with someone other than you. The first few times can be hard. Make sure your baby is fed and well rested, as this will give you at least one or two hours before you’re needed again. Then leave Dad and the baby alone. If you stay nearby, make sure the baby can’t see or hear you and resist the urge to go into the room and “fix” things if she starts crying. Your baby cries with you and your experiment to find out what’s wrong. Dads need time to do this too – in their own way. By allowing this time, your child will learn there is more than one way to receive comfort, which will help immensely when you leave your baby with a sitter or another family member for the first time. You could have your partner bathe her, put her to bed or just read or talk to her.
I’m so glad that I found your blog! I’ve been exclusively pumping since my baby was about 3 weeks old (he’s 9 weeks now). It’s nice knowing I’m not alone in this journey. It can be so challenging! We have a Graco swing with a star mobile that my baby loves. He’s very wiggly and there’s no way I could feed him and pump at the same time, so I’ve found that the easiest thing to do for me is feed him, burp him, change him, and put him in his swing while I pump. I keep my pump and parts close to the swing so I can tend to him if I need to. Usually I turn the swing on, give him his paci and he’s good to go for the time I need. Thanks for all of the additional tips! I’m enjoying the newsletter, too. Exactly what I’ve been searching for.
So glad to hear it! You’re doing a great job! 🙂
Still struggling. I have been exclusively pumping for 4 months now and have a very fussy bubs. I have attempted numerous positions to bottle feed/pump and settle/pump and have not been successful. Bubs is a wiggler so feeding and pumping is difficult as he knocks the equipment and gets tangled in the tubes 🙁
So I attempted settling whilst pumping only to find bubs will only settle upright on my chest…which obviously does not work with pumping. I also feel like I need another set of arms to succeed in this endeavour so that I don’t lose my mind.
Not sure where to go from here,
Klee
So sorry to hear that! Do you have a high chair? Will he let you bottle feed him while he’s reclined in the high chair, maybe? Or on a boppy?
Easy. On the bed or in recliner and you pop the baby in between your legs while you pump.
All good strategies except pump while you drive. Impossible to do safely if at all. It’s hard to manage pumping with a crying baby and no second set of hands, I live it everyday. I applaud all who are doing it and contributed their strategies!
Thanks! About pumping while you drive – it’s definitely possible to do with a hands-free pumping bra or a freemie (I’ve done it), but one can argue about whether or not it’s safe. It depends on a lot of factors that each woman should consider before attempting it. Is she distracted by the pump? Once hooked up, does she have the same range of motion? Is she able to avoid the temptation to check the bottles or make adjustments while driving? What kind of driving trip is it – one at night in an unfamiliar place, or a 15 minute commute on side roads?
“Put your baby in lap while you hook yourself up using the hands-free bra – with a newborn it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to roll off of your lap onto the floor, but make sure that you’re careful nonetheless – turn on the pump, and then you can start giving the baby his bottle.”
I have tried doing so but the cables always seem to be in the way and he would start tangling his legs and arms in between the cables. The cable would push out of the bottle and then a total mess will happen. I don’t see how you can make it possible 🙁
Sorry! It works better with some babies than others (and some pumps than others)! What about putting the baby in a bouncy seat and your feet and you can bounce it with your foot while you pump?
It is very difficult to take care of the baby while pumping and now I know how to do it. Thanks so much!