Baby 101: Pumping Basics - Frequently Asked Questions

Pumping might be the thing friends ask me about the most - and completely understandably, because pumping can be tricky!  You've just barely got nursing figured out and then suddenly you go back to work / need to leave baby with a sitter / want to do anything for more than 3 hours without being tied to your baby, and pumping enters the mix.  I'm certainly no expert, but I went back to work after 12 weeks of maternity leave with my son and pumped successfully enough for him to be exclusively breastfed until he turned one (woohoo!), so I have some firsthand experience.  

Here are some of my tips and tricks for the questions I get asked the most:

What breast pump should I get?

This is personal preference, of course, but I love my Spectra S2 and prefer it to the Medela Pump In Style Advanced I used with my first - read more about the differences here.  

Don't run out and buy one - most insurance plans cover 100% of the cost of one breast pump per pregnancy.  Check with your health insurance company to see which DME (Direct Medical Equipment) supplier(s) they work with.  I used Aeroflow for both pregnancies (I got a new pump each time, since the motors can wear down) and had a great experience - they handled everything (insurance, contacting OB/GYN, etc.).

When should I start pumping?

I had a LOT of lactation consultant help with my first baby, and their advice was to wait to pump until baby is 2-3 weeks old.  The first couple of weeks (especially with your first!) are stressful enough with figuring out breastfeeding, and it can mess with your breastmilk supply if you start too early (causing oversupply, which can result in foremilk/hindmilk balance issues, engorgement, mastitis, etc.)  

By 2-3 weeks, your milk supply will start to regulate, you'll hopefully be through the painful/confusing/stressful part of breastfeeding and have time to add in pumping.  This timeline allows plenty of time to introduce a bottle to your baby between 3-4 weeks, which is the ideal window to ensure that your baby will accept a bottle without causing nipple confusion.

How often should I pump?

This depends on the reason why you're pumping.  If you're still nursing full-time and just want to build a small freezer stash for the occasional babysitter, I was advised to pump twice a day; once AFTER nursing (to get the extra out for a "rainy day" and tell your body to keep producing that much milk), and once INSTEAD of nursing (to allow you to feed the baby a bottle of pumped breastmilk and ensure they'll continue to accept a bottle).  

If you're going to be away from your baby (going back to work, traveling, etc. - i.e., NOT nursing full-time), you should pump the same number of times, on approximately the same schedule, as your baby will be taking bottles while you're gone - for example, if your baby will take 3 bottles every 3 hours during the time you're gone, you should pump 3 times, approximately every 3 hours.  Pumping less frequently than your baby is eating will tell your body to slow down milk production.

How long should I pump?

This varies depending on the individual and the pump.  I find that my Spectra pump is much more efficient at removing milk than my Medela PISA was, so I generally pump for about 12-15 minutes (as opposed to the 20-25 minutes I pumped with my Medela).  I pump until fully emptied (milk stops flowing), and then I press the "letdown" or "massage" mode button again to encourage a second letdown.  Many women naturally have a second letdown around the 12 minute mark, but you can use the letdown feature on your pump to try to trigger another one once milk stops flowing from the first letdown.  

After the second letdown, I pump until milk stops coming out, and then for an additional 2-5 minutes to encourage my body to maintain production.  If you're pressed for time, you can skip the second letdown and additional 2-5 minutes after milk flow stops, but you'll want to fully empty your breasts to avoid clogged ducts, mastitis, or an unwanted decrease in your milk supply.

What should I bring in my pump bag to work?

Check out my detailed post on this topic here.

How do I know if I'm pumping enough?

This varies so much by person - there is a huge range.  If you're pumping in lieu of nursing, your goal is obviously to pump enough to replace the breastmilk your baby consumes by bottle during the same timeframe (so if your baby consumes 15 ounces of breastmilk while you're gone, you'll want to pump at least 15 ounces to stay "even").  "Normal" production from pumping in lieu of nursing is 2-4 ounces per session for both breasts combined.  

If you're pumping while nursing full time (to build a stash), you can expect your output to be much less - "normal" is considered 0.5-2 ounces per session for both breasts combined.

Keep in mind that milk production is normally higher in the morning than it is in the evenings, so you may see different outputs from pumping sessions depending on the time of day.  Also, remember that a baby is much more efficient at removing milk than a pump - your pumping output is not indicative of your milk supply.

What if I pump too soon to when my baby wants to nurse and there is none left?

Again, a baby is much more efficient at removing milk than a pump; even immediately after you pump, there is still milk remaining in your breasts that a baby can remove that the pump could not.  Also, breastmilk is constantly replenishing, so even as you finish pumping, your body is already producing more.  The milk flow may be slower than baby is used to and they may get frustrated, but don't worry that there isn't any left - there is.  Allow your baby to nurse longer and/or switch sides back and forth.

Why is the suction on my pump weak?

If you're not getting good suction on your pump, first make sure everything is plugged in / assembled correctly - the tubing is well secured, both to the pump and to the flanges, and there is nothing (bra/shirt) in between the flanges and your breast breaking the suction.  If you're only pumping on one side, make sure that you disconnect the tubing for the second side and use the little plug to "block" the tubing connection.

Double check the suction settings on your pump to make sure they haven't been accidentally adjusted.

If you're using battery power (rather than a wall plug-in), make sure the battery is fully charged and/or replace the batteries if using a battery pack.

Inspect the membranes (on a Medela PISA, these are the white rubber circles) or the valves (on a Spectra, these are the white duckbill parts) for any tears; it is good practice to replace these parts every couple of months anyway, because they weaken over time and they have a big impact on the pump's overall suction.  

I'm not pumping enough milk - how do I pump more?

First, make sure your expectations for pumping output are reasonable - see "How do I know if I'm pumping enough?" above. 

Next, make sure there aren't any suction issues with your pump - see "Why is the suction on my pump weak?" above.  You'll also get more milk out if you "prod" your breasts while pumping (some people say "massage", but I don't use motion - I just jab a finger or two into the breast tissue and hold them there while the pump is doing its thing, moving them every couple of minutes to trigger production from different ducts).

If you truly need to increase your milk supply, here is a detailed post on maintaining your milk supply.  In short:

- drink more

- eat more

- add galactogogues (fenugreek, brewer's yeast, oatmeal)

- pump more frequently

- pump longer / pump through 2, even 3 letdowns

Keep in mind that lots of things can impact your milk supply - time of day (milk production decreases in the evening), return of your period (my milk supply took a permanent hit when I got my period back at 7 months), illness, stress, and certain medications, including birth control.

If none of these things work, consider speaking to your physician about prescription medication to help increase your milk supply - Domperidone or Reglan.  I have no firsthand experience with these, but it's an option that's available if nothing else works.

My pumping output is vastly different between each breast, is this normal?

Yes, this is totally normal - many people have "a stud and a dud", where one side consistently produces more than the other side.  You may also switch back and forth between which side produces more based on which side the baby last nursed.  

Pumping is painful, is this normal?

Pumping should not be painful; of course, if you are engorged, there may be some discomfort from the engorgement, but there shouldn't be pain from pumping itself.  

Make sure that you're not setting the suction on your pump too high; contrary to logic, a higher suction setting does not guarantee more milk and/or quicker expression.  Slowly increase the suction to the point of discomfort, and then reduce it from there until you find the setting that is most comfortable for you.

You may also be using the wrong flange size if you're still experiencing pain; flange size is not related to breast size, so small-chested women may still require a large flange size, and vice versa.  Most breast pumps come with a "medium" 24 mm flange size, but there are both smaller and larger flange sizes available.  (Medela: 21mm, 24mm, 27mm, 30mm, 36mm; Spectra: 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 32mm)  You can use the graphic below to gauge whether or not your flange size is appropriate (although I find this hard to do); a lactation consultant can help fit you to the right size, or you can try a few sizes (they're inexpensive, or you can borrow from a friend) and use trial and error until you find the best fit.

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You may also want to lubricate the inside of the flanges to reduce the friction - you can use coconut oil or lanolin cream (I like the Lansinoh brand).

How do I store pumped milk?

First, I always pump into bottles, rather than bags; some brands of breast pumps are compatible with breastmilk storage bags (allowing you to pump directly into a bag); however, these bags generally do not freeze flat, and the ounce measurements on the bags are not accurate since the bag is not a rigid storage container (making it difficult to accurately measure how much you've pumped).  I keep my pumped milk in a refrigerator at work (there is a dedicated mini fridge in the "wellness room"), although you can also use a cooler with ice packs if you don't have access to a refrigerator.

You shouldn't combine warm milk with cool milk; to combine milk from different pumping sessions, only combine warm with warm, or cool with cool.

I pump during the work week; Monday through Thursday, I use each day's pumped milk to supply the next day's bottles.  On Friday, I freeze the pumped milk in breastmilk storage bags, and on Monday, I thaw previously frozen breastmilk to make bottles.  Freezing Friday's pumped milk and using (older) thawed milk on Mondays keeps my freezer stash current.  Right now, I'm using Lansinoh storage bags; you can read a comparison of milk storage bags here.

Pumped milk is good at room temperature for 4-6 hours; refrigerated for 5 days (you'll be able to smell if it's spoiled), in a regular freezer for 6 months, and in a deep freezer for 12 months.  Read a more detailed post about milk storage (freezing and thawing pumped milk; rotating a freezer stash to keep it current, etc.) here.

How do I find the time to pump?

It is hard!  If you're nursing full-time, you probably only need to pump once or twice a day to have a small stash in the freezer.   Try utilizing baby's nap time or consider pumping one side while baby nurses on the other side.

If you're pumping during the workday, you have to guard your pumping time!  I block mine off on my calendar so the time will appear unavailable to my coworkers if they try to schedule a meeting.  I try to stick to my pumping schedule closely; if you start letting it slide (delaying or skipping pumps), your milk production can suffer (and people will learn that your designated pumping times are flexible - it's a downward spiral).  Another time-saver to consider is pumping while driving; I pump each morning during my commute to work, which saves me one pumping session out of the workday.  You can read more about how to pump in the car here.

I think having a hands-free pumping bra is a must-have; it will allow you to nurse, type, wash bottles, read, talk on the phone, etc. while you pump.  My favorite is the Simple Wishes brand.

How do I clean pump parts? 

The pump parts that require thorough cleaning are the flanges, membranes/valves (yellow/white parts), and obviously the milk collection bottles - all of the parts that come into direct contact with your milk.  Tubing does not require cleaning; if you notice milk (or worse, mold) inside the tubing, you should just replace it. It's a good idea to keep an extra set of tubing on hand (you can buy Medela-compatible tubing here and Spectra here).  If you see condensation inside the tubing, keep your pump running after you disconnect the tubing from the flanges to allow the tubing to dry.

You can read the CDC's recommendations for cleaning pump parts here.  In short, they recommend washing with hot water and soap, and then air drying (or washing in the dishwasher) after each pumping session.

I will admit that I do not follow these guidelines during the workday; I pump 3-4 times at work each day, and washing and air drying them each time is not realistic for me.  I store my pump parts in a sealed Tupperware-style container (this is the exact one I use) in the refrigerator between pumping sessions (I do not wash or rinse them first).  Some people use gallon Ziploc bags, but I don't like the idea of throwing out a Ziploc bag every single day.  Refrigerating the pump parts will slow the growth of bacteria on the pump parts in between sessions.  You do NOT want to keep the pump parts at room temperature between sessions, because bacteria will grow too quickly on the residual milk on the parts.  While refrigerating pump parts in between sessions is a widespread practice, it is not something I would recommend for a premature or immune-compromised baby.

I wash my pump parts each evening, either with hot water, Dapple bottle soap (rinses clean faster than normal dish soap), and a bottle brush, or in the dishwasher, and then air dry them on a drying rack (I use the Boon grass).  

How often do I need to sterilize pump parts?

I sterilize infrequently - when the parts are new (or coming out of storage for another baby), after illness (to kill any germs that survive the normal washing process), or when I'm traveling and unable to wash and dry the parts as well as I do at home (e.g., washing in hotel room bathroom sinks).  When new, I sterilize pump parts in boiling water for 5 minutes; for all future sterilizing, I use the Medela microwave steam bags, which are great - each bag (5 come in a box) allows for 20 uses, so one box = 100 sterilizations.  

If you have a premature or immune-compromised baby, your doctor may recommend sterilizing more often; for a healthy baby, daily or even weekly sterilization is not necessary.  Think about it - are your breasts sterilized when your baby nurses?

How do I handle pumping when I'm traveling?

This was intimidating to me at first, but I quickly learned the ropes and took numerous business trips while pumping for my first child.  In short, know that the TSA allows you to fly within the US with an unlimited volume of pumped breastmilk.  Read my detailed post on this topic here.

Do you have more questions about pumping that weren't addressed here?  Leave a comment and I'll add it to this post!

Click here to read all of my breastfeeding/pumping-related posts.

Buy This, Not That: Breast Pumps

Good:  Medela Pump In Style Advanced

After C was born in 2014, I got a trusty Medela Pump in Style Advanced breast pump (thanks, Obama!), which I used religiously 3-4 times a day at work for a year.  At the time, I had no complaints...but I also had nothing to compare it to.

Better: Spectra S2

This year, when I was pregnant with M, I had to decide which breast pump I wanted to order this time around.  (Although I still have my old Medela PISA, the motor can wear out, and since a new one was fully covered by my insurance, I knew I wanted to get a new one - even if it was another PISA).  I read a ton of online reviews, and the consensus seemed to be that the Medela PISA and the Spectra S1 or S2 pumps were the current favorites. Medela is still the better-known brand (as it is what most of the hospitals use, and has been around in the US longer than Spectra); however, every single review I read that compared the two preferred the Spectra.  

I decided to take a chance (knowing I had my old PISA if I absolutely hated the Spectra), and I am sooooo glad I did!  I ordered the Spectra S2, as the cost was completely covered by my insurance; the S1 had an upgrade charge since it has a built-in rechargeable battery (while the S1 has to be plugged into an electrical outlet).   

In comparison to the Medela pump, my Spectra pump is much quieter, gentler, and more efficient.  The difference in noise is the most remarkable -- the Medela pump was loud, and the Spectra is whisper quiet.  We can easily watch TV while I pump, and although my work has a dedicated pumping room, I think I could easily be on a phone call while the pump was running (NOT TRUE for the Medela!)  

I also think the suction on the Spectra is gentler -- probably because it is more customizable than the Medela.  While the Medela has one dial that can adjust the suction strength, the Spectra can adjust both the frequency and the suction strength.  The Spectra pump has a digital display and remembers your settings so that you don't have to reset them every time you use the pump; you can set frequency and suction strength for both the "let down" mode and the "expression" mode.  I also like that the Spectra pump has a built-in timer so that you can easily keep track of how long each pumping session lasts; I've noticed that the Spectra pump seems to be more efficient than my Medela was.  With my Medela, I frequently pumped for 20-25 minutes; with the Spectra, it usually only takes 10-12 minutes to fully empty my milk.

I also like that the Spectra pump is a fully closed system, meaning that it can be safely shared among users or passed down to friends/family without risk of contamination.  The Medela pump is not a closed system and, while plenty of people share or pass down their pumps, technically you're not supposed to.  

There are 3 downsides of the Spectra pump: (1) the lack of local availability of compatible parts; my local baby store and Target stock standard Medela pump supplies but not Spectra supplies, so if you forget to bring parts while traveling or something breaks, you're up a creek.  (2) The Spectra pump parts also are not compatible with standard-sized bottles, and (3) the flanges do not come in as many different sizes as the Medela flanges do.  

However, there is a cheap and easy fix for all of these issues -- I use my old Medela parts with the Spectra pump.  Since I use a larger flange size than the standard-issue flange, I use my larger Medela flanges instead of the smaller ones that came with the Spectra pump.  Doing this not only solve my size issue but also ensures that I should be able to acquire Medela parts locally if they break or I forget them (as long as I remember the Spectra pump, tubing, and backflow protector, I'm good!)  Since the Medela pump parts are compatible with standard-sized bottles, this also allows me to use my existing bottles without having to buy new wide-mouth bottles or adapter rings to use the Spectra.  Read my post here for how to use Medela parts with a Spectra pump.

How to Use Medela PISA Pump Parts with a Spectra S1/S2 Pump

Between baby #1 and #2, I made the switch between the Medela Pump In Style Advanced to the Spectra S2 breast pump.  While I MUCH prefer the Spectra pump to the Medela, I had 3 issues with the Spectra pump:

1) Spectra flange sizes are limited (only 3 sizes as compared to Medela's 5), and I use a larger-than-standard flange that Spectra doesn't make;

2) Replacement Spectra pump parts are not readily available locally, making me nervous if they break or I forget them while travelling

3) Spectra pumps are not compatible with standard-size bottles - you either have to use wide-mouth bottles or use bottle adapters to allow use of standard-size bottles

The cheap and easy solution to all 3 issues is to use Medela pump parts with the Spectra pump.  Luckily, I had leftover pump parts from my old Medela pump that I could scavenge, but if not, Medela pump parts are inexpensive and readily available, both online and in local stores like Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us, and Target.

I had heard anecdotally that it was possible to mix and match Medela parts with the Spectra pump, but I couldn't find detailed instructions on how to actually DO it.  Here's what you'll need:

• Spectra S1 or S2 pump
• Spectra tubing (comes with Spectra pump; replacement tubing available here)
• Spectra backflow protector (comes with Spectra pump; replacement backflow protectors available here)
• Backflow adapter ***this is the part that doesn't come with either the Spectra or the Medela pump that you will need to buy separately!!!
• Medela breast shield, aka flange (comes with Medela pump; multiple replacement sizes available - 21mm, 24mm, 27mm, 30mm, 36mm)
• Medela PersonalFit Connectors (comes with Medela pump; replacement connectors available here)
• Medela Valve & Membrane (comes with Medela pump; replacement valves & membranes available here)

The backflow adapter connects the Spectra backflow protector to the Medela PersonalFit Connector, allowing use of the Medela parts while staying a "closed" (sanitary) breast pump system.  You can buy a 6-pack of the adapters inexpensively on Amazon, and you're good to go!

Baby 101: Maintaining Milk Supply

From the beginning, I was blessed with a great milk supply; during my 3 months of maternity leave, I stockpiled hundreds of ounces of frozen breastmilk by adding one pumping session a day to my breastfeeding routine.  

After returning to work, I was still able to pump enough milk to meet my son's bottle needs at daycare.  However, in the past month (he's 7 1/2 months old), I've had several noticeable dips in my milk supply.  I know that I need to pump 24 ounces a day to make his bottles for the following day (4 x 6-ounce bottles), and I went from a steady 32-ounce output to closer to 24 ounces, almost exactly meeting the next day's needs.  From what I've read online, this is normal; your body begins out overproducing in order to ensure that there is adequate supply, but generally, by 6 months, your body has adjusted to the amount of milk it actually needs to make.  That's all fine and well, especially since I have a significant freezer stash.  

However, I'll have random days where my output will dip even further, and I'll have to add an extra pumping session at night after C goes to bed in order to have enough milk for the next day's bottle.  That's when I start to panic a little bit that I'm "drying up" and might not be able to breastfeed to my 1-year goal.  Luckily, I've been able to recover from these temporary supply dips by doing the following:

1.  Drink a ton. 
 
I've never been good at drinking throughout the day; I tend to drink mostly at mealtimes.  I was diligent about drinking enough when I was pregnant, but I've slacked off since then.  If I don't drink enough, I'll definitely see it in my milk supply.

2.  Add Gatorade.  

Let me preface this by saying that I am not a Gatorade fan, so this isn't one of those convenient excuses to allow myself to drink Gatorade.  But, I've seen multiple things online about Gatorade boosting milk supply (something about the electrolytes, in addition to the hydration factor).  I think coconut water is supposed to do the same thing, but I think it tastes awful.  I've started buying Gatorade at the grocery store and forcing myself to down a glass every day.

3.  Eat enough.  

Your body expends a lot of calories to produce milk; I've read online that it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 calories per ounce.  Since the average baby consumes 25-35 ounces of breastmilk a day, that's 500-700 calories.  In the beginning, I was constantly STARVING due to breastfeeding; however, as the months have gone on, I don't feel the hunger as much (or maybe I've just gotten used to it).  If I'm not consciously consuming enough calories, it definitely impacts my milk supply.  High protein foods are great for this....as well as justifying ice cream on the reg :)

4.  Add galactogogues.  
   

Galactogogues are things that enhance milk supply.  There are herbs, like fenugreek, and medications, like domperidone, that you can take to enhance milk supply; however, I haven't used those, so I can't speak to their effectiveness.  There are enough galactogogues available at the grocery store that I've been able to maintain my milk supply using those.  Examples include: brewer's yeast, oatmeal, flaxseed, and almonds.  2 recipes I made constantly which contain several galactogogues are:

• Coconut & dried fruit granola - almonds, flaxseed, oatmeal.  I ate this with Greek yogurt for breakfast almost everyday.
  
• Lactation energy bites - brewer's yeast, oatmeal, and flaxseed.  These are a great snack and super quick to whip up, since they're no-bake.  As an added bonus, supposedly brewer's yeast is more potent if uncooked (so these may be more effective than the lactation cookies/bars that are all over the internet).

5.  Nurse or pump more.  

Lactation is a supply-and-demand equation.  Nursing more is the best option; just like during your baby's growth spurts, your body will produce more if the demand is there.  Allowing your baby to comfort nurse or nurse more often than normal can do wonders for increasing your supply.  If nursing more isn't an option (like during the day, since I work), adding a pump is the next best thing.  I normally pump 4 times a day on days that I work (once on my commute to work, and 3 times at work); however, if I need to boost supply, I'll pump again at night after C has gone to bed. 

If adding 1 pump a day (as suggested above) doesn't cut it, you can "power pump" for a couple of days.  To power pump, you pump for 20 minutes, stop for 10, pump for 10 more minutes, stop for 10, pump for 10 minutes.  This results in 40 minutes of pumping over a 60-minute period, but the stopping/starting simulates a baby's nursing pattern during a growth spurt.  Doing this for 2-4 days in a row can help boost your supply.

Baby 101: Pumping while Traveling Without Baby

I recently had my first experience traveling without baby and pumping on a recent work trip.  Traveling with a baby is one thing - you can nurse anywhere - but figuring out what to bring, where to pump, etc. was overwhelming for me!  I consulted lots of fellow breastfeeding moms to ask about their travel tips.  Here's a summary of my experience:

Planning Ahead

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At multiple points during my trip, I knew there would not be a convenient or obvious place to pump. I did not have my own rental car during the trip, which would have been the easiest solution to pump.  To the extent possible, I tried to plan ahead and was surprised at how accommodating most places were.  I attended a conference at a university, and I was able to find contact information online for the university's women's center.  A quick email later, and they were happy to reserve their lactation room for me, even though I wasn't a student or faculty. 

I also found that Love Field airport has a dedicated nursing room available; I emailed the New Orleans airport to ask about a nursing or lactation room and, although they don't have a dedicated room, they offered to put a chair in a private family restroom to make pumping more convenient.  Overall, my experience has been that public facilities like airports, universities, churches, etc. are very accommodating to nursing or pumping moms!

I also called the hotel and verified that my hotel room had a mini fridge (to store milk) and microwave (for sterilizing) in the room.

Navigating Airport Security

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I was nervous about traveling with breastmilk by plane for the first time, but it turned out to be no big deal.  By TSA rules, you can bring an unlimited amount of formula or breastmilk onto a plane, whether your child is traveling with your or not -- the 3-ounce rule for liquids does not apply.  You can also bring cold packs or ice in your cooler to keep the milk cold.  Before going through security, I just had to notify the TSA agent that I was traveling with breastmilk and pointed out my cooler.  After it was x-rayed, another TSA agent took it aside and put the bottles of milk in a tester machine, I presume to verify that it was milk and not explosives or some other prohibited liquid (they did not have to open the bottles, or take a sample, or put anything into the milk to test it).  That was it - piece of cake.

Bringing the Right Gear

This was where tips from friends really helped - I would not have figured out half of this on my own!  Here's what I brought (and used) on my trip:

1.  Pump and power cord
(Duh.)

2.  Cooler
I had to use a larger cooler than I normally take with me to work, since I was going to be bringing back multiple days' worth of milk.  The cooler I use for work only holds 4-6 bottles, so I had to find a larger one for my work trip!

3.  Pump parts
(Again, duh.)  I put them in a Ziploc bag and kept them in my cooler.  Since this kept them cold, I didn't have to worry about washing the parts between uses while I was traveling.

4.  Pump vehicle power adapter
On this trip I didn't have my own rental car, so I ended up not pumping in the car; however, I still brought the car power cord just in case I got REALLY desperate and had to borrow someone's car to pump in.  In most cases, I have my own rental car when I travel, so I could use this to pump in the car.

5.  Nursing cover
This is a necessity for pumping in the car, especially during daylight hours.  I also used a nursing cover when pumping in rooms where I wasn't confident that the door locked securely, just in case someone walked in.  In these situations, I usually also put a chair in front of the door and sit facing away from the door. This turned out to be a good idea, because someone walked in on me when I was pumping at the university...I thought I had locked the door but I guess it didn't fully catch.  Luckily, there was a chair in front of the door (so the person coming in felt some resistance), I was facing the other way, and wearing a nursing cover, so the embarrassment factor was minimal.

6.  Pump battery pack
Yes, I brought 3 various power sources for my pump on this trip (normal power cord, vehicle adapter, and battery pack).  I didn't know what the setup would be, so I wanted to ensure I was prepared for any outcome!  I borrowed this from a friend so I didn't have to go out and buy my own, since I doubt I'll need it very often.  The Medela battery pack allows you to pump using 8 AA batteries instead of needing an outlet or a vehicle cigarette lighter (is that still what those things are called?)  I didn't end up using this, but it made me less nervous knowing that, if I got really desperate, I could pump in a bathroom stall somewhere without needing a power outlet nearby.

7.  Dish soap
I brought a mini bottle of Palmolive dish soap with me so that I could wash bottles and pump parts at the hotel each night.  I didn't have a bottle brush, so I just used super hot water and dish soap and did the best I could.  I still had the tiny bottle that they gave me in the hospital when C was born, so I brought that; if not, you could transfer some into a travel-size shampoo bottle.

8.  Pump cleaning wipes
I packed a few of the Medela sterilizing quick-clean wipes, just in case I needed to clean the pump parts mid-day before I was back at the hotel room (since I didn't want to wash them in the sink in a public restroom).  I ended up being able to keep the pump parts cold in my cooler bag, so I didn't worry about cleaning them during the day, but it was nice to have this as a backup.

9.  Microwave sterilizer bag
I don't normally sterilize bottles and pump parts daily, but since I knew I wouldn't be able to get them as clean as I normally do without a bottle brush, I sterilized the bottles and pump parts each night using the Medela sterilizer bags and the microwave in the hotel room.  This worked out great - I would not have thought of this if one of my friends hadn't suggested it!

10.  Hands-free bra
I use my hands-free pumping bra every time I pump, but I felt like it was critical on the trip.  When you're pumping in an unfamiliar place, it is helpful to be able to be hands-free...like when I had to pump while standing up in a private (one-person) bathroom (since there was nowhere to sit other than the toilet)!

11. Bottles and caps
I only brought 3 bottles on the trip, since they take up so much space -- 2 to pump into, and 1 to hold any extra milk that wasn't enough ounces to freeze (for instance, I freeze in 6-ounce quantities, so if I had only 3 or 4 ounces of milk, I'd store it in the 3rd bottle until the next pumping session when I had more milk to total 6 ounces).

12. Breastmilk freezer storage bags
I stored all my pumped milk in breastmilk freezer storage bags, since they take up less space than bottles.  I used the flange from the pump parts as a funnel to pour milk into the bags in 6-ounce quantities, and then kept the bags in the fridge in my hotel room (and then in my cooler in transit).

13.  Ziploc bags in multiple sizes
I brought (and used) multiple sizes of Ziploc bags on this trip.  I used sandwich or quart-sized Ziploc bags to hold ice in my cooler; normally, I use an ice pack, but I didn't have access to a freezer in the hotel so I knew I'd have to rely on hotel ice machine ice.  Putting the ice in Ziploc bags kept my cooler from being a wet mess. 

I brought a gallon-size Ziploc bag for each day of my trip to store my pump parts in after using them (in the cooler) since I only washed them once a day at night.  The bag was kind of gross with milk residue by the end of the day, so after I washed and sterilized the parts at night, I used a fresh bag for each day. 

I also brought a few extra gallon-size Ziplocs to store the freezer storage bags of pumped milk on the flight; I was nervous that the change in air pressure might break the seal on the freezer storage bags and cause a leak, so I put the bags of pumped milk into Ziploc bags as an extra layer of protection (I was not going to lose any precious milk on this trip!!!)

Baby 101: Breastmilk Storage

When C was only a few weeks old, at the advise of my lactation consultant, I started pumping to slowly build a stash of breastmilk in the freezer.  Now that he's 8 months old, I have a sizeable freezer stash, which has been great now that my milk supply has regulated and I no longer overproduce like I did in the beginning.  The freezer stash has been a lifesaver on days when my supply dips, like if I don't drink enough, miss a pumping session at work due to meetings running over, or once my period returned.

Storing, labeling, freezing, and organizing/storing milk has been a learning curve, for sure!  Luckily, we have 2 freezers (no standalone freezer - just the freezer on our normal fridge, both in the kitchen and the one in the garage that we inherited from the prior owners of our house).  Still, the frozen milk takes up the majority of the space in both freezers and has the tendency to avalanche when you open the freezer door!  

Here is what works best for us:

1.  Storing Fresh Milk in the Refrigerator

After I pump, I usually store the milk temporarily in the refrigerator in the bottle that I pumped into, with a plastic cap.  I label the date on the cap with a Vis-a-vis "wet erase" market (I refer to these as "overhead markers" - you know, the kind teachers use(d) to write on transparencies in school).  The date washes right off with water when you wash the bottle.  Breastmilk is good in the fridge for ~5 days (it will smell "off" when it spoils, just like cow's milk).

I usually keep 1-2 bottles' worth of milk in the refrigerator (to use when my in-laws babysit and on Sundays when C goes to the church nursery).

2.  Storing and Labeling Milk in Freezer Bags

If I have more breastmilk than I need to keep fresh, I freeze it in breastmilk freezer bags.  Refer to my post here on my brand recommendations on freezer bags!  I use the "cone" (flange) piece of the pump as a funnel to pour the milk into the freezer bag - you don't want to get any milk in the seal of the bag or it can leak when you thaw it due to the milk expanding in the freezer.  I freeze milk in consistent volumes - when C was a tiny baby, I started freezing in 4-ounce quantities (he started taking 4 ounces by 3 weeks old); since he was 4 months old until now, I've been freezing in 6-ounce quantities.  Try to keep the volume of each bag consistent with how much you typically feed in a bottle - that way, you won't waste any when you thaw it, since you have to use milk within 24 hours after it's thawed.  I use a Sharpie to label the freezer bag with the date it was expressed and the number of ounces.  If I'm mixing milk that was expressed on different days, I use the OLDEST date.  Milk is good in the freezer for 6 months (longer with a deep freezer), so it is important to know when it was expressed!

3.  Freezing Milk Flat

After pouring the milk into freezer bags and labeling, it's time to freeze!  In order to use space most efficiently, freeze each bag laying flat on a box of some kind (Lean Cuisine boxes work great for this!)  You don't want to lay the bag directly on the white "wire" shelves in your freezer because the milk will sink between the wires and get stuck when it freezes and expands!  Freezing the bags flat saves SO much room in the freezer!

4.  Storing and Organizing Frozen Bags

After the freezer bags are frozen solid, I store them in gallon-size freezer Ziploc bags.  This serves 2 purposes: one, it keeps the individual bags from avalanche-ing out on you when you open the freezer door, and two, it helps me to organize the milk by date so I can make sure to use the oldest milk first (first in, first out).  I can typically fit 10 6-ounce bags of frozen milk into each Ziploc bag; I store one right-side up, and the next one upside down, in order to "file" them most efficiently.  I then stick a post-it in the bag that has the date range of the milk in the bag, as well as the sequential order (#1, #2, etc.)  This way, when I finish using the milk in Ziploc #1, I know I need to look for Ziploc #2.  I use post-its instead of writing on the Ziploc itself because I re-use the Ziplocs (since they don't get dirty)...but I'm cheap like that.  Write directly on the Ziplocs if it's easier for you :)  Make sure to store frozen milk on the freezer shelves, NOT in the door - the temperature of items stored in the freezer door fluctuates much more than the items on the shelves, which is not good for breastmilk!  You don't want it partially thawing and re-freezing over and over each time you open the freezer.

5.  Thawing Frozen Milk

When I need to use frozen milk, there are a few different ways I thaw it, depending on how much advance notice I have and how quickly I need the milk to thaw.  The fastest way to thaw milk is to run the frozen bag under warm water until it thaws; this only takes a couple of minutes, and then you can pour the milk from the bag into a bottle (I use a small funnel for this).  If I have 30 minutes to an hour before I need to use the milk, I'll just set the frozen bag on the counter and let it thaw at room temperature.  Finally, if I don't need the milk until the next day, I thaw the milk in the refrigerator.  This takes 12+ hours to fully thaw.  If I need it slightly sooner than that (like 8-10 hours), I will put warm water in a Tupperware container, put the frozen bags in the warm water, and stick the Tupperware in the fridge.  This helps the milk to thaw a little faster than it would just sitting in the fridge.  Whatever you do, make sure to use the milk within 24 hours after it is fully thawed; after milk is frozen, it loses some of its anti-bacterial/anti-microbial properties, so it can grow bacteria faster than fresh milk (which is good at room temp for several hours).

6.  Rotating the Freezer Stash

Frozen breastmilk is good in a regular freezer (the kind connected to your refrigerator) for 6 months; I think it's up to 12 months in a deep-freeze.  So, you'll want to continuously rotate your freezer stash to maximize its "shelf life".  Obviously, using a "first in, first out" method will help with this - labeling the bags helps you to always use the oldest milk first, rather than reaching for a bag at random.  Also, I have a weekly "routine" to ensure my freezer stash stays current; since I work part-time, I have to pump at work every day to have milk to send to daycare.  

On Mondays, I send previously-frozen milk; I take the appropriate number of bags out of the freezer on Sunday night and use the warm-water-in-a-Tupperware thawing method mentioned above to thaw the milk in the refrigerator overnight.  On Monday mornings, I pour the thawed milk into bottles for C to drink at daycare during the day.  Tuesdays through Fridays, I send fresh milk to daycare using the milk that I pumped at work the previous day.  For instance, on Tuesday, C is drinking the milk that I pumped on Monday.  I don't need any bottles on the weekends since I'm home to nurse, so on Fridays, I freeze all of the milk that I pump at work on Friday, as well as any excess milk from earlier in the week that may be sitting in my refrigerator. 

Using this routine each week ensures that my freezer stash stays within its 6-month expiration, since I am using (older) frozen milk every Monday and freezing (newer) milk every Friday.  This routine is important to keep milk from expiring in the freezer; the milk I pump on Friday would still be good to send to daycare on Monday, but I have to consistently use frozen milk and freeze new milk in order to keep the expiration current.

From the Kitchen: No-Bake Energy Bites (lactation boosting!)

Nursing or not, these energy bites are an easy and delicious filling snack to have on hand!  They are super quick to make, since they don't involve baking, and taste ALMOST as good as cookie dough!  As a bonus, they contain several lactation-boosting ingredients (galactogogues), including oatmeal, brewer's yeast, and flaxseed, as well as a dose of protein from the coconut and peanut butter!  If you're not nursing, you can easily omit the brewer's yeast if you'd like.  

No-Bake Energy Bites

Adapted from I Can Teach My Child

Yield: ~30 bites (depending on size)

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (rolled oats)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flaxseed (sometimes called flaxseed meal; you can find it in the bulk section, if your grocery store has one, or in the baking aisle)

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup agave or honey

1/2 tablespoon brewer's yeast (nutrition/health stores sell it, or you can order it on Amazon)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until well combined.  (You could also use a hand mixer or even stir by hand). Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then form by hand into balls.  I made mine tablespoon-sized and ended up with about 30 balls.  Enjoy!

*note: these also freeze well! Make a double batch and keep the extras in the freezer!