Like so many of you mamas out there, I had to return to work after I had my son, but I also wanted to continue to provide breast milk for him as well. That meant mastering the art of using a breast pump, figuring out what I needed to transport from work to home every day, and not spilling any milk in the process 🙂 Every mommy is different and you will have to figure out which items fit your situation best, but this list will get you started.
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What should I pack in my pumping bag?
1.) You need to have a double electric breast pump. It will cut your pumping time in half. Some mommies buy two pumps. One for home and one for the office to cut down on how much you have to lug around. I made do with just one 🙂 I love the Spectra S1 and would highly recommend it.
2.) A hands free pumping bra to go with your fancy pump. I like the Simple Wishes bra because it works with any pump and it is adjustable (for this brand I would recommend going a size smaller than you think you need, it is very stretchy and adjustable). This is especially nice if you are able to work while you pump because you will have both hands available!
4.) Your regular pump parts and a spare set of parts just in case something breaks; or you forget… I always get my bottles and flanges ready to go the night before and pop them in a gallon freezer bag so they are ready for the next day.
5.) Bottles. I bring 2-3 bottles (plus the 2 connected to my pump) that Baby L will be drinking from the next day. I also ALWAYS have extra collection bottles and back up collection bottles. You DO NOT want to be scrambling to try to find something to store your milk in, or GASP, have to dump it! These Medela containers are my favorite for measuring and for backup ice packs!
6.) Nursing pads: I really like these reusable ones or these disposable ones.
7.) Nipple cream or coconut oil to help with the friction of the pump on your nipples.
8.) A small towel or burp cloth for spills and leaks. I use these cloth diaper prefolds (they are very absorbent).
9.) A nursing cover if you don’t have a door with a lock on it or just feel better covered up.
10.) Milk storage bags for freezing any extra milk. I prefer the Lansinoh storage bags because I’ve never had issues with leaking and I like that they have a double zipper seal for added protection.
11.) Medela pump wipes for wiping down parts between daily deep cleaning.
12.) Medela quick steam bags for sanitizing your parts. These are great for sterilizing others things like pacifiers as well.
13.) Labels for bottles if your baby will be at daycare. I would write Baby L’s name in sharpie directly on the bottle and use Post-it flags like these to label the date and amount that was in each bottle.
14.) Keep some photos or video of your baby on your phone (like I really need to suggest that!) to stimulate letdown while pumping.
15.) A stylish bag to keep all your gear in.
16.) A water bottle. You MUST stay hydrated to make milk mama!
17.) Snacks. Pumping is hard work and you need to nourish your body to make nourishment for your baby.
18.) Optional: Nursing clothing. I never bought any nursing/pumping specific clothing. If I could lift it up or unbutton it, then I deemed it pumping appropriate!
To read more about pumping at work, please check out my post: The Nursing Mommy’s Guide to Pumping at Work!
Download this FREE checklist to help you get your bag packed:
What Should I Pack in my Pumping Bag Checklist
What are your “must haves” for your pumping bag? I would love to hear from you!
