https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:12:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273752 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 13:09:36 +0000 MrsF 2273752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: I hands free bra (I like the simple wishes one) is definitely a must for me. I like to eat my lunch / talk on my phone while I'm pumping so I need my hands. I also pump in the car while driving twice a day on my work days so... yeah. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273751 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 13:08:47 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2273751@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never pumped at work since I'm staying at home, but when I was trying to EP, I never washed the pump parts after each pumping session. I just wiped them off and put them in a Tupperware in the fridge and pulled them out to use the next time. And then I only washed them once a day. Saved so much time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273748 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 13:06:40 +0000 Anya 2273748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't use a pump bra either- I use @avivoca: 's "method" haha. I kept meaning to buy one but now that I've been at it for a few months I feel like eh, I don't need it. I only pump for 15-30 minutes at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273722 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:37:48 +0000 avivoca 2273722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pumped twice a day at work for 9 months. I never rinsed my parts between pumps, I just stuck them in the cooler bag in the fridge. I washed my pump parts and bottles every two days (I had two sets of parts and enough bottles to cover two days). I also had two sets of ice packs and two cooler bags (I had two pumps), so I always had ice cold packs ready to go in the morning.</p> <p>As for the milk routine, H got frozen milk on Mondays, fresh milk Tuesday through Friday, and I froze what I got on Friday. After awhile, I started doing my Friday pumps directly into freezer bags to save a step.</p> <p>I did not use a pump bra because I hate them. My pumping room was a storage closet for 7 months and then I got upgraded to an empty office, so I didn't fool with an separate bra and got really good at holding the flanges with one arm and my phone with the other.</p> <p>I highly recommend keeping a back-up pack of freezer bags and two rubber bands in your desk at work. There were days that I forgot my bottles and it was so nice to have those in my desk. I also kept a set in my pump bag. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273714 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:29:07 +0000 NeekieRose 2273714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: pumping bra is definitely a must. I forgot mine at home once and the entire time I was pumping I was thinking "how do people do this without a handsfree bra? This is miserable!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273693 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:10:27 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2273693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: @MrsBrewer: I have one of those bags too, but mine is the big one and we use it to keep cold stuff when we drive to my parents. I found it at Homesource and they had several other sizes too.</p> <p>I used the 5-oz bottles that came with my Medela pump. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273671 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 11:43:40 +0000 blackbird 2273671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: Amazon! it was $12 or so! The pumping bra is a must unless you want to sit there and hold your flanges on the whole time (um, no....i also label my milk bags, etc while I'm pumping). I'm so clumsy, I would spill on myself. Plus, sometimes i have to pump at home and keep E entertained, and there's just no way to do that without hands-free capability. There are some $12-$25 options on Amazon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273561 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:58:42 +0000 MrsBrewer 2273561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: ahh! Thank you for all the details!! Where did you buy that cooler bag? I love it! I don't have a pumping bra.... Would you consider that a must?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273556 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:54:06 +0000 snowjewelz 2273556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: I pump into the 5-6 oz Medela bottles. I never get more than 5 oz per side anyway! Then I combine into a tall Medela bottle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273555 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:53:09 +0000 blackbird 2273555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just figured out my routine! I pump twice at work and then once in the car, en route to the gym. </p> <p>In my backpack, I have: lansinoh bags, 4-oz bottles, lids, my freestyle pump, my pump bra, a pen, some burp rags, some nipple cream, disposable nursing pads, and headphones (i like to listen to white noise and read on my kindle app while i pump). </p> <p>At work in a spare drawer, I have extra bottles, lids, and bags. I also keep a back up pump </p> <p>So I go down to the pump room, do my thing, and then when I'm unhooking, I measure the milk out from the bottles into 4 ounce portions in the bag. I also do a 2 ounce bag. If i don't have enough for a 2 or 4 ounce bag, I cap the bottle and pump into it at the next session. So at the end of the day, I should have (3) 4-oz bags and (1) 2-oz bag. Then i screw the bottles back onto the pump flange parts and toss them in the gallon ziplock bag and put that back in my backpack, which i keep at my desk. I don't bother to refrigerate my used pump parts between sessions. </p> <p>The bags (and potential bottle) of milk go into my cooler bag, which I keep IN THE FREEZER at work because the gel packs are built into the cooler walls. I love this cooler bag. It's not as bulky as the medela one, it collapses, and it holds bags and bottles if i need it to. And it's bright/cheery and I'm not likely to lose it. I'm cycling through a frozen stash, so I won't use the milk for a couple of weeks. Then when I am ready to go home for the day, I grab my cooler and toss it in my purse (where I am sure NOT to forget about it). So i take the cooler bag and my backpack to the pump room and back. </p> <p>When I get home, I wash the parts, dry them, wipe out the ziploc bag, and put them back in that bag, then put them back in my backpack. If i lay them out to dry, I forget to pack them.</p> <p>I just bring frozen bags to daycare--she is happy to thaw them and portion them out accordingly.</p> <p>[attach=618/15/ntp2ol.478x478.36593242430599p.jpg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273553 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:52:08 +0000 MrsBrewer 2273553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What size bottles do you pump into?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273545 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:42:05 +0000 jetsa 2273545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3 months in on the second kid and here is my routine. We have breaks at 9:30, 12, and 2:30 so that is when I pump. I try to pump for as close to 30 minutes as I can, through trial and error I've found I have a 3rd letdown at 28 minutes and so I like to get that extra little bit.</p> <p>I leave all of my equipment in the fridge in between sessions and wash at the end of each week, breastmilk is good for 5-7 days in the fridge and so I've had no issues and it saves me so much time washing. I store in bottles, typically dumping everything I pump into 2-8oz bottles and bringing it to daycare for the next day </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273538 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:37:52 +0000 snowjewelz 2273538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't wash pump parts. When I first started, I pumped 3x at work. I put the pump parts (all attached) into a zip lock bag, and put it in the shared fridge in between uses. But I also have one of those steam bags from Medela just in case I somehow got something dirty; that way I can wash/sanitize, and I'd just try to fling out all the water. A little bit of moisture is okay in my book.</p> <p>For the milk, I have a little cooler bag with icepacks (mine was a gift from Skip Hop). After my first pump, go in cooler, go in fridge. 2nd pump goes into separate bottle, go in cooler/fridge. 3rd pump, I combine milk from 1st and 2nd pump since both are now cold (same temp). So at the end of the day I just have two bottles of milk to take home. </p> <p>I don't freeze till weekend; on or after Friday I will freeze what I pumped on Friday, then Sunday night take out the oldest frozen bags to thaw so I can rotate and not have super old milk. </p> <p>Hope this helps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273517 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:23:40 +0000 NeekieRose 2273517@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do similar as people above. I don't wash in between pumps at work. I also bring an insulated lunch bag that has 3 ice packs in it. That way I don't even have to put the bag in the fridge, it stays with me in my office. </p> <p>I also pump into the bottles that are used the rest of the week. If you only have 4 bottles, I think you may need more. I think I have about 20 bottles and I still feel like I am running out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273510 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:19:34 +0000 mamabolt 2273510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I brought 4 bottles in the case that came with the pump. And my pump parts in a Tupperware. I rinsed after each session and stored in the fridge between sessions, then washed at the end of the day. I kept milk in bottles and transferred to the bottles she drank from at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273504 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:15:12 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2273504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used the fresh milk Tuesday through Friday. I froze what I pumped on Friday and pulled some out of the freezer on Sunday night to use on Monday.</p> <p>ETA - I did not have a large freezer stash - only about 50 oz when I returned to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273503 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:15:12 +0000 Bluebonnet 2273503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: I pumped twice a day at work. I brought 4 bottles with lids and 1 set of pump parts (I'd wipe clean with the Medela wipes after my first pumping session).</p> <p>I had a large freezer stash, so it was important that I cycled through frozen milk. Every day, half of LO's bottles would be fresh milk and the other half would be frozen milk. (So I froze about half of what I pumped at work). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273501 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:14:16 +0000 Anya 2273501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pump 3x per day and pump directly into bags. After I pump I wipe off the parts, put them and the bags in my cooler with ice packs until the next session. When I get home I wash the pump parts for the next day. </p> <p>I use my oldest frozen milk on Monday and the previous day's pumped milk Tue-Fri. The milk I pump on Friday goes into the freezer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273498 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:13:35 +0000 LuLu Mom 2273498@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: I bought another set of bottles, it was to have extras. I pumped 3 times a day. I combined the pumps after each time, but still needed 5 bottles (I pumped quite a bit.) </p> <p>Our room had a faucet, so I would rinse the parts after each pump and lay out on a towel to dry in the room (I was only 1 of 2 people using the room at the time, so we both did this in a separate area.) The milk I kept in the bottles so it was one less step, but I did combine to reduce amounts of bottles. I also kept bags &amp; the Medela wipes on hand in my bag. I had a work pump &amp; a at home pump so I would take parts home every week to sterilize, which is why I felt it was necessary for me to clean with hot water/soap after each pump since they were only being sterilized once a week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273493 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:09:50 +0000 regberadaisy 2273493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Fresh milk has the most nutrition so I always use that first if there's enough. There'll be days where you have to a skip a pump for whatever reason. Or you're sick or stressed and can't pump enough for next day. Having a stash will be nice to take the stress off, knowing it's there!<br /> I only pump 2x a day at work then once before I go to bed. It takes me 20-30 minutes to pump so I just work through my lunch hour to make up the time. If I added another session I would have to stay 30 minutes later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273487 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:04:15 +0000 catlady 2273487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pumped 3x per day. After the first and second session, I would wipe down the pump parts with a paper towel and put them in a zip lock bag, then leave it all in the fridge. I would only wash all the parts at the end of each day.</p> <p>At the end of each session, I would try to consolidate the milk into a single bottle. Then I would pump into new bottles and consolidate again. However I would also occasionally need to pump into a bottle that had milk already in it. I transported the milk in bottles (it just felt safe that way) and put them into bags at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273483 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:03:33 +0000 MrsF 2273483@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: start out with 3 and see how it goes! as things regulate you can adjust. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273480 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 09:01:35 +0000 MrsBrewer 2273480@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsF: Yea I'm thinking another set of bottles would probably be a good idea! I'm just worried I will get super full if I drop to only 2 pumping sessions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273478 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:57:34 +0000 MrsF 2273478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: I started out pumping 3 times at work but that was really hard (I'm a nurse and have to have someone else cover my patients while I'm pumping) and I realized I could get just as much from 2. J also only takes one side at a time when he's nursing but obviously I'm pumping both sides at a time so maybe it evens out a little more. You could start with 3 pumps and experiment a little to see how it goes. </p> <p>I would probably buy one more set of bottles with caps just to simplify the logistics a bit - but you could also combine two pumps worth and pump into the second set. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273473 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:54:09 +0000 MrsF 2273473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBrewer: I use the fresh milk if it's enough. Now that J is 9 months and my supply has dropped a bit I'm supplementing from my freezer stash. Sometimes if I felt like the frozen milk was getting too old I would freeze some of the fresh stuff and use frozen for 1 bottle a day or so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273472 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:53:46 +0000 MrsBrewer 2273472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsF: So you pump twice at work? My LO is 12 weeks, and I plan on pumping 3 times (because that's how many feedings she would normally have). I also have 4 bottles with caps. Do you think I should just buy 1 more set of bottles with caps? I normally pump 3-4 oz each side during a session </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273468 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:51:40 +0000 MrsBrewer 2273468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I know you guys mentioned that you use the milk for your LO's for the next day, what about if you have a freezer stash? Do you always use fresh milk, or do you use the freezer stash? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273467 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:50:09 +0000 MrsF 2273467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I felt so clueless when I started but now (9 months) it's been second nature for so long. </p> <p>I bring an insulated lunch box with an ice pack in it. I put all of my bottles (4) , caps and pump parts (assembled) in it. I bring my pump bag with the pump itself and my hands free bra and nursing cover (the office I pump in doesn't have a lock so I like to wear a cover). I pump into the first set of bottles in the morning, and then put the bottles and pump parts back into the lunch box. I give the pump parts a quick wipe with a cloth napkin and put them (still assembled) back into the lunch box and into the fridge. For my second pump I take the whole thing out again, pump into the second set of bottles and do the same thing. I bring everything home in the lunch box and divide the milk into 5 ounce servings in the same bottles for J to drink the next day. If there's extra I freeze it (I bring a few freezer milk bags to work in case I have extra). I wash the pump parts and put them on the drying rack to bring to work the next time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273465 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:49:13 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2273465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just rinsed my parts and stuck them in a ziplock bag in the fridge. I never had problems with getting water in the tubes. I left the milk in the bottles because it was one less thing to bother with at work. I didn't think they took up a whole lot of room and it all fit easily in my bag I put in the fridge. Maybe if I had a smaller bag I would have gone to milk bags, but I was always worried the bags would spill and I would have transferred it into the bottles she drank from when I packed for the next day anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-specifics#post-2273457 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:43:38 +0000 regberadaisy 2273457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bring my pump parts assembled in a clean bag. Then I have a separate bag that i put the used parts in. Those go into my cooler bag. I pump directly into bottles that she will use the next day at daycare. Less waste and stuff to wash! The bottles go also into the cooler bag and then it all goes in the fridge. I wash with hot soapy water and sterilize pump parts nightly </p>