Pumping on the go…
Pumping is hard. Pumping on the go can be even more stressful. Did you bring all the parts? Where do you wash everything? How are you going to store your milk? So many questions that I was not prepared for when accepting a matron of honor position while I was still breastfeeding/pumping. I am here to help with my first hand experience this summer.
I was 7 months postpartum and attended a bachelorette party and stayed in a camper. A true test to my pumping commitment. Between traveling, wedding festivities, and not being near a working outlet, I did my best to keep my supply going. When preparing for my trip, I had to be sure that I had a reliable source for pumping. I also had to be sure that I had a back up plan, you know "just In case". I purchased a car charger for my breast pump. I brought my hand pump and portable suction Inserts as well. One thing that I know now, is to always have extra parts on stand by! Especially traveling, parts can be lost or easily broken. I prepared for DAYS leading up to the trip. Preparing ahead of time Is NECESSARY. The people who "get ready In the morning" don't have kids.
The best advice I was ever given, was invest in the things that matters most.. Therefore, I Invested in a supportive and comfortable pumping bra. Although pricey, investing in a worthy product helped to improve my success on my breastfeeding journey. One qualification for the investment was that it would allow me to be hands free. Being a mom, I have learned that having both hands readily available for ALL tasks is a blessing because we almost NEVER have two hands available.
Another piece of advice that saves time is pumping directing Into the storage bags. Although I did not and do not use this strategy, it can be useful for decreasing pumps that need washed and storage space in the breast milk cooler/fridge. Depending on your time away, saving space is extremely Important.
The HARDEST part of the trip was sticking to my pumping schedule. I was (we were) doing our best to make the week special for the bride to be, but stay on track with my pumping as well. When you are away from your baby, you want to pump during their normal feeding times to ensure that you keep your supply up. I that point I was pumping 5 times a day!! And I was able to make It work.
While on a bachelorette party, staying hydrated Is VERY Important and it just so happens to be the same for breastfeeding. To stay hydrated while breastfeeding, it is recommended to drink a gallon of water a day. This task was not hard for breastfeeding or being prepared for the trip. And snacking throughout the day is a great way to eat enough calories for milk production and to keep something in your stomach for drinking.
I KNOW what you are going to say, you DO NOT have to pump and dump. This depends on how much you drink and when you plan to feed or pump next. It is recommended by the CDC that a mother wait at least 2 hours after having a drink before feeding her baby or pumping. However, there are breastmilk testing strips. These help to determine if any alcohol was transferred into your milk. I was fortunate enough to be able to pump and dump because of my freezer stash that I collected prior to my trip. Unfortunately, I didn't have room for storing milk properly. NOT everyone Is able to create a stash and that is okay too. That would be a case where the mom would need to prepare for proper storage of her milk.
Although stressful at times, the trip was a success and the bride had a wonderful time. Being away from my daughter for that long and pumping made coming home that much more special. Don't stress about your trip. Contact me and we can prepare for your trip together. I can help you to work through the events of the day and make it possible for you to enjoy yourself.