Pumping while driving?

[Liziz]

I'm going back to work in a few weeks, and am trying to figure out my schedule for pumping. There's a couple days a week where I'll likely be driving during what I expect to be pumping time....can anyone share experiences with me about pumping while driving a car? I have a hands-free bra already, and figure I'll buy the car adapter if I can make it work well to pump while driving. Any experiences, tips, or tricks would be appreciated!

[sntm]

It's been a long time, but the key thing is to make sure you have something supporting the bottles in your lap and that you can easily access the off switch for when you are done. I was a high producer, and spilled once when I wasn't paying attention and overflowed the bottles. Keep an oversized cheap cardigan in the car to wear that will help to cover things up.

[lizzywednesday]

I've done it and here's what I did:

(1) I didn't worry about supporting the bottles. The bra was enough support. I used the Simple Wishes Hands-Free Pumping Bustier, which was recommended by a mama on this board who'd been an EP-er while her LO was nursing. Best $30 I ever asked my mom to spend on me! (I liked it so much, I bought one for a friend as a shower gift.)

(2) I buckled my pump into the front passenger seat and hooked in before turning the car (and the pump) on. This is key. You need to be comfy before you start moving or else you're stuck and discomfort leads to distraction.

(3) I covered up using a nursing cover because I didn't want to buy something expressly for pumping in the car. It worked out just fine.

(4) I used 8oz bottles over the 5oz bottles or bags because of the overflow issue. You have to practice hooking in to see if this will work.

(5) I'd use a fairly low power setting while doing car-pumps, just in case of volume or traffic delays on the road. But, then again, I was driving almost an hour away those times!

(6) Medela Pump Wipes are your friend. They're pricey, but their size and moisture content make them positively ideal for cleanups of pump parts on the go. Use lanolin wipes or a baby washcloth for your breasts; keep it inside the pump bag and you'll never forget it. (I used to keep nursing pads, lanolin, wipes and a timer in my pump bag.)

FWIW, if you have the PISA, the car adaptor does not affect pump performance one bit. I used it during a breast cancer 2-day event, in the parking lot of a wedding DH and I attended and a few times while driving to my Dad's. Each time, I didn't notice any difference between the car adaptor and the regular A/C wall-plug.

[essnce629]

Ahh memories! I used to pump while driving all the time when I was in nursing school and had to drive an hour to get anywhere. I don't have anything more to add, but I always had scrub tops on when pumping which covered everything. The nursing cover is a good idea I wouldn't have thought of. And I definitely agree on getting everything set up and in position before you start driving.

[Liziz]

Great tips, thank you! I'm glad to know it can work well...and I didn't know there was such a thing as lanolin wipes, nor would I have thought to buckle in the pump, so I'm especially thankful for those tips!

[BabyDahl]

Like PPs have stated, the nursing cover was key for me! I have a Freestyle, so I would hook everything up to my nursing tank/bra, put on my seatbelt (across my chest), then plug in the tubing and put my HooterHider over the top. I would switch off the pump after about 15 minutes and leave everything connected until I got to my destination (usually home or work). I didn't cause any lookie-loo accidents (that I know of ;) ) because I was pretty well covered.

[joules]

I didn't have a nursing cover. I just used a loose open front cardigan - one of those that don't have buttons in the front. They are really cheap at Marshalls. I used a hair clip to keep it closed.

[Liziz]

Thanks again ladies! I did my "test run" this weekend and it went great! I am going to go ahead and get 8 oz bottles like someone suggested...I don't produce over 5 oz/side, but it's close enough that in the car, with movement, odd angles, etc. I won't be worried about overflow at all.