Pumping routine at work?

[ncat]

I am returning to work full time in 2 weeks. Since I didn't go back to work until my DD was 2 (and she would NEVER take a bottle), I have no experience with this! I'm assuming that I need to pump at the times DS would eat, but beyond that I need some help. I work for a very small company, and I am the first nursing mother to have a baby and return to work.

How do you clean pump parts between pumping sessions?

How often do you clean/sterilize the tubing?

How do you store the cleaned parts?

If you pump directly into bottles, do you use only the small size bottles and assume that baby will take 2 per feeding?

How many bottles total will I need? Are 2 sets enough - one for filling at work and one for feeding at daycare?

Thanks in advance!

[infomama]

That was me! First nursing mom, small workplace..not a lot of privacy. I pumped at least 3 times a day at work (I work 12 hour shifts). I have an Ameda Purely Yours (double electric pump). Make sure they give you a private, comfortable spot to pump.

In the beginning I washed pump parts but I soon realized that I was uncomfortable doing this in the communal kitchen so I changed my plan. I bought three complete sets of equipment. Everything except the hose was fresh and clean for each pumping session. I ended up putting it all in a backpack with two plastic bags, one for clean stuff..one for dirty. I threw everything (expt the hose) in the dishwasher when I got home each night.

I pumped into the 4oz bottles that came with my pump. Then I transferred the cooled milk to Lansinoh BM storage bags when I got home. I can't remember how much DD was eating at that time..just adjust for your DC's needs.

My DD's never went to daycare (my mom takes care of my DC's at our home when we are at work) so I can't give you advise on the # of bottles you will need.

Congratulations on making this commitment to your DC! Pumping at work can be challenging at times but the rewards are so worth it.

HTH

[hillaryb]

I pumped twice a day at work with a MPIS while DD was still nursing. I wanted to stay on her same schedule, but would probably add an extra to keep up supply if I did it again. We had an extra room off the women's restroom, so I pumped there. I washed the parts out with warm soapy water in the sink and let them dry on my pump bag. I cleaned the tubing as needed (not after every use) at home.

I could use the bottles that came with the pump most times. I brought 4 and could fill 2 each session. I stored them in the bag that came with the pump using a cold pack. When I was getting to the point that I needed more freezer space at home, I'd dump the bottles into the Lansinoh bags and freeze them when I got home.

Just a warning, unless you have a room with a lockable door to pump in, you will get walked in on. People missed the big sign I posted and wondered what the noise was. Read a magazine, so you'll be "covered" if that happens.

We had 3-4 feeding bottles, 1-2 for home, 1 for diaper bag and 1 for day care. But I didn't use feeding bottle for pumping, so you might need more. We have 3 of the same kind of sippy cups now, home, diaper bag and day care.I got differnt colors so I can tell if a bottle is MIA.

[ncat]

Thanks for the ideas! I am relieved that I will have a fairly private spot with a locking door to pump in and not have to use the bathroom, compete for a conference room, or make someone leave their office. Originally, they wanted me to use the bathroom but they realized that there are no outlets in the stalls! I'm definitely not excited about washing parts in the small communal kitchen.

[Momof3Labs]

Re: pump parts. I just rinsed them with water after a pumping and stored them in the fridge. Then took them home at the end of the day to wash. The Medela microwave steam bags are awesome too.

I rarely washed the tubing unless I thought it needed it. The steam bags are great for this, too.

I pumped into bottles and then transferred to bags to freeze, but I also had a huge freezer stash and wanted to use the old stuff in the freezer before the newest stuff, generally speaking. I'd recommend that you have day care transfer only as much milk as he needs that feeding from a storage bag or bottle into a feeding bottle so that you aren't wasting it (day cares often toss the rest of a bottle, even if several ounces remain).

[infomama]

Originally, they wanted me to use the bathroom but they realized that there are no outlets in the stalls!

I'm glad you have a clean, safe place to relax and pump but I had to say...that is total BS that they even suggested you pump in a restroom stall. Unreal.

Oh, you may want to bring a little radio if you don't want people to hear the pump. It made me feel more comfortable knowing people walking by the room couldn't hear the pump.

[pb&j]

1. I just rinse and refrigerate between sessions. At my old job when I was pumping for DS, I didn't have ready access to a sink, so I didn't even rinse. I wash in soapy water at home and/or use the Medela microwave sterilizer bags.

2. Next to never.

3. Once they're dry, I dump them right into my dirty old PISA backpack.

4. I pump into Playtex drop-ins. Depending on my output, I'll combine the milk from a pumping session into one drop-in for later feeding.

[BayAreaMom]

First of all, good for you. I pumped at work for 3 1/2 months and it was quite a chore. The pump sessions took 15 minutes and I usually pumped 2x but 3x on some days when I had meetings and couldn't get to my first pump session in time (so I did it earlier, then pumped at lunch, and late afternoon). This is also rare, but I pumped first thing in the morning (I didn't nurse my dd, she wasn't a big morning eater, and I was able to pump out a ton of milk (about 12-16 oz in one session). I had two sets of shields- one set stayed at home drying after I used it in the am, then I brought a second to work).

My work did have a 'resting' room (think large soft bench and dim lamp) off the ladies room, but i really didn't feel comfortable rinsing anything in the bathroom or kitchen sink, and only had a small communal fridge for storage. ALSO, this room was often used by ladies resting, so I had to post a sign stating my pumping needs/times. If the room was occupied and I couldn't get the person to leave, I sometimes went to my car. Not sure what pump you have, but I found the PISA battery pack to be way too weak. I only used the wall outlet or car 12V adapter. A bummer, because the battery pack would have been useful in some cases (think power outage!).

Your answers:
1. I used the medela sterlizer wipes after the first session, then after the second session just left the dirty parts in a zip-lock bag afterwards to be cleaned at home (I usually did a long hot soapy soak, then air dried overnight).

2. Rarely- if moisture built up, I swung the tubing (like a lasso) and the moisure usually came out. I found if I sterlized them, they just never dried out.

3. Quart Zip lock bags with zip tops. Went through tons of them (sorry landfills).

4. I pumped directly into my 8 oz. or 4 oz. Dr. Brown bottles or the 4 oz. medela bottles (8 oz in the am at home, then the 4 oz at work.). My daughter was feeding using the 8 oz, so I had would transfer the milk into the 8 oz. We had something like 12- 8 oz bottles and 8- 4 oz bottles, and she used about 6 bottles/day max.


Good luck

[elephantmeg]

I've pumped for a year with DS and am at almost a year with DD! It's interesting. When I work 8-5 (at the begining) I nurse around 6:30 am, pump at 11, pump at 3 and then nurse around 5:30. Now (at 10-11 months) I pump just once-at 2 and she nurses when we get home and at bedtime. With DS I pumped again at my bedtime once he was going to bed earlier than me and used that for stash. With DD I just never did much of a stash. If for some reason I don't have quite enough she gets some formula. She's had maybe 16 oz total-all since she started solids so I'm not really worried. With DS I would have been heartbroken, lol.

[JanBaby]

I will also be going back to work in about two weeks - this has been really helpful info! DD nurses 6-7 times per day and gets one bottle at night that I currently pump for. For the most part she nurses just on one side, after 20 - 30 minutes she's done. So, when I pump at work do I just pump on one side at a time to keep up the schedule that's we are currently on?