Ladies: I'm a WAHM - I have 2 kids in school and one baby boy home with me. I work part time from home and I pump usually once at night and keep milk in the freezer for emergencies. Obviously, since I'm always with my son, I just nurse him. He has had bottles during a one week period when I went back to my office after maternity leave and takes them fine. Tomorrow, I will be at a meeting for work all day from 7 am till 4 pm. I am going to pump before I leave. I absolutely cannot bring my pump with me. I just now had the awful realization that this will get very painful for me tomorrow! Any little tips I can take care of at the very last minute? I can't go buy anything, just looking for a suggestion if someone else has had this situation.
Thanks so much!
The meeting is at a hotel conference center! I cannot take a pump there. The only one I have is the medela electric pump in style advanced - LOL! Definitely can't take it...
UPDATE: Thank you ladies! I will take my pump and do this if I can - unfortunately, I don't have the battery pack...or the fancy tote...so far I have not needed to travel with it. But if I cannot manage to pump, I'll hand express. And I am taking extra pads! I'm pumping right now as I sit here before I leave! LOL
2nd UPDATE:
The reason I could not take the pump with me is I don't have the battery pack for it. Long story but it has not been an issue until just now. Normally I am home and just nurse my son and only nurse at night occasionally to have extra bottles on hand for rare occasions. At the conference center, I could have pumped in the bathroom but without the battery pack it would've been logistically difficult! I was prepared to hand express if I needed to but I managed to make it through the day with some discomfort but nothing unbearable and I am home now all is well. Thank you very much ladies for your help and input. I am NOT shy about nursing my son in public whatsoever. I have a nursing cover and have nursed him everywhere - I am more uncomfortable with pumping publicly. And the industry is predominantly male - in a conference of about 100 people there were maybe 10 women there!
Take the pump! More than likely the hotel staff will be able to point you to a private room to pump. If not you can hand express for comfort. Don't forget extra pads in case you leak.....
I'd bring the pump. I did pump in the sitting area of of a hotel ladies room on one or two occasions. I just adjusted my shirt so the pump was hidden (I'm not that modest). There was an outlet and I also had an (older) Pump in Style pump. You may not have access to a fridge to store the milk but at least you won't be uncomfortable. I would ask at the desk though--they may be able to give you a better alternative.
why can't you take a pump with you? You could keep it in your bag and use it in the bathroom. Otherwise you are gonna be in a LOT of pain. If I miss a feeding my boobs are throbbing- let alone going all day.
My electric pump also takes batteries which is helpful since bathrooms usually do not have a plug anywhere handy. I have pumped in my car before, there is an outlet in the trunk. 9 hours is a very long time to go without pumping!
Did a hand pump come with your electric pump? Mine did (Medela). They may sell them at walmart too, you would have to check. At least that way you could go in a stall. I would take some ibuprofen with you for any pain and also lots of nursing pads. Good luck!
One more idea: they sell converters that turn a regular plug into a car plug. If they have that at walmart, you can pick one up along the way and then sneak out to pump in the car. Are you going to have this situation a lot in the future? Because I have one of these converters and don't use it anymore. I would be happy to mail it to you if you PM me. Good luck!
Wear a tight bra or even 2. If you have good supply , I don't think binding them for 1 day will effect supply.
Can you hand express? If you aren't used to it, you may not get a lot out, but it might be enough to relieve some discomfort.
I took my pump with me every where for a year! Work, school, anywhere that I'd be away for more than a couple of hours! I suggest bringing the pump. Don't be anxious about asking to occupy an empty office/room for 15 minutes or even a bathroom stall with an outlet. That will be best for you, I think. I have to praise you: You rock for breastfeeding! Go mommy! Yay!!! Yay for super healthy babies!
The pump in style is in a tote bag... can be plugged in anywhere (posh bathroom, lobby - which I am sure there is more than one, and you can find a isolated one, etc...) - - so I'm not understanding why you can't take it and use it? They generally give 2 15 minute breaks and a 30min - 1 hour lunch break. PLENTY of time to pump once or twice.
There is nothing to be ashamed about with pumping...
I second getting a cheap hand pump. They are about $30 and easily packed around so you can take it into the bathroom. It's great for it you have a black out or any other non electrical emergency
Are you worried about what your coworkers or other people at the conference would think? It shouldn't be a big deal to take the pump. I had jury duty and lugged my pump all of the courthouse (thankfully just for 1 day). I spoke to the person in charge of jury duty and they provided me with an office to pump in and even provided me with a frig to use. I would think a hotel would be just as accommodating.
Just curious why you can't take it? I worked at a hotel and we had plenty of moms that needed to pump during a meeitng. They would come to the front desk during a break and ask for either an empty office or a vacant room to pump. Our front desk was always accomidating when this would come up. I would call the hotel and ask if this would be possible or not. I hope this helps!
I have been in that situation before and I have the same pump you do. It comes with a battery pack, so you could use that and pump in your car. Also, the people at the hotel front desk should be able to provide you with a private place. Most hotels host weddings and have small private rooms for the bridal party before the reception....this is where the staff brought me for privacy.
If you find bringing it impossible, then hand express to relieve the pain. You will get through it!
Hotels have bathrooms, and you should at least get a lunch break! I can go from 9pm-6am without pumping, and I wake up in pain! Since I'm sleeping, it's not a huge deal, but as soon as I'm awake my LO has to eat or I have to pump. It's not going to be too easy to focus on the meeting if you are in pain (not to mention if you start to leak!). Even 5 minutes on a break will give you some relief!
If you can't bring your pump into the meeting area, take it in the car, bring an adapter or battery pack and either pump at lunch or pump before you go home. I wore a big sweater backwards when that sort of thing happened to me. Our meetings were in a movie theater. I also took my pump with me to a corporate visit and pumped in the restroom because I had to. Be careful with not pumping at all or you might end up engorged and leaking in the middle of the meeting. My pump was the Medela PISA, too.
Edit to add that I have hand-expressed when the pump didn't work and it worked out. I even managed to save a few ounces for the baby. Good luck today!
If you can, breastfeed him on both sides before you leave instead of pumping. Wear your bra pads and pack some extra. Rush home to feed him asap, or pump right after the meeting. Since you pump, the milk production is slowing down you might feel some discomfort if any, but you should be fine.
I hope this don't sound horrible, but you may have to take a bathroom break and release some of the milk. Its unfortunate you have to waste it, but it will help with the heavyness and the pain from not pumping.(just a little) I been there! :)
Don't forget, if you do nothing you may leak all over. You do not want that to happen.
I would say to hand express, you really won't be able to go that long without pumping when you have an infant. If these situations will come up again, please think about picking up an Avent Isis. However, I don't understand why you can't take your PIS to a conference center. Women do this all the time. That's what those heavy duty pumps are for, women take them to work, on business travel and everywhere. I don't understand why you think you can't bring it with you???
