Pumping is a big commitment, especially for moms who work out of the home. You have to carry a big heavy pump + accessories, pump multiple times a day while you’re at work, bring all the milk home, and wash those endless pump parts. Phew! I commend you pumping mamas!
Pumping was a big part of my daily life, and having the right gear made it a lot easier. Here’s the Hellobee guide to all the pumping supplies you need!
1. First Years Drying Rack – Pumps have a lot of parts you have to wash and this drying rack holds so much! We still use it to this day. I also purchased the popular Boon Grass Drying Rack. As cute as it is, it just didn’t hold enough for my needs so I gave it to a friend.
2. Lansinoh Milk Storage Bags – Every pumping mom’s favorite milk storage bag. I would store 4 oz of milk in each bag and then lay them flat in the freezer so they would freeze evenly. A good friend of mine who pumped exclusively advised that I put 8 oz in each bag, or it’d just be a waste of bags. But Charlie didn’t take more than 4 oz for a very long time, so freezing 4 oz portions worked best for me.
4. Medela Softfit Breastshield – One thing I didn’t know when I first bought my Medela pump was that the shields come in many different sizes. Having the proper size shield can have a big impact on your comfort while pumping, and your milk production. The standard size the comes with the pump is definitely not one size fits all. And of course it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of extra sets if you’re pumping more than once a day.
5. Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump – When you gotta pump you gotta pump, and you may not always be able to lug your big electric pump around. A manual pump enables you to pump discreetly in a bathroom if you need to relieve yourself of engorgement. And you probably don’t want people to hear the motor from your electric pump. For the mom that only pumps occasionally, a manual hand pump instead of a double electric may be sufficient for your needs.
6. Medela Freestyle Spare Parts Kit – You’re probably going to want a couple of extra sets of breast shields and pump parts if you’re pumping more than once a day, otherwise you’re going to be doing dishes nonstop.
7. Simple Wishes Hands Free Pumping Bra – While the Medela Freestyle Pump featured in this guide is supposed to be handsfree, many moms seem to prefer the Simple Wishes bra instead. You can use the hands-free bra with any of Medela’s double pumps. This way your hands are free to blog!
8. Medela Freestyle Pump – Medela’s Freestyle and In Style Advanced with Metro Bag are two of the most popular pumps around. The In Style was so effective for me, I was able to pump as much as I did with a hospital grade pump!
9. Medela Breastmilk Feeding and Storage Set – You’re probably going to need more bottles for storing milk, but I only used the Medela bottles for storage because the nipple which was way too fast for Charlie (he had some swallowing issues). Keep in mind that the more inexpensive Medela bottles you can buy in bulk don’t have black measurement lines — they’re clear so they’re very difficult to see. Instead of the bulk bottles, opt for the Gerber First Essential Bottles which are available in 5 and 9 ounce sizes. They fit perfectly with the Medela pump, and they’re much more inexpensive than the Medela bottles.
Did you have any pumping essentials we’re missing?
Breastfeeding Problems part 1 of 13
1. Pumping Supplies by Guides2. Mastitis Misery by mrs. wagon
3. Elimination Diet Adventures by Mrs. Superhero
4. Tips & Tricks When Baby Refuses the Bottle by Checklists
5. Breastfeeding Woes by breastfeeding
6. Clogged Milk Ducts (and How to Treat Them) by Mrs. Bee
7. Probiotics for Preventing Thrush by Mrs. Bee
8. Mastitis by Mrs. Bee
9. The Shield Between Us by Mrs. Hopscotch
10. Too Much of a Good thing (or dealing with an oversupply) by Mrs. Superhero
11. Battling Oversupply by Mrs. Sketchbook
12. Unsolicited Breastfeeding Advice for New Moms Part II by breastfeeding
13. Mastitis by Mrs. Chocolate
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
bottle brushes/cleaners
drying rack!
cherry / 190 posts
I absolutely adore my Medela Harmony pump. As a WAHM, I don’t have to pump very often, so it’s the perfect fit for me. I love that it’s portable, small, and discreet, as well as efficient. Great recommendations!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
Oh my gosh, what’s the cost of all that?? My work doesn’t really have a pump-friendly location (unless you count the bathroom… yuck), so I’m not sure I’ll be able to supply my children with breast milk once I go back to work… but it’s definitely good to know all the equipment in case I do!
honeydew / 7968 posts
i’m curious to know what the women at work did with the milk they pumped – i’m sure they had to keep it cold!
do you guys know how long breast milk is good for? i don’t like the idea of freezing, especially since i absolutely hate freezer burns.
btw, thanks for the list!
cherry / 182 posts
I’ve love to hear if anyone tried both hard and soft breastshields, and which they liked better!
apricot / 321 posts
Second the bottle brush and drying rack! I pumped at work and put the bottles in the Medela case in the fridge during the day. It’s just the small black case pictured above so it’s pretty discreet. Luckily I have a short commute so I didn’t need to use the icepack, just took the pack home and put it in the fridge when I got home. The milk is good for 4-5 days or so in the fridge, without freezing.
pomegranate / 3053 posts
Drying rack for sure. This is my favorite (http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Spinning-Drying-White/dp/B000K53UEI) as it can store SO much stuff…Still using it until this day. I never tried the Lansinoh storage bags but the Medela ones are really good too. I noticed the other day they changed the design a bit so it’s easier to use with your Medela pump. I’d rather just screw a bottle on it to ensure it doesn’t spill accidentally. And most standard size bottles fit onto the Medela breast pumps.
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
sure we can add a drying rack and bottle brush!
@erwoo – that’s the bottle rack we have and we still use it. and i didn’t like the medela bags because i’d rather pump into the bottles… i had problems with spilling too!
@geekinheels – i used both the soft shields and hard shields. to me it didn’t make a big difference. some reviews say the soft shields warp in the dishwasher, but i never had that problem. i used the hard shields more often just because that’s what my local store carried, and i think they’re cheaper too. some people prefer the soft and some people prefer the hard shields, so i guess it depends on the person!
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
@erwoo i started off with the same drying rack! i stopped pumping at 2 months and started nursing my daughter exclusively. when i introduced solids, i purchased this and i love it!
http://www.amazon.com/Boon-Grass-Countertop-Drying-Spring/dp/B0032G9E0G/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1317340712&sr=1-1
persimmon / 1255 posts
A microwave steam sterilizer and the Phillips Avent bottle brush
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
I’ve tried different bag brands and my favorite is the Sprouts brand! It’s heavy duty and there’s a double seal… it’s also biodegradable so great for the environment!! The Lansinoh bags broke on me a few times here and there.
I also used the Medela Harmony AND the double pump. I couldn’t live without either of them. I’m so glad my work has a dedicated “mother’s room” and you actually have to check out a key to enter (yay for privacy!). I don’t know if I’d be able to pump at work if I didn’t have a place like that.
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
ok the guide has been updated with my favorite drying rack and bottle brush!
pomegranate / 3053 posts
@coffee bean – Yeah, I’ve heard great things about that drying rack as well. Thanks for the rec.
pomegranate / 3053 posts
@chopsuey119 – Oops! LOL! The last post was meant for you. I just woke up so still have morning eyes!
GOLD / pomelo / 5167 posts
My shields warped from extremely hot (after boiled) water. I would use that to disinfect them.
I had the 1 electric medela pump. And that was fine for me.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@tequiero21 – i pumped at work and used the ice pack and black bag that comes with my medela double pump. then i’d stick it in our work fridge. i live close enough to work that i’m able to go home for lunch on some days so i’d bring the morning stash home with me.
honeydew / 7917 posts
This is a great guide! At first I didn’t invest money in a double pump and opted for a single electric one instead. I soon realized that my LO wasn’t going to get his milk directly from the source, and I rented a pump from the hospital. From there I was determined to keep pumping and did my research to find the perfect pump for me (I went with the Hygeia Enjoye recommended by Oh Apostrophe).
I can’t live without my hands free pumping bra, and I highly recommend everyone to buy one. It makes pumping enjoyable and gives me an actual break during the day.
apricot / 464 posts
Definitely recommend the hands free bra, it makes such a difference!
@Yin: I hope you like the hygeia! I’ve had such a good experience with it!
olive / 70 posts
What a nice post! I opted for the Ameda pump instead of the Medela because it was a little more cost effective. One key thing that I thought was important was getting an extra set of tubing because it was easier to clean one set and use the other, and vice versa. For my second baby, I’m thinking of trying out the Medela hands free pump. Some friends of mine have even invested in the Medela Symphony, which is supposedly the hospital grade pump and costs about $1000. Now that’s a hefty price tag.
pea / 13 posts
@chopsuey119 – we also had the grass drying rack. Holds a lot, easy to clean, modern, and aesthetically pleasing. Long after pumping we dried wine glasses and tupperware on it and eventually gave it to my friend who just wanted it for her own kitchen.
pea / 11 posts
When I pumped while traveling, the medela wipes and microwave bags were great to have. I also discovered that Dr. Brown’s glass bottles could be screwed right onto the medela pump which really cut down on having to wash an extra set of medela bottles.
olive / 54 posts
Definitely a “yes” on the microwave bag. Those are lifesavers epecially when you pump at work.
apricot / 321 posts
I loved the Medela quickclean wipes for pumping at work. The kitchen was far away from the mother’s room and I didn’t like washing the pump things out all the time. I would just wipe them down during the day and then wash them each night at home. Get the big pack instead of the individually wrapped – each wipe is much bigger and there’s less wasted packaging.
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
i had the bags and wipes but never really used them since i work from home. but for working/pumping mamas, they must be great! i need to update this guide with breast pads, so I’ll add the bags and wipes too!
guest
I was curious to know if anyone has a bottle they recommend for feeding. I have a 3wk old and purchased the Medela Calma bottle after reading good recommendations, but the flow seems to be too fast for my little guy to handle. Any suggestions?
nectarine / 2177 posts
Just rounded out my registry with these essentials. Thank you for such a well presented guide!