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If you are breastfeeding or exclusively pumping milk for your baby, there will likely be a time when you’ll have to pump in public. For some of us, pumping milk when juggling the logistics (and politics) of breast pumping at the office or in public is super stressful. Concerns often revolve around coordination of details: finding the best breast pumps for you, how to use a breast pump, how to keep the breast pump clean, how to store the expressed milk, the timing of when to pump, how to maintain privacy, and where to pump safely.
Note: During COVID-19, guidelines while you're at work and for using public spaces may be changing. Check with your employer or the location you are headed beforehand to find out their situation, and to make sure they are following current health and safety protocols.
Tips on breast pumping at work or in public spaces
Pumping at work and/or in public spaces can be made easier with a little planning, and the right clothing and gear — and even an app. Here are some tips for getting through the process with ease.
There's an app for that
There are apps such as Mamava and Moms Pump Here that will help you find a location where you can pump in private in the area you're headed to.
Research your location ahead of time
Find out if your workplace has a nursing room that you can use for privacy. Call or check online ahead of time if you're heading to a public space — many retail outlets and public buildings have nursing rooms that you can use to pump. And again, during COVID-19, check beforehand to make sure the location is following current health and safety guidelines.
Wear accessible clothing
Wear a nursing bra or pumping bra under clothes that accommodate pumping easily. You can also use a nursing cover that can be added for additional privacy and comfort.
Take advantage of “wasted” time
Stuck on a conference call or waiting for a meeting to start? Depending on your comfort level (as well as those around you), make better use of these downtimes by pumping for a few minutes.
Preassemble your pumping components
Not only does it make it less likely for you to forget parts at home, you won’t waste precious time assembling the pieces. Put the parts preassembled in large gallon ziplock bags for easy storage and usage.
Save time with hacks
“Throw all the dirty parts in a ziplock bag and wash them with breast pump wipes or whenever you have access to a clean sink,” added Lee. “Hand-sanitize and you’re good to go.”
Be mindful of your space
Many designated pumping areas are used by multiple people or for multiple uses. Respect other people’s schedules and remember that you might not be the only person with access to the space.
Give yourself grace
“I wish someone would have told me to just go easy with pumping,” confided Aaronica Bell Cole to Mom.com. “It’s not the easiest, but putting extra pressure on myself just made it worse.
Don't be hard on yourself if you can't pump while away from home. “Pumping was a challenge for me,” teacher Sarah Doctolero told Mom.com. “Teaching just isn't conducive to it, schedule- and privacy-wise. It was awkward, uncomfortable, and frustrating.”
Know your rights: Pumping laws while at work and in public spaces
“With three kids, I’ve pumped everywhere. Public transit, amusement parks, museums, cars during long road trips, etc.,” Melissa Aubrie Chan Lee shared with Mom.com.
While some states like Missouri have recently added language to cover pumping in public under breastfeeding state laws, make sure you check your state’s laws about pumping in public. According to the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act of 2019, certain public health buildings are required to provide a lactation room that is hygienic, not a bathroom, shielded from the public, secure against intrusion, and contains a chair, a working surface, and aworking electrical outlet for the public to express milk.
At work, if you’re covered by Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), then you’re also covered under the federal Break Time for Nursing Mothers law.
Jennifer Ritchie, internationally board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), clarified some of these laws to Mom.com. “There are laws for nonexempt (hourly) employees covered by the FLSA stating that employers are required to provide a place to pump breast milk that is not a bathroom,” Ritchie explained. “It must be completely private so that no one can see inside, and the law requires employers to provide ‘reasonable’ break time.”
Though the law does not require pumping breaks to be paid, if your employer offers paid breaks, you can use that time to pump.
How to choose the best breast pump for using away from home
Choosing the best breast pump depends on your situation and needs. Consider how often and where you will use it. Do you need silence and discretion? Portability? Will you have access to an electrical outlet or car power converter? What is your budget? Do you need it to be hands-free?
For instance, manual breast pumps, which are held in place with one hand while the other hand pumps, are discreet, cheap, don’t need a power source, and portable. But they are not hands-free and can be tiring. As for breast pumps that use a power source (whether battery or a plug), they can be hands-free, medical grade, and pump both breasts at the same time. However, they are often loud and expensive.
If your budget allows, you may want to consider one pump for when you’re on the go and in public, and another for work when you remain in one location and have power.
