Is your maternity leave coming to an end and you're heading back to work? One of the benefits of pumping is that you can continue to breastfeed your baby, even if you aren’t always with them! However, pumping at work can be challenging. Here are some must-have tips for Aussie mums to make your pumping experience at work a breeze!
Finding a Schedule
You have two main options when it comes to pumping at work: deciding to pump full-time or pumping at work and nursing at home.
Whatever option you choose, creating a schedule is essential! This will also help you plan your time at work as much as possible.
Some mums may opt to use a wearable breast pump while they work, but if you have the availability to pump more privately, figuring out how long each pumping session will take and how often you plan to pump is helpful. You may also need to plan around other parts of your work schedule or the time it would take to get to a private space. Whatever your work situation looks like, figuring out a schedule in advance will make the transition to work much smoother.
Next, it’s also important to decide what you will do when you are home with your baby. If you plan to pump full-time, keeping a consistent schedule will be helpful so you know what to expect each day. Nursing on demand may make things a little bit trickier, but making this decision ahead of time will help you keep a schedule during the time you’re at work that makes sense!
Bringing the Right Supplies
Another thing you’ll want to consider when you head back to work is what extras you will need to bring with you! One thing a lot of mums may not consider is that the time needed to pump also includes the time needed to set up, clean, and put away your pump supplies! Luckily, we have a few things you can bring to make each session run smoothly.
Breast pump bag
If you plan on pumping at work, you will need a breast pump bag that will allow you to keep everything you need in one place! Ensure it is big enough to carry your pump (depending on it’s size), pump parts, expressed milk and an ice brick.
Some bags have a built-in cooler section in them to store an ice brick and your milk to keep them cool on the trip home. Otherwise can get a separate cooler bag to place inside the bag. Jellie’s carry case is perfect for keeping pump parts in at work because it is air-tight, can be placed in the fridge and won’t result in milk or water from the parts dripping through your bag.
Breast milk storage
Lastly, you’ll need a way to store your breast milk until you get home!
If you are pumping at work and have access to a fridge, Jellie's reusable breast milk silicone storage bags are the perfect storage option! Instead of using small disposable bags to transfer your milk, our reusable silicone storage bags can hold up to 240ml of milk each! Plus, you can easily clean and reuse the same container each day, which means reducing single use plastics ending up in landfill. The flexible nature of the silicone bags are superior to containers because they can fit easier into your bag compared to containers which are rigid in shape and take up lots of space requiring a bigger bag to transport home.
