Pump and Go

(Newswire.net — December 15, 2017) Cheyenne, Wyoming — As if being a working mom wasn’t tiring enough, there are some who nurse on top of it all, continuing even after returning to work. This is where a pump becomes your best friend on the go. It’s always a bit tricky to express breast milk when you’re knee high in paperwork, hopping between meetings and travel time but it can be done with the help of a little know how. 

Knowledge of the law is an important starting point. America’s Fair Labor Standards Act which entails the Affordable Care Act specifies how nursing moms should be provided a designated space for expressing breast milk and “reasonable” unpaid respites for such purposes for one year after giving birth. On this note, it should be highlighted that a general bathroom space does not qualify for a lactation room. 

Careers that require tons of travelling are a bit more flexible as the former “Laguna Beach” star Kristen Cavallari showcased on Instagram where she shared a photo of herself pumping breast milk in a hotel room. She witty described it as “the glamorous side” of her book tour, “Balancing in Heels: My Journey to Health, Happiness, and Making it All Work.” 

As it relates to wardrobe planning, that’s taken to the next level when looking to pump during work hours. Stocking up on button-down tops, wrap dresses, jackets and cardigans are worthwhile investments for slipping in an out of milk expressing position with ease and efficiency. 

Lindsey Burik, a New York City mom who flew for work while pumping, advises taking a dish towel to set supplies on, pump-cleaning wipes and a sealable plastic bag for ice. “You can’t bring melted ice through security, so when flying home, I’d dump the ice that was chilling my milk before I got to security, then get new ice in the terminal,” she says. She requested a mini fridge for storing milk at hotels or asked to keep her labeled bottles in a hotel fridge. 

Next it’s all about scheduling as much as one can as it’s best to pump just about the same time you’d normally nurse each day. While this may be easily doable for most working moms with a nine to five office job, for others with very different job environments, improvising will be the order of the day.  

On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, actress Kristen Bell admitted to pumping milk during a conference Skype read through of the film Bad Moms (2016) as she said, “When you gotta do it, you gotta do it. And I thought, ‘They’re not going to care, also it’s not going to be very loud.’ Again, I didn’t’ realize I was on a 200-inch screen on speakers in a conference room. I thought it was someone’s computer.” 

Finally, there are dietary concerns to think about. While breast milk would be complimented by the introduction of solid foods by the time a nursing mom returns to work, the mother’s health remains pivotal. Eating healthy and on time is crucial to milk production and being mindful that anything consumed with alcohol in it will affect the composition of breast milk until the alcohol is fully metabolized. As such, brands such as HealthyWiser™ are keen on supporting nursing moms with their PureMilk™ breast milk analysis kit which provides all the information one would need determine when it is safe to resume pumping or nursing as the case may be.