Pump Bag Necessities That’ll Make Your Breastfeeding Journey Easier

The guide you’ve been looking for to aid in prior planning your pump breaks in the field, during the work day, or TDY.

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Ah, I remember it so fondly. Labeling bottles of milk and freezer bags. Cleaning pump parts. Filling my pump bag with all my daily supplies that I’d need to have stress free pump breaks.

With my daughter, I was able to successfully exclusively pump for a full year and donate milk to multiple babies to boot! Here is a list of things that I packed in my pump bag and why:

1.Electric Breast Pump

 

Of course the first item on the list is an actual electric breast pump!

I was not picky when it came to choosing a breast pump the first time around and the Medela Pump In Style served me so well the first time around, especially considering that I exclusively pumped. This little guy put out a lot of miles!

You can actually get a free breast pump and supplies through Tricare. Aeroflow Breast Pumps is a great company to start the process of ordering your breast pump. I simply filled out a form on their website and a representative contacted me shortly after to get a few more details. After that, they did ALL of the legwork!

The breast pump of your choice gets shipped to your address along with a ton of supplies (milk bags, tubes, flanges, and more). Even better, they actually refill those products for free through your insurance provider! The cherry on top is that you don’t even have to contact them, they automatically refill your supplies. 

If you’re still looking to get a breast pump, you can start the process by clicking here and filling out their inquiry form.

Already received a breast pump through your insurance for another child? No worries! You can qualify for a new breast pump with each pregnancy.

2. Extra pump parts

This is so important to remember to keep an extra set of pump parts in your bag at all times.

• Valves
• Tubes
• Membranes
• Flanges
• Breastshields

Membranes wear out and it’s hard to tell looking at them straight on. I would hate to prolong my pumping break because the suction wasn’t doing its job efficiently.

Even worse, the stress of not pulling as much milk as you usually would due to a faulty membrane. Can you say Mastitis? Ouch!

Another reason to keep extra parts is in case anything gets lost (think FTX) or if you turn into a mombie and forget to wash the parts you used during your last pumping break.

If your goldilocks pump is the Medela, you can find some spare breast pump parts here. If your body responds better to spectra, then you can find spare breast pump parts here.

3. Bottles

Extra bottles in case you pump more than expected or there aren’t going to be any at your destination. I had a drawer at work that I would keep extra pump parts, but I would still keep an extra set in my pump bag.

There are going to be times where you won’t remember that you’ve used some spare bottles at work or in your bag. So it really is best to prevent putting yourself in the position where you have all your pump parts but no bottles.

The length of your work day, outing, FTX, etc. and your typical output during a pumping session will determine just how many you should bring.

Another thing to consider is if you will be pumping and dumping. If so, then you can afford to pack light.

4. Baby Bottle Cooler Bag

I know this looks a little bougie when you can honestly just pack your bottles in a lunch bag with cooler packs.

However, this luxury item is worth it when your bottles accidentally tip over and leak all over your lunch pail [a moment of silence for all the spilled milk].

The neat thing about this cooler pack is that it has grooves to hold the bottles upright and the container itself keeps the bottles snugly in place for as long as you need.

5. Breastmilk Storage Bags

As much as I loved the Lansinoh breastmilk storage bags, the Up & Up brand from Target offers a really sturdy bag. An issue that I ran into from time to time using Lansinoh was that when the breastmilk would freeze, it would create a microtear in the bag due to the sharp edges of the iced milk.

So when you go to defrost the bag, you’d get precious liquid gold all over the place.

Oftentimes, you can use the bottles to pump into and then pour your breastmilk into a storage bag. Just make sure to properly label the date and time you pumped for refeeding.

There’s nothing like feeding your baby “AM milk” at bedtime and then wondering why your little one is wide awake.

 

 

6. Nursing Pads

If you’ve never had any random leaks, then you can skip this item. For the majority of us, we need nursing pads covering our nipples 24/7.

When I was exclusively pumping, I developed an oversupply. My body was a milk making machine and it was on a strict schedule. If I didn’t take my scheduled pumping break at the exact time, then there was some guaranteed leakage.

For us Army Mamas, there will be times when you can’t get to your scheduled pumping break even though some of our units might try to work with us on pumping breaks out in the field.

While I love to be ecofriendly where I can, the reusable nursing pads just didn’t work for me. A few hours into the day and my breasts smelled like sour milk–at least to me since my senses were heightened and the milk making station was inches away from my nose at all times. Reusable nursing pads held onto smells and it wasn’t like I was leaking like crazy. Ugh, and even worse sometimes they’d stick to my nipples which would make it painful trying to take them off when it came time to switch them out.

If you’re going to be in the field or anywhere hot in general, my advice is to skip the reusable nursing pads and opt for disposable.

You can say, “Adios!” to them when you’re finished using them. They don’t hold onto or excrete sour milk scents. And they’re definitely more discreet looking in your bra than a bulky reusable nursing pad.

7. Manual Breast Pump

This is honestly a backup for when the electric pump just isn’t cutting it. However, if you prefer to use the manual breast pump in lieu of electric, then skip the electric and just pack this little guy.

There was a time that I went to the field and for some reason the electrical output was not supplying enough juice to properly suction out the milk.

My breasts were in agony. They were getting hot to the touch and lumpy from being backed up with milk. I didn’t pack a manual breast pump, because I didn’t think that I needed it. Luckily, the supply sergeant (who just so happens to be my spouse) was able to run to the nearest store and pick up a manual breast pump for me. Instant relief!

You may be asking, “Well if the manual breast pump works better than the electric in the field, why even pack the electric?” To that, I’d answer: Time. It takes less time to simultaneously pump both breasts then to crank away one boob at a time. Not to mention how tired my hands would get from just 2 minutes using the manual pump.

But if you’re looking to improve your grip strength for the ACFT, this might be another way to exercise those muscles 😉

8. Hands-free Pumping Bra

If you’re looking for quick pumping breaks where you’ll be pumping both breasts, then you definitely need a hands-free pumping bra.

The bra will hold the breast shields in place and all you need to do is adjust the setting on your electric breast pump and relax for the next 20 minutes or so.

I used Lansinoh’s Simple Wishes bra. It fit snug against my skin and held the bottles in a good upright position during every pump break. The only downside is that I would have to put it on and take it off every time I took my pump break.

Honestly, that is all that was offered at the time I had my children, but there are so many more options out there now!

There are hands-free pumping bras that are actually designed like regular bras, which allow you to wear them at all times! I wish I had found these when I was breastfeeding my children, because they are more stylish and practical than lugging around a pumping bra.

Bonus! This one doubles as a nursing bra.

9. Nursing Cover

It is bound to happen. Somebody will walk in on you during a pumping break at least once. Heck, I even locked the door and they used their master key to get into my office, despite the lock and sign on the door!

And of course, I did not have a cover on because I didn’t think that I needed it . . . ya know, on account of the door being locked.

However, I was wrong. Save yourself the embarrassment (on their part, mostly) and get yourself a breathable 360 cover.

Having coverage all the way around ensures that no area of skin is exposed if someone just so happens to have a master key to the room that you’re in.

And although I know that our breasts were designed to feed our children, I don’t think an FTX is the place to give that biology lesson.

I’m sure there’s a lot of us Army Mamas that have pumped in a tent, during a convoy, or at the shed of a range because we had no other choice.

Let me just say that you have rights as a nursing mother in the Army and it is your obligation as a mother to use what has been afforded to you and normalize the dual role of Motherhood and Soldier. If your supervisor has an issue with you taking regularly scheduled pump breaks, then politely educate them of your entitlements as a nursing mother with this good ole Army breastfeeding policy. 

10. Baby Blanket, Photos, or Onesie

With my first child, pumping was easy because my body responded to the pump since that is all that it knew. During round two of my breastfeeding journey, I exclusively breastfed my son. . . Let’s just say, my body hated the pump the second time around.

In order to get around this, I had to look at photos/videos of my son while I pumped and I made sure to pack a nursing cover that had his scent on it. You can use a baby blanket or unwashed onesie, but the nursing cover worked for me since it was large enough to act as his blanket most times. And when you travel, you can pop it on and not look like a weirdo as you breathe in the scent of your adorable little one.

Olfactory senses are real and they trigger memories, emotions, and bodily reactions. The photos on my phone coupled with the scent of my son on the nursing cover helped trick my body into responding to the pump.

11. Snacks and Hydration Source

This one goes without saying. If you’ve ever breastfed, then you know the moment you begin to expend milk that unquenchable thirst that hits you instantly. Always have a source of hydration handy when you pump breastmilk. Your body is looking to replace the water it uses to produce the breastmilk, so help it out by filling your sippy cup/camelback beforehand.

Calories in. Calories out. Same as hydration. Your body burns way more calories when you breastfeed, because it has to pull those nutrients from your body and supply it through your breastmilk.

Pack healthy, high calorie snacks. Trail mix, granola bars (the oatmeal is great for milk production), and dried fruits are great to pack for the field.

Anything that can quickly replenish your body’s nutrients and won’t spoil if forgotten in your pump bag for too long.

12. Gallon sized Ziplock Bag(s)

If you have access to a refrigerator, then you definitely need to pack gallon sized ziplock bags. This is for storing your pump parts.

I used to wash my nipple shields after each use until I learned this trick! You can store them in a ziplock bag and place them in the refrigerator until your next pumping session.

The cold prevents any bacteria from growing while it’s in the fridge and you save time/energy not having to clean those flanges after every pump break. It’s a win-win!

 

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It can be challenging to find a groove that works for you when it comes to your personal breastfeeding journey and sometimes what worked for one child, doesn’t work for another. This is just a baseline list of items that I found extremely helpful to have in my pump bag.

One thing that I did not include with the electric breast pump was a portable power source. According to the Army breastfeeding policy, the nursing mother must be “provided a place to sit, a flat surface (other than the floor) to place the pump on, an electrical outlet, and access to a safe water source within reasonable distance from the lactation space.” With that being said, if your FTX is out in the middle of nowhere with none of these provisions, then that technically violates your rights as a nursing mother.

Do NOT feel guilty for getting out of field training exercises if it’s for the best interest of your child. I know it’s difficult for some leadership to understand that women can be Mothers and Soldiers.

If you take care of your Army Mamas during their prenatal and postpartum periods, then they are most likely to maintain those warm and fuzzies about the service for the long run. And this really goes for any organization that takes care of their working moms.

I hope this list was helpful! Check out this free editable lactation sign to post on the door outside during your pump breaks.

It’s sure to give your coworkers a little laugh and get the “Do Not Disturb” message across.