I’m pretty sure pumping is a necessary thing after baby. Whether your a mother returning to work, one that wasn’t very successful at breastfeeding but still wanted to provide those A++ nutrients to your small fry, or have a low supply and use pumping as a means to draw more milk, pumping is a must. So today I thought I’d share some of my pumping essentials. I’ve found these to be my must-haves but would love to hear about any other essentials you might find helpful when pumping.

1. Hospital grade pump – as I mentioned before, do your research! I was lucky enough to find out that my health insurance covered my breast pump that would have easily cost me upwards of $300. I’ve also recently read that hospital grade breast pumps might be tax deductible? Just do your research, I promise you that only good will come of it.
2. Hands free bra – this by far might be my favorite thing on Earth, for pumping that is. With a hand-free pumping bra I can do other things while I pump, instead of trying to hold steady two bottles without spilling. I usually take this time to pin, answer emails, or other nonsense. Trust me, you’ll thank me later!
3. Storage bottles – you’ve got to put the milk somewhere. I’ve found that the bigger the storage bottle the less needed. You can distribute the milk to other when you get home. Figure out the system that best works for you when it comes to breast milk storage.
4. Soft cooler w/ ice pack – my office offers a mini-fridge in their assigned ‘mother’s room’, so I have somewhere to store my breast milk throughout the day, however if your office doesn’t offer this little luxury a soft cooler with an ice pack will be a lifesaver. I would also recommend this if you are traveling and need somewhere to keep your milk fresh and cool.
5. Wipes – if you don’t have access to a sink where you can rinse and wipe down your pumping equipment, specialty wipes are the next best thing! These allow you to keep your gear cleaned until you are able to wash everything down and properly sterilize.

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