Pack Your Personal Pump in Your Hospital Go Bag
Deciding if you want to take your personal breast pump to the hospital is a complicated question during your prenatal planning.
On one hand, if you plan on nursing, it’s likely unnecessary as nursing and hand expression would be enough to meet your needs in the first few days. You could end up lugging the pump bag needlessly to and from the hospital.
On the other hand, if you need or want to pump in the hospital, there can be issues with slow response from staff, limited pump availability, poor flange recommendation, biased advice against pumping, and more recently, pump kits being a victim of global supply chain issues. We also have the ever-present issue of hospital pump kits lacking flanges properly sized for the majority of people which risks the milk supply during a crucial time window. The old advice of pack the bag and leave it at home is failing during Covid as restrictive visitor policies may leave your support team unable to get the pump to you.
For clients with known risk factors for lactation challenges, taking the pump is always a good idea if that is the plan to help manage these concerns postpartum.
So what should you do about this issue? And what needs to be in your pump bag if you take it?
I’ve gone to recommending parents pack their personal pumps as birth interventions have increased with Covid hospital policies, and that has greatly increased early breastfeeding complications. I would always rather have a parent have everything they need on hand to prevent issues in the end.
What Goes in the Bag?
Your personal pump that you have already removed from the box, set up, sterilized, and practiced using by watching at least one video and reading the pump manual. I want you to take the time to set the pump up entirely like you are ready to use it, and then, pack everything necessary in that pump bag: Seriously, you need to assemble and double check all of this. Pro-tip: pack the sanitized pump kit (the part that collects the milk) in a sealable plastic bag to keep it clean.
The pump motor
The charging cord (charge the motor if it is rechargeable)
The collection bottles
The tubing
The duckbill valves or membranes
The backflow protector
What Cleaning Supplies Should I Bring?
A cleaning basin, brush, soap, and drying rack
Typically, the hospital should have this stuff on hand, but I’ve had clients recently where this stuff was inaccessible for a variety of reasons.
I love these TRAVEL KITS. They fit well in the pump bag for the hospital and travel and contain everything you need. Pair with a collapsible travel basin to prevent needing to touch the hospital sink and contaminating your pump parts. Newborns require us to carefully clean breast pump parts, and hospitals are known for exposure to some less than favorable germs, so careful attention and planning go a long way.
What Medical Supplies Should I Bring?
Nipple Cream
Breast Pads
You are unlikely to be leaking milk and requiring breast pads to contain that in the hospital, but tender nipples can be common postpartum, and nipple cream can help with that. Breast pads keep nipple cream from making your clothing greasy or causing stains. I really like the Motherlove Nipple Cream below. Nipple creams are not my go-to for damaged nipples though, so if you see damage, contact a lactation consultant ASAP for support and a plan to heal up.
What Bottle and Nipple Should I Bring?
A clean, slow flow baby bottle (if that is how you will choose to supplement your baby if needed).
Supplementation can also be done by cup or syringe if you are trying to avoid introducing the bottle nipple. This a great issue to discuss during an individual prenatal consultation to make sure you know what options exist and what best supports your feeding goals. My go-to recommendation is the Dr. Brown’s with a preemie nipple as a safe starting place for the majority of babies I have supported. I use the preemie nipple with all baby’s under 2-3 months as the starting point to prevent overfeeding and always recommend paced feeding.
Again, this is not a necessary item to feed a newborn, but many families want to bottle feed versus cup or syringe feed, and infant feeding choices are 100% parental choice.
What Clothing Should I Bring?
Nursing Bra
Hands-Free Pump Bra
Combo Bra
I really like the Rumina Bra for a combo bra.
Now you know what needs to go into your pump bag if you are choosing to take this to the hospital! If you are not sure how you want to handle infant feeding, or have more individual questions, always consider booking a virtual prenatal consultation for the best support available!
