The Working Mom Chronicles, Vol. 1: I wanna pump YOU up

I’ve been a working, breastfeeding mom for eight-plus months now and while I’m certainly extremely grateful that modern technology affords me the option to feed my baby with breast milk even when we’re apart, it’s definitely a regimen that takes some patience. And resolve. And copious supplies. And a liiiiiittle touch of crazy. Case in point: After struggling with getting all my pumping sessions in during the work day, along with being available for calls, or meetings, or whatever else I needed to be present for, I had an epiphany. Or, rather, I was handed an epiphany from a fellow working mom, who let me in on a little secret: Pumping while driving. That’s right, I hike up my shirt, hook up the parts, and then merge into traffic, five days a week. It’s actually easier than I first thought—a hands-free bra is key—and I have yet to be peeped by a passing trucker or pedestrian who wanders too close to the driver side window. My commute is fairly long (50+ minutes on some days) so I end up pumping for longer than I would normally, too, meaning I have a bonus stash for the next bottles I need to fill. There have, of course, been mishaps. Spilled milk (and believe me, there IS use for crying over it), forgotten parts, forgetting to fasten my bra back before picking my kids up from day care, etc. … but overall, it’s been a life saver for me to be able to take care of business while driving to where I take care of business. My pumping days are drawing to a close (thank goodness), but I’ll always be grateful to the insider info given to me by a fellow working mom just trying to make it all work.