Diaper bag essentials for the pumping mom

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As a pumping mom, it’s so important to not only have everything for baby but for me too. After all, to get stuck somewhere unable to pump according to schedule can be stressful and painful. Not to mention that it can lead to plugged ducts and mastitis. No thanks. Since this is my second time pumping regularly, I wanted to throw a quick list together for some of my must-have diaper bag essentials for the pumping mom. I hope that if you’re out there carting your breast pump around too that you’ll find this helpful!

Breast pump bag

Probably the most important thing is to find the right bag. When you’re exclusively pumping or pumping at work, not just any old diaper bag will do. When I pumped for Liam, I used this drab tote bag that came with my Medela PISA. It did what it was supposed to do, but it was nothing exciting and it didn’t have the room for regular diaper bag essentials. I inevitably ended up carrying around multiple diaper bags and felt more like a pack horse than a stylish mom on the go.

I discovered Sarah Wells Bags just before Hannah was born and it’s a total game changer. The brand was created by a pumping mom like you and me, and Sarah totally understood that pumping isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. Her bags are super stylish and come in a variety of prints and sizes. They’re also incredibly thought out when it comes to design. As a Sarah Wells brand ambassador, they sent me two of their bags and a handful of accessories and they’ve all become instrumental in my pumping journey.

Sarah Wells Bags fit most of the portable pumps on the market (I have the Spectra S2). The bags also have insulated pockets to store breast milk with an ice pack, lots of storage space for baby things and a spot for you to store a photo of your babe – super helpful if you have to pump at work.

Breast pump

Not all breast pumps are created equal. Sometimes it just comes down to what your pumping needs are or what your insurance covers. I’ll probably go through the breast pumps I’ve used in a future blog post. At the moment, though, I’m using both a Spectra S2 and the BabyBuddha. I’ll pack one or the other in my bag – occasionally both depending on where I’m headed.

Pumping and bottle feeding accessories

I once went to an appointment intending to pump while I was there and then quickly realized I’d forgotten a key item – something to put the milk in! I’m not sure which is worse – that or the time when I brought milk to feed Caleb but forgot the bottles at home. Whether you’re bottle feeding breast milk, pumping or both, there are a few important items you’ll want to include in your bag.

As a just-enougher, all my pumped milk goes in the fridge for Hannah to have the next day. So after I pump, I put milk in these storage bottles. If you’re pumping to stock your freezer, you can put your milk directly into milk bags (these are my favorite). The bags also save a ton of room in your cooler. Freshly pumped breastmilk can be out for several hours without refrigerating, so I don’t always carry a cooler with me. But if I’m going to be out for a while or especially now as we’re heading into the summer, I’ll carry a small cooler with me. One like this one will hold 3-4 storage or baby bottles.

I also carry at least one bottle of milk with me. Sometimes a spare if we’ll be out longer than one feeding. We’re using this bottle and this one to feed Hannah. Every baby is different, but all three of our kids used this brand. I wasn’t sure how they would work this time with both nursing and bottle feeding, but Hannah doesn’t seem to have any issues going back and forth between bottle and breast.

Other important things to remember are your flanges and any other pump parts like a car adaptor or power cord. I also pack this wet/dry bag to store my pump parts after I use them. It keeps milk from getting everywhere when I don’t have the opportunity to wash the parts right away. If you do have access to a sink for washing, the bag actually has a removable staging mat to give you a clean space to set your parts after washing.

Diaper essentials

For diaper changes, I always carry a few diapers (extras in the car), a package of wipes and an extra outfit. We’ve been using Hello Bello as our go-to daytime diaper. I LOVE the fun prints and they have a first responder discount, which is really helpful. The diapers fit in this bag to help keep the diapers organized and in one spot for when I need them

Extras

Other things I pack include a burp cloth, pacifier and a teether toy or two. I’ll also usually throw in a swaddle that can be used as a nursing/pumping cover or as a blanket.

I also pack a wrap or sling for wearing Hannah, although this typically isn’t actually in the bag. We baby wear a lot, so I’m usually using this instead of storing it. My favorite wrap for this newborn stage has been this stretchy wrap from Tuck and Bundle.

So there you have it. All the things that I’m carrying around for pumping on the go. Everything fits inside my Sarah Wells Lizzy bag except for the Pumparoo and my flanges. But the bag has a strap you can attach to the diaper bag or it’s easy to carry separately.

Are you a pumping mom? What other things are you packing in your bag?