Talk to me about the mechanics of pumping at work.

[vanillacourage]

I'm weighing whether I want to mess with this or just let my low supply continue to dwindle while I just nurse at night until it's gone.

Do you wear a nursing bra every day and then reveal just that much skin? Do you put the nursing bra on-top during sessions to go hands- free? Do you not ever wear dresses (and if so do you have to strip most of the way down? Not appealing)

[anna7602]

I had a special hands-free pumping type bra. I forget the brand, but I ordered two from Amazon and I could use them for pumping or for nursing and they both offered full coverage (with a flap) so I could wear them all day. They were pricey, so I just washed often. Two was enough.

To work, I wore button-down shirts or shirts that rolled up easily for pumping. I had a couple of nursing dresses, but I don't remember wearing them for work. They were pretty casual dresses, but I think they sell more work-type nursing dresses, too.

[badtzmaru22]

I don't wear dresses. It makes me sad, but it's just too much of a hassle, but it could work if your dress could pull down in the front. I don't think pumping bras are meant to be worn all day either. I have my own office, so I just shut the door, pull the blinds, and lift up my shirt to put the pumping bra on before each session. I have a Simple Wishes one, which is a bustier style, and zips up the front. Some people just use a sports bra with holes cut in it, but I'd rather not have to pull something over my head.

[madringal]

I never did the hands free bras, it was too much work to put on. I was pretty good at holding one and and balancing the other on my knee while I played on my phone.

[anna7602]

You could also skip pumping at the office entirely and try pumping first thing in the morning. I added a 7am (ish) session when my supply started tanking and was surprised to find that I got much more milk at this time of day (more than my two sessions at work combined). And this was after nursing DD in the morning.

[h]

I used a hands free nursing bra (the Easy Expressions bustier or something like that). I either pulled up or unbuttoned my shirt, pulled my bra down, put the horns on, then put the pumping bra over them to hold everything in place. I wore separate or wrap dresses that could be pulled aside or opened up when I was pumping. I avoided sheath dresses or anything that required unzipping down the back and then getting naked from the waist up.

[Deleted]

I wore a nursing cover over the pump parts, so no matter what I wore that day, I could take it off and feel covered.

I put on the pumping bra just to pump, I didnt wear it all day. No way.

[anna7602]

Jun 25, 2012 11:02:23 GMT -5 madringal said:

I never did the hands free bras, it was too much work to put on. I was pretty good at holding one and and balancing the other on my knee while I played on my phone.

I'm not sure what model you were looking at. Mine was no work at all. It was just like a regular bra. It snapped in the back and had full coverage in the front. You just unlatched a little flap over the nipple to attach the pump. I just looked it up on Amazon to see if they still sell it and they do. It's the La Leche League Hands-Free Pumping and Nursing Bra.

[mie]

I wear my nursing bra and no, I don't wear dresses to work.

[ijack]

I just wear normal clothes and pull my shirt and bra up to pump. I have a special pump room that only the person inside has a key for so I can't really be exposed.

[biscoffcookies]

The only dresses I wear are the type where I can easily pull the fabric aside to pump because it is two separate panels that cross over each other, leaving a v-neck (I have no idea if there is a technical name for this type of neckline).

Otherwise I wear whatever shirt I want -- if it is a "normal" shirt I just pull it up above my bustline while pumping. I have my own office with a locking door, so I don't have to worry too much about the modesty aspect.

I don't use a hands free bra, but jury-rigged something similar using ponytail holders and the clips of my nursing tank/bra. See kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/hands-free-pumping/ It works fine for me, and is MM!

[pamela]

I don't ever wear dresses, so that wasn't an issue. I used a handsfree bra that unzips in the front so I'd pull down my regular or nursing bra and put that on. I kept a cardigan with me to keep warm while partially undressed.

[slug*bug]

I had a hands free bra from PumpEase (http://www.snugabell.com/) that was my go to probably 85% of the time: I would just put it on over my nursing bra while pumping.

W/DS, I had a really comfortable MamaJama bra that I could tuck the flanges into, so I could get away w/o the separate pumping bra the other 15% of the time. They've stopped making them in the cottony fabric, though, and the stretchier fabric doesn't hold the flanges well. In a pinch, I've done the rubber band trick with a regular nursing bra, but it was a pain and wouldn't do it regularly.

[arch01]

I wear jeans and a polo to work most days and have the Simple Expressions hands free bra. I pump in a locker room with other women who have BTDT so I really don't care how much skin there is (just my belly).

[vegas]

I have hands free bra. I also have my own office where I can pump. I wore whatever I wanted each day and when it came time to pump I'd take off my shirt and bra and replace it with the hands free bra. I'd still wear dresses to work, I'd just have to sit there in my hands free bra and underwear while I pumped.

[karinothing]

I wear wrap dresses (or faux wrap dresses) every day. I wear a nursing bra (since I Nurse the kid at lunch) but I put a handsfree bra over it to pump.

[rootbeerfloat]

I lived in nursing bras and never wore dresses. I also kept a nursing cover in my pump bag in case I had to pump in my car or a bathroom (happened rarely, but sometimes at a conference or something).

[Mushe]

I bring my hands-free bra and basically get naked from the waist up to pump. I have a separate office with shades on the window so I don't worry about getting interrupted.

I wear most of my normal work clothes, although I don't really like wearing the wrap dresses because I feel like I have to get more naked than I like.

[froggy76]

I wear a nursing bra + low-cut tank top, or a nursing tank under my clothes everyday. I never wore dresses before so that's not an issue for me.

When I pump, I pull down my nursing bra/tank and strap on the hands-free pumping bra over everything to hold the flanges in place.

[Ashley&Scott]

I wear a nursing bra every day, it's easier since I nurse before work & right when we get home.

When I pump I pull my shirt up, put the bra flaps down & then put on my hands free bra. (If I'm wearing a dress I have to take it off. I pump in a storage closet, so yes I'm exposed but no one can see me.)

[auberge]

I didn't read all the responses but I just wore a nursing bra all day and normal clothes. I usually put a hands free bra over the top of the nursing bra when it was time (unclipping the nursing bra down while pumping)

I have a private office, so it worked pretty well actually. I was still able to talk on the phone and answer email/work.

[aspentosh]

I can't wear my hands free bra because it's pretty bulky. I wear my nursing bra and whatever shirt during the day. When I go to pump, I pull my shirt and bra up, throw on the strapless bra and just go.

I haven't been able to wear a dress (unless wrap style) since I had DD because of nursing. So no

[Ashley&Scott]

Aspen,

I hadn't been able to wear dresses either because there was no easy way to BF. Then Kari suggested a style like this, I'm wearing one today & BF this morning with no problems.



www.target.com/p/merona-womens-v-neck-crossover-value-dress-assorted-stripes/-/A-13935151

If they are sold out of a particular color online you may be able to find it in the store. My local store carries 5-6 colors/prints.