To pump on the train?

[jamtomorrow1]

My train journey is an hour each way. There are plug sockets. I feel that this is wasted expressing time and also my boobs hurt. Part of me fears getting the buzzing Tommee Tippee pump out but part of me really wants to see the facial expressions of the elderly male commuters around me. Thoughts?

i have in fact had both but managed to avoid pumping on public transport.

That’s your experience. Should your experience and your physiology be the gold standard by which we judge all women’s boobs and all women’s set ups?

Some mothers who pump will need to pump very regularly, either to maintain their supply or ensure their health.

These "I'm breastfeeding/pumping, what's your problem" when it's done in a deliberately attention seeking manner get right on my nerves.

I've seen so many woman breastfeeding publicly, I've never once seen one doing it in a "deliberately attention seeking manner." It's interesting that the only people who do claim to encounter this seem to be the ones who don't like public breastfeeding and say people should cover up.

I didn't bother with special covers for breastfeeding in public (other than making sure clothes were practical and cover up) but it kind of looks like you could just be cradling the baby if done discreetly. The electric pumps I have used however would be noticeable and noisy, and having to take things apart to put in cool bag etc could all be a bit faffy. The elvie thing however looks amazing and that is a different proposition - I could see that working - based on the money saved on formula and the potential time saving I think it could be a worthwhile purchase.

You know you are sharing the train with hundreds of cockroaches, fleas and bed bugs. Not to mention the fungus, bacteria and viruses at 14,000 times higher level than the average kitchen. No way would I be pumping my baby’s food in that filth.

It's hardly likely that OP will be wiping the bottle on the seat. In any event, she may be pumping to stop engorgement and maintain supply rather than to feed the baby.

Pample I was driving if I didn't empty the boobs there by the time I got in work I could barely fit.
I did pull over to change sides, this is 20+ years ago, electric pumps were massive

Tonnerre- no issue with breastfeeding in public I did it myself sometimes but wasn’t particularly good at it so got put off a bit. No it’s the people that bang on about it . Just get on and do it. Stop making a fuss. If you want to do it do it.

TheQueef - appreciate you had a physical discomfort but that’s dangerous. You could have seriously hurt yourself or someone else.

Aye it wasn't perfect Pample I did try pumping in the toilets at work but it took ages.
ExP said public pumping was akin to having a wank so I was too embarrassed.
Between 6.30 and 8am I made gallons!

Surely you feed the baby before you leave for work, pump at lunchtime and then feed when you get home.

ODFOD. My twins couldn’t feed and my supply was low and I had to pump every 2 hours around the clock, day and night. I didn’t have the luxury of only pumping in my own home given that we spent all bar 10 days of their first three months in sodding hospital. Once they were home I did indeed mostly stay home because of the shitty reactions I had pumping in a hospital, let alone in public.

She’s sat there for an hour next to a sodding plug socket, why shouldn’t she pump? You have no idea what her job is and whether pumping at work is feasible.

but part of me really wants to see the facial expressions of the elderly male commuters around me

Pumping/breastfeeding is absolutely fine. But really? Grow up. This is a bit of a silly comment to make, but you already admitted it was so fair enough.

Not every elderly male has an issue with it. Some do some don't. Same with any age group or gender.

@JinglingHellsBells, how does someone having a discreet pump working inside her bra cause any problems to anyone else on a train, other than from the pretty tiny possibility that they might hear it?

@AussieBeauty, don't you think that before you tell someone to grow up it might be an idea to reflect on whether it's necessary when that person has already withdrawn and apologised for the comment in question?

I wouldn't have had the confidence to do it, but I wouldn't have a problem with anyone else expressing in public. And if it's done discreetly I'm not sure why it's anyone else's business.

There's many things people do on public transport that are annoying and/or just plain wrong (and not legal in some cases) - manspreading, loud phone conversations/watching films etc without headphones, playing racing games on tablets with tilt controls and jabbing people with elbows every time there's a bend in the track, being drunk and obnoxious, being sober and obnoxiously loud (one memorable conversation involved a snooker table and a vibrator), trying to sell your religion to the person you're sitting next to even though they're trying to read a book, creepy guys who may or may not be masturbating, but are definitely being disturbingly odd.... I could go on.

Pumping wouldn't make the list.

don't you think that before you tell someone to grow up it might be an idea to reflect on whether it's necessary when that person has already withdrawn and apologised for the comment in question

Fair point, the comment just irritated me quite a bit.

Do it! I used to do it on the train to and from London all the time, I had to. I used a Medela Swing, it couldn't be heard over the noise of the train. Never once did anyone look at me in a funny way.

My only worry is that a lot of the plug sockets on trains now specifically say "for laptop and phone chargers only" or something to that effect. Specifying the use is only for those chargers.

Otherwise, crack on!

I too didn't know that pumping was such a mine-field. OP, pump away. I know you were being tongue-in-cheek r.e. elderly male commuter comment.

And I used to have to pump in the toilets in work. Hygiene wasn't really an issue. Wash hands in sink, don't touch any surfaces, sit down and express - it goes straight into a sterilised bottle, then into the office fridge and then a cool bag for the journey home.

I'm Scottish and thought your thread title was about farting on a train

Ahahah me too lol xx

I don’t know why anyone would go back to work with a two week old baby and choose to pump over actually breastfeeding though.

Jesus Christ. I cannot believe some some of these comments. What makes you think pp chose to go back to work after two weeks? What makes you think she chose to pump rather than bf?

My twins literally could not bf. We tried everything. It was that or no breastmilk and they were premature, ill and had a severe dairy allergy. Whenever I tried to add more formula (I had to give some as I never produced enough even pumping 2 hourly 24/7) they got really ill - they could tolerate only so much. It took until they were 7 months old to get prescription formula. Pumping is the worst of both worlds and very few would actually choose it over bfing if they had a choice.

So much fucking ignorance.

To the PP who asked why anyone would choose to pump over actually breastfeeding, for some women it’s not a choice.

My SIL exclusively pumped because her baby was premature and couldn’t latch, but she still wanted him to have the benefit of breast milk.

YANBU to pump, however, part of me really wants to see the facial expressions of the elderly male commuters around me, YABU for saying this as it’s just odd.

I have pumped milk in every place possible (Baby born with a cleft lip and palate so latching was actually impossible). A train journey would not phase me.

In the 8 months did it, I only had one negative comment, but then they saw my baby and promptly apologised.

Just be discreet and not 'in your face' about it and no one will care.

Yes @SinkGirl, so much ignorance! I just can’t reconcile the two apparent viewpoints that ‘breast is best’ yet ‘pumping is disgusting’?! I’m sorry you had to face attitudes like that when you were just trying to feed your babies.