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?

Do what you want, but this

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

is really weird, why?

Also I’m quite horrified that people are leaping to attack apparent “imbeciles” who have never experienced engorged breasts but breezily seem to accept that a poster drove whilst bloody pumping!! As long as the baby is fed and mother comfortable hey? Fuck everyone else’s safety. How selfish can you get? Imagine if someone had been killed - the poster would have been pumping from safely inside a prison cell.

@Tonnerre
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?

Maybe that Q is for the OP. It's what she asked and she surely does think it's an issue or she wouldn't have started her thread, would she?

The worst was a large breastfeeding group on Facebook. The amount of shit I heard from women in that group, like “no baby needs formula for medical reasons” (well mine did, due to a very rare endocrine disorder that meant he needed he needed specialist high energy formula as well as breastmilk, in specific quantities), “I would never give my child formula under ANY circumstances” (right, I’ll just let me child get so hypoglycaemic he ends up with brain damage), or “I don’t understand why you don’t just breastfeed” (gee, why didn’t I think to do that?!).

I honestly wouldn’t wish having to pump on anyone. I’ve permanently damaged my back, I was up every two hours for half an hour whether my twins were up or not, all the sterilising and cleaning and work of bottle feeding plus the time of breastfeeding, engorgement, mastitis, none of the convenience of breastfeeding...

Nobody is doing this for a bit of fun or for attention FFS.

I get it - I really didn’t think pumping would be a big deal but every second of it was awful. It ruined my first 7 months as a mother, I wish I’d found a way to stop sooner and wish doctors had listened to me and given me hydrolysed formula sooner - they kept telling me I should stop pumping, but didn’t listen when I said that every time I increased their formula they became really ill. Both twins were covered in eczema head to toe even with the small amount they were having - once we started the prescription formula they improved in 48 hours and 48 hours later my pump was donated to someone else.

breezily seem to accept that a poster drove whilst bloody pumping

Thousands of women pump while driving, especially in the US where pumping is so common.

www.romper.com/p/is-it-legal-to-pump-breast-milk-while-driving-heres-what-you-should-know-77267

How would pumping while driving cause an accident? Have you ever used an electric pump? Obviously you’d set it up and start it before you depart and then stop it when your car is stationary.

Used to eat lunch in the car too Pample on the way to my other job.
Expressing isn't as difficult as it sound in the car, you just plug tit in. Colostrum pissing out was more distracting.
I'm in no way recommending doing it while driving but sometimes life gives you little choice.
In an ideal world ExP wouldn't have gambled us to the brink of losing the house and I could have stayed home for a couple of months.

breezily seem to accept that a poster drove whilst bloody pumping!!

I’m not condoning unsafe driving.

I just can’t reconcile the two apparent viewpoints that ‘breast is best’ yet ‘pumping is disgusting’?!

What this really tells us, I believe, is that people have been educated into accepting bfing small babies, they’re still not that comfortable with it.

So you get lots of people saying they support bfing, but then demonstrating a distinct lack of support for pumping/feeding past a certain age. It’s very depressing.

There’s a huge education piece that needs to be done around pumping. The ignorance on here is staggering.

I’ve driven with an Elvie pump plenty of times. I just put it in my bra before the journey and stop it when I’ve parked up. You almost forget it’s there. Feels pretty safe to me.

@27SinkGirl did the group in questioned had the word yummy in it at all? If so, i know the one you mean and yes there were some nasty people on there.

Following your post sinkgirl I have changed my mind and OP shouldn't have to fork out money for another pump she should use whatever pump she wants to express on the train.

I am hoping that the reason for the majority YABU vote is because of the male commuters comment..

I mean seriously, pumping is way more discreet than actual bf. I couldnt stuff my baby's head under a t-shirt while latching on but could a pump.

And isn't saying its unreasonable to pump on the train just another way to oppress women and put us in yet another impossible position.

We are bombarded with messages that breast is best, but the only way to go back to work early and meet that expectation is to express. Some work places are not as flexible as others and you may not be able to escape to express before you leave the office. So what, should you stay at work for an extra hour locked in the loo just so some people dont have to hear you pumping. Ridiculous!

And isn't saying its unreasonable to pump on the train just another way to oppress women and put us in yet another impossible position.

Totally agree with this.

I've also just noticed the high percentage of YABU. I hope you're right in terms of what they're reacting to.

@thequeef Used to eat lunch in the car too Pample on the way to my other job.

well that's just bloody stupid.

It's not safe to drive with one hand while eating a sarnie or picking up a drink. You could kill someone as your reactions would be slower.

Safe driving- both hands on wheel at 10 to 2 position.

I don’t care if people from US do it all the time. It doesn’t mean it’s safe. The airbag could cause injury in event of a crash or there could be a problem with the pressure in the pump causing sudden increase in suction. You shouldn’t be distracted whilst you’re driving end of story. If you can’t manage to do that then don’t drive. All these people with their baby on board stickers want everyone else to drive safely around their child but then they are putting others at risk for the sake of their own. And themselves.... it’s an absolute nonsense.

There's a lot of ignorance around pumping, especially exclusive pumping, even from
HCPs. I got way more support and advice from FB groups than anywhere else when I had to EP for a period of time. And as SinkGirl says, it's bloody gruelling (and I only have one DC) and not made any easier by bizarre attitudes towards it.

Oh ffs. I hope this is a joke. I'm all for people being comfortable, but just no.

I'm pretty sure talking to a passenger or having a crying baby in the car is much more distracting than the monotony of a pump whirring away! I use my Elvies when driving as that's one of the reasons I bought them. They sit inside my bra and I don't touch them. But my nips are so abused now that max suction is a walk in the park nowadays

I seriously doubt many women in the U.S. pump while driving. There are many worthwhile activities that don't need to be done in public.

I'm all for people being comfortable, but just no.

You’re clearly not all for ppl being comfortable (or even looking after their own health) so let’s call a spade a spade, hmm?

Are you ok with public bfing?

If yes (and I’m assuming nothing here) then why is pumping different?

I seriously doubt many women in the U.S. pump while driving. There are many worthwhile activities that don't need to be done in public.

You are utterly wrong. It was a frequent topic of discussion in the pumping groups I was in, which were mainly used by Americans. Most of them were back to work by six weeks and their babies were EBF. Their employment rights are shocking so even though legally their employers have to give them the opportunity to pump, most were obstructive (eg allocating a room three floors away and not giving sufficient time, etc).

Almost all of those women pumped on their commute, whether driving or using public transport. There were frequent discussions about how to pump when travelling internationally for work, on planes, in airports, on trains, on subways and most definitely while driving.

You may be ignorant of how this works as pumping is not commonplace here, but it’s a common thing to do.

There are many worthwhile activities that don't need to be done in public.

Worthwhile activities? This is an essential activity if you have a baby fed on EBM. It’s not like cutting your toenails, FFS.

I can confirm what @SinkGirl

..says (baby flailed at screen and posted)

As well as the EP groups, I'm in a bumpers group that is mainly US mothers and pumping culture is much more prevalent over there. Many of them pump on their way to and from
work (because most were back to work before their baby was three months old).

Is nothing sacred anymore?