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 don't really understand the 'eww the train is dirty' comments either. The milk is going through a sealed system from a vacuum around the breast, through a clean funnel into a clean bottle which will then be sealed. The milk comes into contact with the pump, not the seats of the train or the windows or other passengers. Where do the cockroaches enter the equation?

Why would anyone ‘crow’ or attention seek about pumping? That’s what I don’t get. It’s not exactly a pleasant experience. Have you ever done it?

Yes. Literally answered that in a post above.

And if you're even having to ask if it's ok to pump on a train, you're drawing attention to yourself. Because there will already have been women on there doing just that. Unnoticed. They don't need to wonder, or anticipate reactions, because if you just get on with it, no one's got a clue anyway.

Is it ok to sit on a train with a new tattoo, arm out, exposed, right in the eyeline of many people jammed in next to you, wrapped in shiny film. No, it's not a huge problem, but we don't particularly want to see it, or cop your attitude about it if you choose to go about it that way. No we don't have a problem with tattoos. It's about consideration in a confined public space.

How about taking a leaf from the guy next to you. He's got a new tattoo as well. Twice as big. Wrapped in film. Under his shirt. The guy who's doing the identical thing but just getting on with it.

I had problems in supply in the evening. Torture to throw away expressed milk and then run out the same day.
It was a constant bloody roundabout.
I was lucky my Mum stepped in with free child care, couldn't have done without her but she hated bf and constantly pushed for formula for prem baby.

Sorry. I HRTH but just wanted to say I tried an elvie, I really wanted to like it but unfortunately didn’t think it was all it’s cracked up to be and sold mine on eBay.

I tried to use it while driving, the app lost connectivity with the pump and so stopped pumping. I didn’t always realise either.

It leaked when I leant forward so I had to sit bolt upright, made a mockery of being portable.

It would stop pumping saying the bottle was full when I had about 20ml.

The parts looked worn really quickly.

YANBU pumping on the train.

Well, I’ve just opened this during the second opportunity I got to express today. What a lot of assumptions are being made about me. I have already had negative comments about breastfeeding in public (discreetly, under a layered breastfeeding top, without exposing myself) and I am concerned about the same thing happening on a train, particularly as you can’t run away crying on the 0705 to Liverpool Street. I made the comment about elderly men as a joke, as I have pointed out and apologised for. I didn’t want to go back to work early but I had to. I am not attention seeking. I don’t have a job where I can take regular expressing breaks, I do work long hours and I have a 45 minute journey from home to the station so the train journey really is a useful opportunity, especially as my son is getting through more milk than I can express at work. I don’t think the cleanliness of the train is relevant as long as the pump is sterile and I wash my hands, but it would appear from a lot of these comments that I would attract negative attention if I tried to express on the train.

And if you're even having to ask if it's ok to pump on a train, you're drawing attention to yourself

So you’re not allowed to seek advice, ask for experiences, talk about your concerns now? Because that’s ‘attention seeking’?

Your mind set is utterly weird to me I’m afraid.

Hi @LaurieMarlow I have a demanding job too, I'd like to not put up with all I do when I'm commuting. It's literally the only time I get in a day to myself and I'm sure that's true for a lot of people. I try and study on the train. I understand wanting to pump, I guess it's just if there was a possibility of bother other people, is it fair they would all have to put up with the noise just because the OP wants to? No one's wants trumps another's, but I do feel we are such a selfish society now. Doing what I like mentality if you see what I mean? Just trying to be objective.

As for breast feeding - I'm an odd one. Pregnancy/breast feeding etc repulses me. If I can, I remove myself from the situation. When I've been stuck on a train, I've wedged ear plugs in and shut my eyes.

No you shouldn't do it. Only on Mumsnet would people say it's acceptable but in real life it isn't.

I breastfed and pumped. Both at home and in public. Never got a look. Never got stared at

Lovely.

And you assume your experience is universal and applicable to every woman, why now?

but I do feel we are such a selfish society now. Doing what I like mentality if you see what I mean?

Personally I can’t think of anything less selfish than trying to pump for your child (which is no fun at all by the way) while working long hours, but, you know, each to their own 🤷‍♀️

More depressed than ever.

From the thread title I thought you meant fart.

What?! Nooooo!!!!!! This is so wrong.

From a mum who pumps!

I did it in the train to London and back, noone really batted an eyelid.

Holy cow there are some miserable and humorless people on mumsnet. It's a light hearted post so for goodness sake cheer up.

Bobthefishermanswife did you have a quiet pump? The Tommee T does sound a bit like a milking parlour.

@Jamtomorrow1 it's a manual pump, so relatively quiet. I have the Medela harmony:
www.medela.co.uk/breastfeeding/products/breast-pumps/harmony-pump-and-feed-set

It's good but after about 15 minutes your hand starts to ache as with any manual pump I'd expect?

Thanks - I’d assumed that you wouldn’t produce as much with a manual pump but does it work well?

but I do feel we are such a selfish society now. Doing what I like mentality if you see what I mean?

Amen

Errm, you could possibly get more faster with an electric, but I try to empty my breasts each time I pump (8 times a day) and get about 4oz/120ml per pump, that takes approx 20/30 minutes each time. Which is a feed for my 2 month old. I hope that helps?

I get the same with manual as with electric, it's just a bit more work.

For those asking if I’ve used breast pumps before: yep hospital ones, electric shop bought and hand pumps. With multiple babies. So don’t assume people haven’t ever done it just because they disagree with OP to any degree!

And op as you said you just want to do it for attention seeking purposes then that alone says you're being unreasonable.

She bloody well did not say that. She was obviously making a light hearted reference to her concerns about it potentially drawing attention, which is thoroughly justified given some of the outrageous comments here.

I understand wanting to pump, I guess it's just if there was a possibility of bother other people, is it fair they would all have to put up with the noise just because the OP wants to?

Even the loudest electric breastpump can’t compete with the sound of being on a train.

FFS. I cannot believe people would complain about the relatively small amount of noise a breastpump would make on a busy, noisy train.

Just to say you are incredible for continuing to pump having returned to work. You are doing a totally selfish act got the good of your baby and should be commended.

And for some reason there is a really unpleasant clutch of breastfeeding women ( thankfully a minority) that ARE attention seeking, judgemental, self righteous and sanctimonious. They act as if they are doing something extremely clever by feeding a baby, whilst it can be hard to establish it’s a natural process ( like a bodily function) and it doesn’t make them superior to formula feeders. Age old argument I know but it still makes me cross when I think back to the effect some horrible militant breastfeeding types have made to my friends ( ff) and the effect it has.

Goodness yes I would (and have) pump(ed) on a train. No problem.

Also, you are entitled to breaks to express at work by law so be brave and just schedule those breaks into your diary. No point risking mastitis.