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 find it staggering that anyone would see pumping on the train as selfish.

The OP is feeding her baby, the best way she knows how. A way that has been absolutely rammed down her throat as ‘best’ by HPs from day one.

She’s containing to do that while back at work, even though pumping is a total PITA.

And then she’s getting minimal support from her work and society to keep it going. The train would be a perfect opportunity to pump as she’s busy and work and busy at home. But apparently no, that’s not acceptable. And so fucking what if her supply dries up or she gets mastitis?

Do people not see how head wrecking that is?

It wouldn't bother me at all - I doubt I'd notice it happening.

That was my comment @SinkGirl that's why I said 'If there was a possibility'. Not all trains are noisey, mine aren't. I commute at stupid o clock too so maybe that's why.

@JinglingHellsBells, you're the one who said that pumping showed a "sod anyone else" attitude. If you can't explain why you said that, I don't think it's up to OP to do so.

It's this "I can and will expose myself as much as I like providing I can link it to breastfeeding and if anyone dares suggest it's unnecessary, it's their fault for looking, pervy bastard, and they clearly want my child to starve" tripe

It's the crowing about it. The song and dance.

But who exactly has said that? People who dislike breastfeeding keep coming up with this meme about women only doing it to show off and stick two fingers up at other people, and, as I said upthread, I've literally never come across any woman taking that attitude, whether in relation to breastfeeding OR pumping. And before someone comes up with the OP's post again, she's made it very clear that she wants to do this to save time and because her breasts hurt, not to seek attention.

I'm a commuter and the way I see it about consideration is would the pumping affect/bother people. We're in a cramped space, no opening windows, heading to/from a job for necessity. Most people are just wanting to quietly get about their day. If OP was next to/opposite me and the pump made a noise then I could find that annoying

Seriously? On a crowded commuter train where you've got the noise of the train itself and other trains passing, people talking, sneezing, coughing etc all around you, and conceivably also the sound from mobile phones, iPads etc as well, you would be annoyed by quiet buzzing from one individual?

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

Exactly.

As someone who bf, bottle fed later, pumped, and used formula, the group you have just describe are the worst . It's embarrassing when you get associated with them as they act like they're the voice of breastfeeding.

They create stigmas that aren't there just to protest against them. They deliberately do things that aren't necessary just to pretend it's in the name of "oh the most natural thing in the world, feeding a child"

Piss off you glaring attention seeker. You're not kidding anyone. Despite how loudly you preach. And don't pretend you speak on behalf of those of us who manage to perform this miraculous, stop the news, awe inspiring task without making a song and dance about it.

No. One. Cares.

I suspect some people who are knee-jerk objecting to this are assuming a major palaver with OP laboriously setting up breastfeeding apparatus on the table in front of her, getting a breast out and sitting there exposed for however long it takes. The reality, however, is that you can simply get a pump that slips inside your bra so that the worst anyone will ever encounter is a buzzing noise and maybe a bit of firking around underneath the shirt whilst attaching. They might just just see OP sealing off the milk container. Is that really so horrific?

Very welcome @KUGA 😁

Also - I have a medela swing I doubt you’d hear it over the usual noises of a train.

@jamtomorrow1 As long as you put a cover over then I really don't see the problem. Obviously there is no baby's head covering your nipples so you defo need a cover 😂

I have a medela swing too, you can hear it if it's completely quiet around you (like the middle of the night) but on a train with just the noise of the train itself and people talking etc you can't hear it at all. I've sat opposite people and they didn't notice at all.

I thought it was about farting too. Then it got me thinking about all the public places Iv been when Iv needed and had to fart. Shops are really bad. But find a vacant aisle.. Do the deed in a controlled manner and move swiftly on..

I don't think the OP deserves the response she's got here for an ill-advised flippant comment about elderly male passengers, especially after she owned this and took it back.

Has anyone objecting to train pumping articulated what's wrong with it beyond vague statements about being considerate? Can you state why you feel pumping on a train is inconsiderate?

I'd personally feel shyer about public pumping. The act of pumping makes me feel a bit like a cow , I think we're used to people's right to breastfeed anywhere but not pump. But thinking about it objectively pumping would be more discreet as you wouldn't have difficulty latching and would be in complete control of what is being seen/covered. I can't see the objection really, and if someone would prefer to use commuting time over work time to pump, why not?

If someone pumped flamboyantly and loudly this might be mildly annoying. But no more annoying that someone having a loud conversation on the phone, and definitely less annoying than someone eating smelly food.

Definitely less annoying than a bad fart in a train on a winter's day

Yes seriously @Tonnerre I was trying to be objective and put forth my take on what people were referring to as consideration for others. There have been other posters that said the noise would annoy them which is not what I said at all.

I just googled the Elvie - how have I not heard of this?! It would have made my life a bazillion times easier.

I do agree with posters who say pumping is treated very differently to breastfeeding. To be honest I remember when I first saw/heard about pumping before I had children and I was disgusted by it. I think unless you've experienced it, or someone close to you has exposed you to it, then it's very weird for people. I'm immune to it now so I wouldn't bat an eyelid if I saw you on the train but many, many others would be horrified I imagine. That's not to say don't do it, just be prepared for some unimpressed reactions!

As long as it's not noisy (as I glare at the Irishmen opposite who's having a very loud and sweary phone call) then I can't see that other travellers have anything to complain about.

That said, those sockets are designed for charging devices. If a pump draws too much current (no idea how much that would be) then you may trip the circuit breaker which would mean that everyone loses power. You wouldn't be popular then. Best stick to a manual or battery pump.

I’m not sure I’d have the guts. When I pump I can hear the squirt flow from the udders and the noise of it hitting the bottle 😳

But pumping 8 times a day because your city career is so important is not breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the act of putting your baby to your breast and delivering milk directly. If you are pumping you are bottle feeding not breastfeeding. Ok, you might be giving it breast milk, but you’re not breastfeeding. Pretending it’s the same thing is just bollocks. If you’re so desperate to breastfeed then do it properly, not via a flipping milking machine.

(Obviously I’m excluding people with ill babies from this or babies in SCBU)

@gingersausage I'm home with my son all day on mat leave, I dint have a city career that is so important I pump 8 times a day, that train journey was a one off day trip.

I pump because I CANNOT breastfeed, I tried solid for 3 weeks, he wouldn't latch, and then when he did he twisted and chewed, caused so much trauma to my nipples that my HV told me to stop and to formula feed, I made the decision to exclusively pump.
I'm not pretending it's the same thing, but I'm giving my son the best I can in the situation we are in!

Why can't people leave others choices well enough alone?

Ok, you might be giving it breast milk, but you’re not breastfeeding.

So is giving breastmilk not a positive thing to do or something?

Should you only bf if you can do it ‘properly’?

Struggling to understand your point here.

You would not be unreasonable OP. Why not try it and see how you get on? There are some miserable, unkind people on this thread for sure - but they almost certainly won’t be on your train so stuff them!

But pumping 8 times a day because your city career is so important is not breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the act of putting your baby to your breast and delivering milk directly. If you are pumping you are bottle feeding not breastfeeding. Ok, you might be giving it breast milk, but you’re not breastfeeding. Pretending it’s the same thing is just bollocks. If you’re so desperate to breastfeed then do it properly, not via a flipping milking machine.

And presumably that's what the majority of us whom are juggling our city careers and our babies are doing at the evenings, through the nights, in the early mornings and all through the weekend: 'putting the baby to the breast and delivering milk directly'.

I'm struggling to understand whether you have a useful contribution to the topic or whether you're just trying to be unkind. Is your suggestion that we stop providing our children with breastmilk and use formula instead (which would be fine - formula is great - but my baby and I both enjoy breastfeeding)? Or that if we can't be at home with our children, we shouldn't bother reproducing at all?

Maybe these women with their "big city jobs that are so important" shouldn't bother having children at all @gingersausage