Breastpumping at concert

[Jourl]

AIBU for planning on pumping at a concert? I'm planning on taking my hand pump with me and a couple empty bottles to store then discard.

Does anyone know if I'll be okay taking in this? I've enquired with the venue but had no response.

For clarity it is Taylor Swift at Wembley

Maybe ask yourself why you think it's "a bit weird"

Why? What's it to you?

Sure, for the general MN demographic, but I suspect the topic will attract a disproportionate number of women who either have a baby, or have had one in the last few years. I probably overstated a bit, but I'd think there'll be plenty of millennial representation on this thread.

I breastfed for seven years in total, it would never have occurred to me to pump anywhere other than work (this was back in the days of going back to work when baby was 3-4 months old).
Can you not pump before and after the concert?

Some can't. I wouldn't be able to. My boob gets engorged very quickly and wouldn't want mastitis.

Oh God, very few I'd have thought! Probably won't happen across the board until the celebs/bands playing the venues start demanding it for patrons.

I personally wouldn't want to go if I was going to be so uncomfortable, distracted, and faffing about with pumps and liquids while standing in a crowd.

If you can tolerate that then go for it! I doubt anybody will even notice!

Have you been to a standing gig recently? My issue with this would be about it being too crowded to be realistic. If you're dealing with being jostled, crowd surges etc not sure how that's going to work? Also you're less likely to find strangers are tolerant if they're squashed up against you!

Would be different at a smaller, seated gig but not sure TS is it. Security tend to be more arsey at the big gigs as well, especially about taking bags let alone containers within said bags! Not that that's right, but it's my experience of larger gigs.

Because it’s a question on a public forum. I managed to pump without doing it in public, and there’s a lot more discrete methods now than when mine were little. Bf in public - no issue, pumping in pubic, no need, the stadium will provide a room if don’t want to use the ladies. Plenty of options

Pumping in pubic definitely would be a step too far

Why is there no need? Why is baby on the breast fine but a pump doing exactly the same thing isn’t? OP has presumably spent good money and is a big TS fan. Why should she miss 20 mins to go pump when she can do it where she is?

I've been thinking a lot about this past day, wondering why we see it as okay for a baby to drink the breastmilk but as soon as you put distance between the milk and the baby, the milk and releasing that milk becomes disgusting.

It's not weird in the slightest.

And it'll be fine!

That's what I did when I breastfed.

Enjoy the concert.

You are doing nothing wrong. If people have issues with it - it's their issues, their hang ups.

I've seen people wee into pint glasses and knock them over or even chuck them into the crowd at concerts.

I'd rather you pumped breast milk than have a random blokes wee on me.

@PoppingTomorrow

Pumping in pubic definitely would be a step too far

Why?

Considering the amount of gigs I've been to and watched disgusting people pissing in bottles and throwing it, I know which I'd rather see happening! If people have issues with her pumping, maybe they need to mind their business 🤷‍♀️

I've never really had any issue with it in public before, like I said previously, I need to do it a lot for my baby otherwise I'd never get out anywhere!

I've emailed Wembley again, not had any luck via the phone. Did speak to someone but they said if it's medically needed then I'll need a doctors note.... I tried to explain but he seemed a bit clueless and kept saying I can't bring my baby (which I obviously know and is why I'm expressing)

Maybe this is what people are fearing @Demonhunter ? That I'll launch my breastmilk across the crowd

I'd probably use an Elvie, or the Freemie in bra collection cups with a portable electric pump.

The most portable ones that work with Freemie cups are Medela ones, I think.

You can get them cheaper on eBay etc.

🤣🤣 that would be hilarious. Considering the bodily fluids people are used to at concerts, they'd probably think it was something else. I'd be tempted to do it for shits and giggles on the off chance one of the church elders of this thread was in the crowd!

You don't need permission from them to pump your breastmilk. You're over thinking this. Nor will they search your bags on your way out, so you can just take your expresssed milk home with you, then refrigerate or freeze once you get home. If staying in a hotel, they'll likely be accommodating in storing it for you.

I see Freemie are doing their own portable pumps now too, not sure how available they are in the UK though.

Yeah, it seems a shame to dump breast milk.

Suppose it depends how long it can stay unrefrigerated for though.