Best accessories for expressing at work

[CrashBang]

Hi. I've just read through about six threads about expressing at work but I'm really looking for some tips about the best gear/kit to buy to make life as easy as possible and I have not really found this info.

I have a Medala Swing pump, so that's sorted. I can use the work fridge but I'd love some guidance on buying the following:

• large sterile plastic bags to carry pumps, bottles etc. I have bags for freezing milk but they're not big enough.
• a good insulated bottle cover, which I can leave in the fridge and then bring with me on the commute home.
• I was thinking it might be best to sterilse three bottles, keep in three sterile bags, fill and return to the bags which I'll then put in the three bottle covers that I'll buy. Does this make sense? If so, what bottles did you buy? I have lots of bottles but no lids, except for my Medala bottle.
• Lastly I have a Pacapod feeding pod which seems to have some insulation. Does anyone use this for feeding at work?

Tips on anything else that I could consider buying to make things easier. I'm dreading leaving my baby, but as a planner I always feel better and comforted when I've planned and got the right kit.

I kept all my pump bits and clean bottles in a locandloc box, plus a big self seal bag for used pump bits. The box got a steritab each evening.
Don't do insulated bottle cover - put the bottles in a thin bag (a washbag is perfect) in the fridge so they get cold fast, then in an insulated lunch bag to go home. I took my lunch in it (with cool blocks), then put the milk in last thing.
I used avent bottles as you could get large bottles and sealing lids, so I only needed two bottles to get all the milk in.

Never heard of a locandloc box; I'll look it up. Thanks.

I just use supermarket sealable bags for the pump bits, I don't sterilise the bags themselves but if you're worried, Medela sells the microwavable steriliser bags that should be big enough for your pump parts and you can sterilise at work if you have access to a microwave.

For bottles we have spare Medela bottles (with lids) so I just rotate the bottles in the fridge and with carry. I have about 7 bottles in total.

I use the double pump so I got a pumpease bra which is much better at securing the pump to my boobs than the handsfree thingies that came with the Freestyle. I also have the Freestyle cool bag for the bottles but this can be bought separately on Amazon.

Get the Medela cooler bag - an insulated bag with freezer block that holds four bottles. Expressing into and then freezing bottles is MUCH cheaper than those bloody one-use plastic bags.

I also used a john lewis insulated sandwich bag to keep the pump and its bits and pieces in.

Another vote for the medela cool bag. I only take 3 steriliser bottles and put the breast shield etc from the pump in a clean sandwich bag and put that in the other hollow. I give the pump bits a good clean and sterilise every 24hrs but keep it either in the fridge or the cool bag apart from that.

The pacapod bag would keep things cool. I used ours a couple of times when dd was in NICU.

Actually, this thread reminded me that when dd was still alive, I really wanted this bag when I went back to work. My Avent duo pump bag had seen better days and I wanted a nice one for work. Minor thing, but it's another thing I didn't do because she died.

I kept all mine is a pretty patterned cool bag that i picked up from the drug store. The picnic stuff had just all come out. I only had two bottles, one for pumping one for storing. I only pumped twice a day (went back at 4 months).

Obviously as said before you don't need to sterilise after each time. in fact the info I got on milk bank donation says i don't need to sterilise at all, just give it a good wash.