Pumping on a day out... help!

[LokiCokey]

I've been back at work for nearly two months and express at work where I have a dedicated room. In a few weeks I've got a long awaited day out with friends. In my excitement I've completely forgotten that I'll need to pump my milk whilst out and about. How/ where can I do this? What do other people do on a day out? My pump is too noisy to use in public and all the kit I take to work would be a nightmare to lug around on a day out! I can't see a solution unless I'm missing something and think I'll need to cancel!

Hopeful bump

It's hard to know as we don't know where you're going - some places like shopping centres have feeding rooms rtc.I don't know where/what your day out involves but if you're driving - you could pump in your car? Or the ladies' toilets.

I'm going to a city but will have to drive and use park and ride otherwise car would be my first choice. Was thinking a department store with a nursing room but I'll still have to carry all my bits around all day.

Just take a hand pump, do it in toilets and pour milk away?

How old is your baby and how much are they feeding? You might well get away with not pumping/ hand expressing as PP said, if they’re not tiny.

Second a hand pump, you can sit with a cloth over it if necessary its smaller than a baby! I currently use the medala harmony flex for all pumping.

Sadly I don't get on with a hand pump at all so it's my electric or nothing. I don't really want to get rid of the milk as DC needs that milk the next day. I wondered about not pumping but I know from work that I get uncomfortable if I haven't pumped by mid afternoon.

Baby is 8 months.

I'm currently thinking find a breastfeeding room. Take my pump and parts in a backpack and suck it up for the day!

When I expressed I got so fed up of trying to find places to do it i just... did it. I had a small double pump from amazon. This time of year was my friend for jackets and scarves. A decent pumping bra, and I'd just walk about with the unit in a (big coat) pocket or in my bag, the bottles hidden under the scarf. Doctors waiting rooms, trains, taxis, noone actually minded all that much. Some funny looks for the noise right enough. If you could afford a quieter more portable pump I wouldn't cancel your day out. The one I used was 40 from amazon.

@Twokidsanddone interesting, my pump is good but it's noisy and I have to hold it, no way could I walk around lol! Might take a look on Amazon but it's only one day out and I'm not planning on BF much longer...

At that age I would probably be looking for a pump and dump option. Baby will cope without pumped milk for one day (if you dump), and you won’t have a decent storage option anyway. So for me it would be the minimum needed to pump. I know you’ve said no to a hand pump - but how engorged are you likely to be? You could really just be going for enough to take the edge off and then pump properly back in your car if you need to.

but tbh if you have plenty of notice you could just build a small frozen stash now.

Or as you have a few weeks notice you could also reduce the number of feeds baby would be taking in that period (might happen naturally anyway as they grow/get more into food). And remember babies are adaptable so less milk in the day can be made up overnight when needed

@Donttakeafence taking the edge off with hand pump and then doing the rest in the car is a great idea. I just have problems with my hands that mean extended hand pumping is no good for me.

Thanks everyone, I feel like I at least have options now!