Hate Pumping? 10 “Me Time” Ideas That Will Change Your Mind

Pumping breast milk sucks. Here’s how to milk it for all it’s worth. (I’ll stop now…)

7 min read

It never fails.

You’re crawling into bed at night, exhausted, your coziest pajamas on, the Sandman just moments away. You nestle into your pillow, silently whispering “I love you” to the fluffy piece of heaven, when it hits you.

You forgot to pump.

Knowing you need that milk in the near future, you grudgingly get back out of bed, strap on the suction action, and begin pumping that precious liquid gold.

Whether you are pumping breast milk throughout the day or just once a day (or once in awhile), one thing all milk moms can agree on is that it sucks. In every way.

It’s draining, not exactly comfortable, and keeps you confined to one location for an extended amount of time. Where we inevitably, inextricably, find ourselves mindlessly tuned in to Facebook.

Instead, why not use those 20 minutes to feed into yourself, and end up feeling happier…and possibly even more productive?

Here are ten things that will help you turn pumping breast milk into “me time,“ carving out a time in the day you didn’t know you had for something you really need.

Pumping Breast Milk Can
Actually Be Enjoyable. (Really.)

None of these ten pumping breast milk tips are going to do you any good if you don’t have an electric double pump and a hands-free pump bra. If you don’t, no WONDER you hate pumping breast milk so much. Stop the madness!

Most insurances will cover this precious commodity, though some do give you a hand pump and feed into every bad stereotype of insurance ever. It may be pricey to pay for your own if they don’t, but if you are someone who has to pump an electric double pump like this one is life saving.

The hands-free pump bra completes the set. You don’t have to wear it all day under your clothes – just put it on over your clothes when you are ready to make that milk.

If you don’t already have a pump (or you’ve got an older model), I would recommend filling out this quick form to see if Aeroflow can help you get a NEW breast pump for free from your insurance company!

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #1: Pamper Yourself!

Just because you are stuck in one location doesn’t mean you can’t change up said location. Use these moments to give yourself a little bit of “home spa” treatments.

Wash your face, then after you are all strapped in apply a healing mud or hair masque and just “let it go” for a bit.
Pluck, cleanse, tone, and lotion it up!
Use a gentle nail file to shape and then buff those nails you’ve been ignoring. Painting with a classic color should probably wait until the morning, and then you and your princess can have fun doing each other’s nails (don’t worry, dried nail polish on skin can be chipped off in the shower).
Drink this tasty, soothing tea packed with milk-boosting ingredients. Gotta love things that help both you and your baby in one punch!

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #2: Two Words: Cat. Nap.

Think you can’t sleep while pumping breast milk? Think again. Find a comfy place to keep yourself propped up, and let your mind drift. The “whooo-haaa-whooo-haaa” of your frenemy stuck on you is more soothing than any sound machine.

This may be my favorite pumping option in those moments after wrenching myself from the comfort of my comforter. Be sure to set an alarm, because if it goes on too long – no bueno.

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #3: Journal & Meditate

Some people journal as reflections to themselves, or to God as a form of prayer. It doesn’t need to take long. Just a few minutes is enough to create a physical pause in the day, allowing you time to meditate and process, savor the good, and learn from the bad.

While you can use a computer, there you become more prone to distraction. Plus, there is something in the art of physically writing your thoughts by hand that allows your concerns to slip through the ink, into the page, and out of your worried mind.

You can also pen thoughts to give to your child one day. This a great way to tell them about things they might be too young to remember or understand, record their various milestones or cute sayings, give them a new perspective on who you are, and hand them a piece of yourself to keep long after you are gone. Bonus, thinking of your baby helps you produce more milk.

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #4: Shop as Your Milk Drops!

You know all those things you thought about during the day that you wanted (like this cute hat) or needed (there is that baby shower coming up), but couldn’t find even two seconds to get? Because every time you thought of it, you were either driving or immediately interrupted by a poop emergency.

In your fortress of solitude you now have many minutes to do all your shopping, guilt-free, from the comfort of your chair. Thank you, Mr. Amazon Prime, for one stop convenience and free two-day shipping!

Or, use Ibotta to do some pre-couponing for your next trip. (Use the referral code xroobth to get started and get $10 added to your account!)

Ibotta is different than regular coupons in that they pay you cash back or give you gift cards to places you will actually use, like Amazon. In just a few short months last year I was able to get more than $100 in bonus money using the Ibotta app to use for Christmas! And, this was in addition to store coupons and BOGOs, which were often for the same items.

Pro Tip: Use your phone’s hands-free voice commands throughout the day to set reminders of grocery/household items you’re going to need.

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #5: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!

When is the last time you ate, anyway? Or had some water? Make yourself a real snack for once and tell the kids and daddy, “Sorry, mommy’s busy and this food is all for me!”

Then lock the door so you can be pumping breast milk in peace, and savor every bit of non-mac and cheese goodness. (Though to be fair, that’s pretty good too…)

Or put on your favorite podcast or mellow playlist that no one else in the family has the decency to appreciate, sit, and just enjoy it with a cup of the world’s best hot cocoa. Mmmm…this is what I’m doing tonight.

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #6: Share Some Love

While it may seem like “Sharing Love” isn’t about making “me time,” it really is.

Hear me out.

We all have the best intentions. We really do. But somehow, since having kids, our “best at writing thank you / thinking of you / sympathy / congratulations notes ” crown has started slipping. And every time we get another thank you card in the mail from Johnny’s 2nd birthday it stirs up all the Shame Beast again.

Can I confess something? I’m now 6 months out from my daughter’s birthday and still wonder if those picture “thank you” texts were enough.

Eat away at that guilt monster by keeping a cushy lap desk next to where you pump, along with a pen and these gorgeous embellished cards that make you look so with it. Even if you only get to one at a time, you are doing better than me, right?

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #7: Organize and Print Photos

Thanks to everything being in the computer cloud these days, there are new and wonderful ways to organize and print your pictures. Better yet, they take almost the exact same amount of time as pumping breast milk! (It’s like they knew…)

The Amazon Photo App allows you to upload all your pictures – forever, unlimited – so your phone never again needs to be so full you can’t capture that priceless penguin picture. And this won’t count against your cell provider’s cloud storage limit!
Mixbook allows you to create and print albums straight from your phone through the Mosaic app. You’ll have the finished product on your doorstep within 4 days. Great for those times you forget you wanted something special for Grandparents Day…again.
Discover plenty of other quick and easy memory-catching ideas in this article.

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #8: Indulge in Puzzle Mania

Keeping your brain active with puzzles such as crosswords and sudoku has been shown to stave off brain issues later in life. Pick up a few inexpensive puzzle books and pencils to help keep you sharp.

Sure, you can do games and puzzles on your phone, but you know you are just going to end up back on Level 40 of Bejeweled realizing your milk hasn’t been flowing for quite. some. time.

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #9: Read a Book

Yes, you probably read 26.2 books today. But what about a book not geared for children? Something you haven’t read infinity times for the past 53 bedtimes? Find one that is engaging and fun, can be read in pieces, and isn’t on self-improvement.
I find that, for me, travel books by Bill Bryson fit that bill.

Each chapter is stand-alone (because I rarely have more time for a chapter anyway!)
They are witty and filled with the types of funny, random topical connections toddlers could never provide
They transport me momentarily to a new and interesting place that does not have piles of laundry
I am rewarded with random trivia tidbits I can throw around like confetti (did you know that in 1967 the sitting Australian Prime Minister dove into the ocean and was never seen again – and that conspiracy theories still abound?).

Pumping Breast Milk Hack #10: Work Out!

Yes, you read that correctly. I’m suggesting you work out while you’re pumping breast milk.

Working out with limited mobility is totally possible! After all, it is really only your chestural region that has to stay stationary. I can promise you that after going through a few episodes of “Sit and Be Fit” you can really feel the burn. Your body will appreciate the movement! #ourlittlesecret

Grab a set of weights and do some low-impact arm workouts, tone those thighs using one of your kids’ pseudo-squishy balls between your knees, or focus on strengthening those kegels everyone keeps talking about. *wink*

Pumping Breast Milk:
Making the Most of a Sour Situation

While pumping may never be as much fun as, say, a full body massage, hopefully switching up these ten things will give you a little more joy and a little less blah while you’re stuck in that chair pumping breast milk.

Who knows? Maybe you will start enjoying pumping breast milk so much you will even look forward to it!

*dramatic gasp*

Which of these “me time” sessions are you going to start trying first?

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Pumping Breast Milk Can Actually Be Enjoyable. (Really.)