I’m several weeks into exclusively pumping breast milk. It’s a lot of work and very time consuming so I want to do everything I can to make it easier. I’ve seen a lot of people buy a rolling cart to set up a breast pumping station, and while that’s great, I wanted to use something I already have – my nightstand! I spend most of my day with baby in our primary bedroom so I like to pump at the comfort of my own bed or in the chair next to my nightstand where I do feedings. It’s nice to have a pumping station so that I have all the essentials within arms reach. Here’s what I have in my breast pumping station and how I organize my nightstand!
Breast Pumping Station For Mom
- Electric double breast pump – I use the Spectra S2 Plus pump. The suction is strong, it’s easy to use and clean, and has minimal parts for assembling and disassembling.
- Pumping bra – This bra creates a hands-free experience for pumping so that you can be on your phone or computer to pass time quicker (I’m totally pumping as I’m writing this post right now!).
- Sunflower vitamins – This is essential to reduce clogs. If you’ve ever had mastitis, you know how painful that is. These sunflower vitamins help with just that.
- Prenatal vitamins – You still need additional nutrients while pumping and nursing, just as you did while you were pregnant. Don’t toss those prenatal vitamins just yet!
- Snacks – When you’re pumping/nursing, you’re ALWAYS hungry! I encourage you to keep some snacks near you. Things like granola bars, trail mixes, or crackers are great, healthy options.
- Insulated water bottle – It’s important to stay hydrated to help with your milk production. My Stanley cup is my go-to to ensure I get enough water daily and the insulation keeps my water cold all day long!
- Tissues – For spills or runny noses (whether it’s you or baby!).
- Wet wipes – Essential for cleaning up pumping messes.
- Nipple cream – The Medela cream is what I’ve used to ensure a pain free pumping experience.
- Lotion – You’ll be washing your pump parts often. To avoid dry hands, be sure to stock up on some lotion and have it close by.
- Hair ties – You’ll need to keep your hair back while pumping or feeding, and having a bunch of hair ties close by helps with the seamless experience.
- Glasses – If you’ll be reading or watching TV, don’t forget your glasses if you wear them.
- TV remote – Keep this close by as you’ll probably find yourself binge watching Netflix during your pumping sessions. I’ve gone through sooo many shows already!
- Sleeping spray – Since you’ll be up to pump late at night, a good sleeping spray is great to help you go back to sleep easily.
- Lamp – Serves as my night light to help see during late night pumping sessions.
- Phone charger – Keep a phone charger close by since you’ll find yourself perusing Instagram and TikTok during pumping sessions.
Other items you could include in your breast pumping station are manual breast pump, nursing pads, breast milk storage bags, spare pumping parts, and diaper changing essentials.
Baby Things
Since baby sleeps in a bassinet in our room, I also keep several baby essentials in the nightstand and breast pumping station.
- Pacifiers – We use these when baby is really fussy and won’t sleep at night.
- White noise machine – A baby essential to help with sleep and create a calm atmosphere for both you and the baby at night. This sits on my nightstand.
- Baby wrap – I use my Solly baby wrap quite often so I keep it close by. The material is buttery soft, calms baby down and allows me to walk around the house hands free!
Whatever you decide to include in your breast pumping station, the key is to make it convenient and comfortable for you. Feeding your baby takes up so much of your time and energy but it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences. You’ve got this mama!
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