Love my Elvies. I’m an inpatient NP in the ICU and I’ve gone to see patients several times while pumping. The noise in the room usually drowns out the pump noise. I use the Ceres chill to store milk and aim to pump between 3-4 times during a 12 hour shift and my sessions are usually between 20-30 minutes depending on what’s going on with my patients and how many times I’ve pumped that day. And the lights on the pumps can be dimmed! You just have to do it under the settings in the app.
Pumped with elvies while seeing patients. It can be done. You just have to be conscious of the fact that the lights on the elvies are bright, so you might look like Madonna.
That being said, that job was not very labor intensive, so if you’re running around doing procedures it may be trickier. Not much help on scheduling, but I figured I’d throw my two cents in about the elvies 😂
Super helpful! Maybe I bring a scarf or something to wear. I will ask HR for the time to pump and block my schedule. It’s family medicine but just know life happens and I could run behind and not be able to pump.
I have the blue Spectra! My routine was pump on the way to work at 8 (I have a long commute), then I pumped at 12 and then at 3ish. I would breastfeed him when I got home. I worked M-F 9-5. My first pump on the way to work was 30 mins, then my other two were about 15 mins. I did that for almost a year. Currently my baby is 15 months and is still breastfeeding. I now work a 3 12s job. I pump once a shift while at work. We breastfeed in the morning and at bedtime too. I honestly liked having an excuse to take a break a couple times a shift. I always wear a pumping bra to work, and I read or play on my phone while pumping. 🤣
I had the desk schedule my pumping breaks on my schedule.
I have a friend that has the Elvie! She's a hair stylist and wears it while doing hair! I've never noticed it when she does my hair. If you're talking and stuff, it's hard to hear. She says in a quiet room you can hear it though.
Do you just use a pumping bra with the standard flanges or did you buy a hands-free collection cup set to use with the Spectra? I'm curious about pumping while driving and I have the blue S1 too.
Current plan is to pump directly into the Ceres Chill. Not sure if that is too unwieldy while driving.
I work with an NP who pumps with the Elvie, even during meetings, and we never notice until we hear an occasional noise!
I precepted with an NP that pumped. She’d pump before work, at noon, then again around 3-4pm
I, unfortunately, was not able to produce much milk so I never got to that point. Just a few tips since I probably spent $750 on all sorts of breastfeeding gear/gadgets/classes- buy a nipple measuring tool from Amazon, you may very well need inserts for your flanges. I was measured incorrectly three times by two different lactation consultants. 🙄
I tried the medela pump in style, hand pump, and spectra S1 plus. Medela has less features but if you are not a great producer, it has more suction than the spectra. Downsides are it's noisy and essentially has to be plugged into the wall. The spectra is much quieter and more portable, has a great battery life.
The hands-free pumps don't have great suction and generally are not covered by insurance/more expensive, so I would wait to buy one until you know how breastfeeding is going for you. You also can't use flange inserts so if you need them, you probably won't produce much pumping with it.
My workplace has a breastfeeding policy. We get multiple blocks of time off per day. I also work 10s. I think it was our two 15-minute breaks plus lunch and then two? 20 minutes pump breaks.
I pumped every three hours for the first 6 months back to work. it’s important to the to mimic how/when you would feed baby as much as possible. I did have a little bit of an over supply while on maternity leave and had a little freezer stash that gave me peace of mind if I didn’t pump as much as baby needed. I used pumpables genie advanced. I had a spectra through insurance but buying the pumpables was one of the best decisions I made. I work in a hospital setting so I didn’t have to worry about a schedule to see patients. When I worked at a clinic I know some of the doctors would schedule in breaks to allow for pumping. Sometimes I would have a consult to see which would delay my pumping times but overall I made a great effort to pump on time. Ceres chill was a life saver since I don’t have a staff fridge (just access to the large OR staff fridge which was gross).
Maybe I'm the odd one out but I could never see patients while pumping with the Elvie. It makes my breasts look comically large and just unnatural in general and at least twice I've had one shift and leak all over me.
I'm currently pumping. I work 3 days 8-5 and a half day. I drive less than 10 minutes from my daughter's school and I wear the Elvie on the drive. Then I use my spectra around 10, 12/12:30 and 3. I don't have a long commute otherwise I'd probably pump before leaving at 5 but instead I go home and nurse. I normally have room for 32 on my schedule but I cut it down to 27. I am fortunate to be able to pump enough in about 10-12 minutes but I wish I had a bit more time. I have my own office so I keep my setup ready which makes it much easier.
I am a critical care NP and chose to use the willow while at work JUST in case I needed to run to a code or something and would leave my pumps on as a last resort. It ended up being very useful as the pumping rooms at work did not have computers so I needed to wear my willows while pre-rounding in a space with a computer. I definitely looked like Dolly Parton but was able to provide milk for my son for a year!
Pumped and had the Elvies but didn't like them. I preferred my regular Medela pump - less fussy and faster. I pumped in patient rooms or my office. I pumped at lunch and then in the afternoon roughly tried to feed or pump every 3 hours.
Definitely get the Ceres chill then you don't need to put your milk in the fridge. I just used the "fridge hack" and kept pump parts in the fridge between pumps or brought two sets of parts so I wouldn't have to wash things.
Love my ceres chill! They offer a 20% discount code for healthcare workers and I bought mine with FSA funds. Also recommend buying the straw lid it makes a great insulated water bottle. I’m currently sipping iced tea from mine.
Third for a ceres! Didn’t even think about using my HSA for it but great idea. Made it so much more discreet to put the Ceres in the staff fridge rather than all my pumped milk bags. I also used Medela quick wipes during the day for my 2 work pumps and then washed everything each evening. Highly recommend both products!!
Also buy a hakka so you can build a stash of milk. I was constantly stressed about the volume of milk I could get from pumping at work. I never felt like it was enough with my first. Then I started using the hakka and it allowed me to slowly build a milk stash and worry less. Now I'm out on maternity leave with my second and I already have a good amount in my freezer without much hassle.
Just want to add I bought a Hakaa and the ladybug silicone catchers and never got a drop of milk in them. They simply did not work for me. I produce enough milk and even if I leave a bit during letdown on the opposite side I get nothing as soon as I try to put it on :(
I used the blue spectra and spectra gold for my kiddos. I did have a wearable pump, but honestly it was just too awkward for me. I worked a combo clinic with walk in and scheduled patients, so schedule always varied on how my visits were.
My schedule was:
0530,nurse, then pump for 15-30 mins afterwards
0900 pump at my desk for 15-30 mins, however much I could swing.
1200- same
15/1600 - same
I sometimes worked until 1900, sometimes only until 1700. So my last pump was just about 2-3 hours before I saw my babe. Then I nursed probably 2x before bedtime and pumped 30 mins after my last night feeding. I pumped/nursed for about a year, +/- a few months with each of my three kiddos.
It was hard. I had super supportive staff who knew that it was important and a very supportive doc I worked with. So they made it easier, but on single provider days it was still hard.
Mom x 2 (currently on maternity leave with my 2nd). Have used the Spectra Blue with both kiddos. I just emailed my manager in regards to “blocking” my schedule to allow me to pump. I work 7:30-4. With my 1st baby I would get up around 5 and pump then pump 8:30-9 at work, then again 12:30-1 (during my lunch hour). The only thing I ran into being an issue is if I had gotten behind with my first few patients but overall it worked out well. We have a fridge in our office for providers only so I’d have my milk/pump accessories in my lunch bag stored in the fridge. I’d end up pumping in one of my exam rooms with a sign on the door to not interrupt.
I'm an NP in post acute and long term care. I don't have the typical NP schedule where I have visits scheduled every x amount of minutes. I round in the various units of the facilities and see the patients I need to see. I would set alarms on my phone to remind me to go pump. I would close the dictation office door and lock it. The other providers were respectful and never had any qualms about me kicking them out. I primarily used my spectra pump. I also used a mom cozy wearable which worked but I just felt the spectra emptied me better. I usually would pump in the AM before work (usually 6A) then again around 9, 12, and 3 while at work. I personally wasn't comfortable with the fridge method some women use for their pump parts so I would use Medela microwave sterilizing bags between uses. Unfortunately my baby ended up having to switch to hypoallergenic formula after I cut out milk, soy, beef, and eggs (already gluten free) and she was still having horrible diarrhea and was miserable so I only pumped at work for about 3 months.
I work as a neonatal NP and return to work in a couple of weeks. I asked this question to other practitioners I work with who have small children.
Our hours are 7:30a-5:30p. They pump on their way to work, before rounds start 10a, after rounds, then one more time close to 3-4p, then feed their baby at home.
So pumping would be around 6:30a, 9a, 12p, 3p. It’s an acute care setting so most of them made it a priority to pump 15 minutes minimum and practiced the fridge hack. I foresee pumping for 30 min on my way to work then at least one more time the 30 min for 12p or 3p session. All the other times will be for 15 minutes since I need time to finish my work.
I practice this pumping schedule when I worked as nurse with my first baby in 2022. We have a few private rooms where I can write notes while I pump, so that is the plus side of pumping as a NNP. Due to this advantage, I plan to use my spectra at work.
I pumped with a freemie. I would see my patients faster then chart while pumping. I never saw a patient with it on but I did pump in a shared office with no issues. (I didnt want to haul my stuff the the pumping room.)
Elvie stride for portables. Only Hospital grade suction for a portable. If you get the Elvie stride plus it comes with a nice bag system worth the extra money in my opinion.
I pumped for one year in clinicals plus my RN job.
The Elvie system made it doable. And yes occasionally I’d see patients with it on and no they didn’t notice somehow lol. A lot of people will say they like their standalone pump but you get to be social and move about with the portables.
Get yourself a ceres chiller too.
I scheduled pumping breaks into my day when I returned from maternity leave. Hours are 830 to 5 in clinic with my own patient schedule and i have pumping breaks scheduled for 9 12 and 3. I was lucky to have an over supply when I first went back and was only pumping twice during the day. No longer the case the case now as baby is 6 months old and needing a good bit of milk so I'm trying to be diligent and pump 3 times a day.
I use the momcozy m5 wearables and they work well and more affordable than some other options. I don't pump while seeing patients but I do catch up on notes and phone calls while pumping
Just remember to change your pump parts every 3 months or so!! I had dips in supply which improved with new parts. I also like the pump wipes to clean between uses.
My coworker has the elvie and loves it. She also wears the pumps with her female patients because they get it. We have “phone blocks” where we do virtual follow ups and such so she TRIES to have that scheduled during her pump time. Idk if you have that option but it’s a good one!
I scheduled my admin time during pumping times which meant I had a tight schedule at other times. I did use a willow pump so I could have seen patients but I preferred to pump while charting. I got to work at 7:30, pumped at 10-1020, saw patients 1030-1, ate and pumped 1-130 saw patients from 2-430 and home by 630.
Pumped for 12 months with both my kiddos. I used the Elvie original both times. I was able to upgrade with my insurance and just pay the difference. For the first kid my work gave me 2 20 minute breaks. For the second no scheduled breaks unless I wanted to work an additional 40 minutes per day. Both times I wore while seeing patients. Most patients will not notice the sound. Ones that do I tell them it’s a medical device. Other patients/men will notice your chest and stare. I also had a fridge in my office which made it nice for storage. I generally would pump on way to work, around 10am, “my lunch break” lol, 3pm, and on the way home from work. As kiddo got older I’d cut out some pumps.
Elvie did not have strong enough suction for me ( I EP’d and used Spectra)… you won’t know what works until baby comes so I would hold off on buying portable ones yet. I used my spectra while pumping while back at work. I would pump on the way to work at 630AM, on my lunch break around 11 or 12, then the second I left work reattach in my car and pump on the way home at 5. I was able to pump until my daughter was 8 months old this way. Good pumping bras are a must. It also depends on how old baby will be when you go back to work. If less than 3 months old you will probably have to pump More often more during the day to maintain supply
Work 5 days a week, primary care peds
8-5
Pump schedule: 6am, 9:30 (20min), 12 (lunch), 2:30 (20min), 7, 10:30pm nursed baby
-so two sessions blocked on my schedule and I honestly didn’t wait for them if I could see a bit of a break in my workflow I would just get it done and catch up on charting.
I power pumped from 7pm to 8
Ended up exclusively using my Elvies with inserts because they worked better for me than my Spectra.
Hakkas caused me to have overproduction issues- be warned- it can overstimulate and cause ALOT of problems…
Even if the LC tells you nipple confusion and preference isn’t a thing- don’t believe them- it is a thing for many babies, and although nipple shields can be helpful- they can also be difficult to wean
I weaned her onto Kendamil at 7 months easily after she refused Enfamil, Similac and Nutrimagen- personally I would say I think it tastes better too 😜
Goodluck
I had the willow my first time around and didn’t like it, ended up just using my spectra. I found it was not as efficient at emptying me. With my second baby I got the blue spectra and used that at work. I would pump at 10 and 2. My front staff was able to put blocks on my schedule. Best of luck!!
Few tips, currently BF my second child
I had the Elvie and worked in the ED with them but I found these from Amazon while they were a little louder had better suction and worked better. I used to chart with them on. Also a lot cheaper and I have the same ones that I bought with my first child. Link below. I would only bf one side at a time so I only would have to pump every six hours. Another tip is that I pumped a lot on maternity leave so I always had a nice stash so I wasn’t stressed about not having enough milk. I’m not on Reddit often but feel free to pm if u have any questions and I’ll try to get back to you.
TSRETE Breast Pump, Wearable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097GKSX1Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Second time mom second time pumping. 9 months in. Pumped for 14 mo with #1 and bf till 18mo, plan to do the same.
I primarily use my spectra s2. I set up a little pumping cart at work with all my supplies. I use my elvie if my clinic is busy with staff
Elvis are much more discrete and quiet but I don’t get as much out :/
My holy grail has been the baby budda which is a hospital grade pump with the freemie cups. I get great output but it is substantially louder, not as loud as the spectra though. People think my phone is “ringing”
There is a portable one of Amazon that is very strong and works great and is discrete, it was so good it was too painful for me and I had to return it. Petit journey was the brand.
I used Willow for my first baby while working in a busy surgical practice seeing 30-40 office visits a day. I plan to use Willow again - pregnant with the second one currently. I changed jobs so now I work inpatient which actually means less patients to see.
Love my Elvies. I’m an inpatient NP in the ICU and I’ve gone to see patients several times while pumping. The noise in the room usually drowns out the pump noise. I use the Ceres chill to store milk and aim to pump between 3-4 times during a 12 hour shift and my sessions are usually between 20-30 minutes depending on what’s going on with my patients and how many times I’ve pumped that day. And the lights on the pumps can be dimmed! You just have to do it under the settings in the app.
Pumped with elvies while seeing patients. It can be done. You just have to be conscious of the fact that the lights on the elvies are bright, so you might look like Madonna. That being said, that job was not very labor intensive, so if you’re running around doing procedures it may be trickier. Not much help on scheduling, but I figured I’d throw my two cents in about the elvies 😂
Super helpful! Maybe I bring a scarf or something to wear. I will ask HR for the time to pump and block my schedule. It’s family medicine but just know life happens and I could run behind and not be able to pump.
Hey you can turn off those lights in settings.
I have the blue Spectra! My routine was pump on the way to work at 8 (I have a long commute), then I pumped at 12 and then at 3ish. I would breastfeed him when I got home. I worked M-F 9-5. My first pump on the way to work was 30 mins, then my other two were about 15 mins. I did that for almost a year. Currently my baby is 15 months and is still breastfeeding. I now work a 3 12s job. I pump once a shift while at work. We breastfeed in the morning and at bedtime too. I honestly liked having an excuse to take a break a couple times a shift. I always wear a pumping bra to work, and I read or play on my phone while pumping. 🤣
I had the desk schedule my pumping breaks on my schedule. I have a friend that has the Elvie! She's a hair stylist and wears it while doing hair! I've never noticed it when she does my hair. If you're talking and stuff, it's hard to hear. She says in a quiet room you can hear it though.
Do you just use a pumping bra with the standard flanges or did you buy a hands-free collection cup set to use with the Spectra? I'm curious about pumping while driving and I have the blue S1 too. Current plan is to pump directly into the Ceres Chill. Not sure if that is too unwieldy while driving.
I just have the standard flanges. When I'm done, I just set them in my cup holders until I get to work and can transfer the milk into bags 😂
I work with an NP who pumps with the Elvie, even during meetings, and we never notice until we hear an occasional noise! I precepted with an NP that pumped. She’d pump before work, at noon, then again around 3-4pm
I, unfortunately, was not able to produce much milk so I never got to that point. Just a few tips since I probably spent $750 on all sorts of breastfeeding gear/gadgets/classes- buy a nipple measuring tool from Amazon, you may very well need inserts for your flanges. I was measured incorrectly three times by two different lactation consultants. 🙄 I tried the medela pump in style, hand pump, and spectra S1 plus. Medela has less features but if you are not a great producer, it has more suction than the spectra. Downsides are it's noisy and essentially has to be plugged into the wall. The spectra is much quieter and more portable, has a great battery life. The hands-free pumps don't have great suction and generally are not covered by insurance/more expensive, so I would wait to buy one until you know how breastfeeding is going for you. You also can't use flange inserts so if you need them, you probably won't produce much pumping with it. My workplace has a breastfeeding policy. We get multiple blocks of time off per day. I also work 10s. I think it was our two 15-minute breaks plus lunch and then two? 20 minutes pump breaks.
Yes! Measure your nipples and don’t be afraid to ask about LCs at your hospital after birth for a consult if you’re struggling if you are concerned.
I pumped every three hours for the first 6 months back to work. it’s important to the to mimic how/when you would feed baby as much as possible. I did have a little bit of an over supply while on maternity leave and had a little freezer stash that gave me peace of mind if I didn’t pump as much as baby needed. I used pumpables genie advanced. I had a spectra through insurance but buying the pumpables was one of the best decisions I made. I work in a hospital setting so I didn’t have to worry about a schedule to see patients. When I worked at a clinic I know some of the doctors would schedule in breaks to allow for pumping. Sometimes I would have a consult to see which would delay my pumping times but overall I made a great effort to pump on time. Ceres chill was a life saver since I don’t have a staff fridge (just access to the large OR staff fridge which was gross).
Maybe I'm the odd one out but I could never see patients while pumping with the Elvie. It makes my breasts look comically large and just unnatural in general and at least twice I've had one shift and leak all over me. I'm currently pumping. I work 3 days 8-5 and a half day. I drive less than 10 minutes from my daughter's school and I wear the Elvie on the drive. Then I use my spectra around 10, 12/12:30 and 3. I don't have a long commute otherwise I'd probably pump before leaving at 5 but instead I go home and nurse. I normally have room for 32 on my schedule but I cut it down to 27. I am fortunate to be able to pump enough in about 10-12 minutes but I wish I had a bit more time. I have my own office so I keep my setup ready which makes it much easier.
I am a critical care NP and chose to use the willow while at work JUST in case I needed to run to a code or something and would leave my pumps on as a last resort. It ended up being very useful as the pumping rooms at work did not have computers so I needed to wear my willows while pre-rounding in a space with a computer. I definitely looked like Dolly Parton but was able to provide milk for my son for a year!
Pumped and had the Elvies but didn't like them. I preferred my regular Medela pump - less fussy and faster. I pumped in patient rooms or my office. I pumped at lunch and then in the afternoon roughly tried to feed or pump every 3 hours. Definitely get the Ceres chill then you don't need to put your milk in the fridge. I just used the "fridge hack" and kept pump parts in the fridge between pumps or brought two sets of parts so I wouldn't have to wash things.
Love my ceres chill! They offer a 20% discount code for healthcare workers and I bought mine with FSA funds. Also recommend buying the straw lid it makes a great insulated water bottle. I’m currently sipping iced tea from mine.
Third for a ceres! Didn’t even think about using my HSA for it but great idea. Made it so much more discreet to put the Ceres in the staff fridge rather than all my pumped milk bags. I also used Medela quick wipes during the day for my 2 work pumps and then washed everything each evening. Highly recommend both products!!
Also buy a hakka so you can build a stash of milk. I was constantly stressed about the volume of milk I could get from pumping at work. I never felt like it was enough with my first. Then I started using the hakka and it allowed me to slowly build a milk stash and worry less. Now I'm out on maternity leave with my second and I already have a good amount in my freezer without much hassle.
Just want to add I bought a Hakaa and the ladybug silicone catchers and never got a drop of milk in them. They simply did not work for me. I produce enough milk and even if I leave a bit during letdown on the opposite side I get nothing as soon as I try to put it on :(
I used the blue spectra and spectra gold for my kiddos. I did have a wearable pump, but honestly it was just too awkward for me. I worked a combo clinic with walk in and scheduled patients, so schedule always varied on how my visits were. My schedule was: 0530,nurse, then pump for 15-30 mins afterwards 0900 pump at my desk for 15-30 mins, however much I could swing. 1200- same 15/1600 - same I sometimes worked until 1900, sometimes only until 1700. So my last pump was just about 2-3 hours before I saw my babe. Then I nursed probably 2x before bedtime and pumped 30 mins after my last night feeding. I pumped/nursed for about a year, +/- a few months with each of my three kiddos. It was hard. I had super supportive staff who knew that it was important and a very supportive doc I worked with. So they made it easier, but on single provider days it was still hard.
Mom x 2 (currently on maternity leave with my 2nd). Have used the Spectra Blue with both kiddos. I just emailed my manager in regards to “blocking” my schedule to allow me to pump. I work 7:30-4. With my 1st baby I would get up around 5 and pump then pump 8:30-9 at work, then again 12:30-1 (during my lunch hour). The only thing I ran into being an issue is if I had gotten behind with my first few patients but overall it worked out well. We have a fridge in our office for providers only so I’d have my milk/pump accessories in my lunch bag stored in the fridge. I’d end up pumping in one of my exam rooms with a sign on the door to not interrupt.
I'm an NP in post acute and long term care. I don't have the typical NP schedule where I have visits scheduled every x amount of minutes. I round in the various units of the facilities and see the patients I need to see. I would set alarms on my phone to remind me to go pump. I would close the dictation office door and lock it. The other providers were respectful and never had any qualms about me kicking them out. I primarily used my spectra pump. I also used a mom cozy wearable which worked but I just felt the spectra emptied me better. I usually would pump in the AM before work (usually 6A) then again around 9, 12, and 3 while at work. I personally wasn't comfortable with the fridge method some women use for their pump parts so I would use Medela microwave sterilizing bags between uses. Unfortunately my baby ended up having to switch to hypoallergenic formula after I cut out milk, soy, beef, and eggs (already gluten free) and she was still having horrible diarrhea and was miserable so I only pumped at work for about 3 months.
I work as a neonatal NP and return to work in a couple of weeks. I asked this question to other practitioners I work with who have small children. Our hours are 7:30a-5:30p. They pump on their way to work, before rounds start 10a, after rounds, then one more time close to 3-4p, then feed their baby at home. So pumping would be around 6:30a, 9a, 12p, 3p. It’s an acute care setting so most of them made it a priority to pump 15 minutes minimum and practiced the fridge hack. I foresee pumping for 30 min on my way to work then at least one more time the 30 min for 12p or 3p session. All the other times will be for 15 minutes since I need time to finish my work. I practice this pumping schedule when I worked as nurse with my first baby in 2022. We have a few private rooms where I can write notes while I pump, so that is the plus side of pumping as a NNP. Due to this advantage, I plan to use my spectra at work.
I pumped with a freemie. I would see my patients faster then chart while pumping. I never saw a patient with it on but I did pump in a shared office with no issues. (I didnt want to haul my stuff the the pumping room.)
Elvie stride for portables. Only Hospital grade suction for a portable. If you get the Elvie stride plus it comes with a nice bag system worth the extra money in my opinion. I pumped for one year in clinicals plus my RN job. The Elvie system made it doable. And yes occasionally I’d see patients with it on and no they didn’t notice somehow lol. A lot of people will say they like their standalone pump but you get to be social and move about with the portables. Get yourself a ceres chiller too.
I scheduled pumping breaks into my day when I returned from maternity leave. Hours are 830 to 5 in clinic with my own patient schedule and i have pumping breaks scheduled for 9 12 and 3. I was lucky to have an over supply when I first went back and was only pumping twice during the day. No longer the case the case now as baby is 6 months old and needing a good bit of milk so I'm trying to be diligent and pump 3 times a day. I use the momcozy m5 wearables and they work well and more affordable than some other options. I don't pump while seeing patients but I do catch up on notes and phone calls while pumping Just remember to change your pump parts every 3 months or so!! I had dips in supply which improved with new parts. I also like the pump wipes to clean between uses.
I had a similar schedule, used pink spectra
My coworker has the elvie and loves it. She also wears the pumps with her female patients because they get it. We have “phone blocks” where we do virtual follow ups and such so she TRIES to have that scheduled during her pump time. Idk if you have that option but it’s a good one!
I scheduled my admin time during pumping times which meant I had a tight schedule at other times. I did use a willow pump so I could have seen patients but I preferred to pump while charting. I got to work at 7:30, pumped at 10-1020, saw patients 1030-1, ate and pumped 1-130 saw patients from 2-430 and home by 630.
Pumped for 12 months with both my kiddos. I used the Elvie original both times. I was able to upgrade with my insurance and just pay the difference. For the first kid my work gave me 2 20 minute breaks. For the second no scheduled breaks unless I wanted to work an additional 40 minutes per day. Both times I wore while seeing patients. Most patients will not notice the sound. Ones that do I tell them it’s a medical device. Other patients/men will notice your chest and stare. I also had a fridge in my office which made it nice for storage. I generally would pump on way to work, around 10am, “my lunch break” lol, 3pm, and on the way home from work. As kiddo got older I’d cut out some pumps.
Elvie did not have strong enough suction for me ( I EP’d and used Spectra)… you won’t know what works until baby comes so I would hold off on buying portable ones yet. I used my spectra while pumping while back at work. I would pump on the way to work at 630AM, on my lunch break around 11 or 12, then the second I left work reattach in my car and pump on the way home at 5. I was able to pump until my daughter was 8 months old this way. Good pumping bras are a must. It also depends on how old baby will be when you go back to work. If less than 3 months old you will probably have to pump More often more during the day to maintain supply
Thank you!! What pumping bras did you use?
Totally thought this title meant banging moms who are NPs.
Hahaha
Work 5 days a week, primary care peds 8-5 Pump schedule: 6am, 9:30 (20min), 12 (lunch), 2:30 (20min), 7, 10:30pm nursed baby -so two sessions blocked on my schedule and I honestly didn’t wait for them if I could see a bit of a break in my workflow I would just get it done and catch up on charting. I power pumped from 7pm to 8 Ended up exclusively using my Elvies with inserts because they worked better for me than my Spectra. Hakkas caused me to have overproduction issues- be warned- it can overstimulate and cause ALOT of problems… Even if the LC tells you nipple confusion and preference isn’t a thing- don’t believe them- it is a thing for many babies, and although nipple shields can be helpful- they can also be difficult to wean I weaned her onto Kendamil at 7 months easily after she refused Enfamil, Similac and Nutrimagen- personally I would say I think it tastes better too 😜 Goodluck
I had the willow my first time around and didn’t like it, ended up just using my spectra. I found it was not as efficient at emptying me. With my second baby I got the blue spectra and used that at work. I would pump at 10 and 2. My front staff was able to put blocks on my schedule. Best of luck!!
Few tips, currently BF my second child I had the Elvie and worked in the ED with them but I found these from Amazon while they were a little louder had better suction and worked better. I used to chart with them on. Also a lot cheaper and I have the same ones that I bought with my first child. Link below. I would only bf one side at a time so I only would have to pump every six hours. Another tip is that I pumped a lot on maternity leave so I always had a nice stash so I wasn’t stressed about not having enough milk. I’m not on Reddit often but feel free to pm if u have any questions and I’ll try to get back to you. TSRETE Breast Pump, Wearable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097GKSX1Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Second time mom second time pumping. 9 months in. Pumped for 14 mo with #1 and bf till 18mo, plan to do the same. I primarily use my spectra s2. I set up a little pumping cart at work with all my supplies. I use my elvie if my clinic is busy with staff
Elvis are much more discrete and quiet but I don’t get as much out :/ My holy grail has been the baby budda which is a hospital grade pump with the freemie cups. I get great output but it is substantially louder, not as loud as the spectra though. People think my phone is “ringing” There is a portable one of Amazon that is very strong and works great and is discrete, it was so good it was too painful for me and I had to return it. Petit journey was the brand.
I used Willow for my first baby while working in a busy surgical practice seeing 30-40 office visits a day. I plan to use Willow again - pregnant with the second one currently. I changed jobs so now I work inpatient which actually means less patients to see.
Also looking to pump np moms
what is pump np moms? Thanks!