Ah, autumn: it’s time to get out your coziest sweater, sip a new coffee flavor, and head back to campus. Breastfeed Chicago knows how important it is for faculty, staff, students, and visitors to have dedicated pumping locations on every college and university campus. That’s why we’ve reached out to every post-secondary school in the greater Chicagoland area in search of individual pumping locations. We … Continue reading Chicagoland College & University Lactation Room Location Guide

Q: Do I have to wash my pump parts every time I use them at work? If you have the time and space to do so, absolutely wash pump parts between uses. If you don’t have the ability to wash pump parts while at work, it’s worth investing in a second set of flanges. Bring both sets to work and wash them when you get … Continue reading Do I have to wash my pump parts every time I use them at work?

Q: My job requires me to travel for business. Can I bring my breast pump and pumped milk with me through airport security? Air travel within the United States is regulated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which allows breast milk and breast pumps to travel through domestic airport security. We recommend printing out the TSA procedures for traveling with children and policy on breast milk when traveling in … Continue reading Traveling for Business and Pumping? What You Need to Know

Q: Help! I don’t think I’m pumping enough! How do I pump more milk? Read over our answer to question five to be sure you’re not dealing with a caregiver overfeeding issue first! If your caregiver is paced feeding, and your baby is drinking 1 to 1.5 ounces per hour away from you, but you’re pumping output isn’t keeping up with baby, remember that you’re not alone! Many … Continue reading Worried You’re Not Pumping Enough for Your Baby? Try These Tips.

Q: My baby seems to be waking more at night since I’ve gone back to work! Why is that? We have three theories about why your baby might experience an increase in nighttime wakefulness right as you go back to work. First, many breastfeeding parents go back to work close to the three to four month mark. This stage is a big developmental growth period where many … Continue reading Help! My Baby’s Waking More at Night Now That I’m Back at Work

Q: I hate pumping! What can I do to find the motivation to keep going? We get it–pumping isn’t fun! Sometimes it helps to set up comforting and positive routines in your workday to encourage yourself to pump. Here are some ideas we’ve heard from other breastfeeding parents that helped them to push through pumping difficulties to reach their working and pumping goals: Set an … Continue reading PUMPING, WORK 7 Ways to Keep Up Your Pumping Motivation

Q: Help! I forgot my breast pump and/or pump parts at home! What do I do? It’s a pumping mom’s nightmare. You’ve left your pump or bottles at home and can’t get out of work to run back. Or you headed to a “short” offsite meeting with a colleague that went overtime and left your pump back at your desk. Now you’re bursting at the … Continue reading What to Do if You Forgot Your Breast Pump or Parts and Need to Pump

Q: My pumped milk has a soapy or metallic taste to it. Is this high lipase? What can I do about it? All stored milk will smell differently than fresh milk. If your defrosted milk has a metallic or soapy taste or smell, then it probably has higher levels of lipase. This just means that your expressed milk has a high level of this enzyme. … Continue reading Soapy or Metallic Breastmilk: What to Do About High Lipase

Heading to work after the birth of your baby? You likely have lots of questions and concerns about how to balance working and breastfeeding. You are not alone! The United States Breastfeeding Committee reports that one-third of working mothers return to work within three months of the birth of their child, and two-thirds return within six months. Breastfeed Chicago knows that maintaining a successful breastfeeding relationship can … Continue reading Breastfeed Chicago’s Ultimate Back-to-Work Guide

Q: What kind of breast pump do I need? Can I get my breast pump covered through insurance? If you’re returning to work outside the home and want to continue providing breast milk to your baby, the right breast pump is a must. You’ll be spending hours with this piece of equipment and it will be essential to maintaining your supply while you’re at work. … Continue reading Buying a Breast Pump: What You Need to Know