INFOGRAPHICPREGNANCY

Your Guide to Pumping Breast Milk at Work

Reviewed by Terri Major-Kincade, M.D.
August 08, 2024
Pumping Breast Milk at Work Planning to pump breast or chest milk at your job? Here’s what to expect from your employer and tips for success. Know Your Rights to Pump You likely have certain legal rights to pump at work: Employers must allow break time for pumping, as needed. Employers should provide a private place to pump that isn’t a bathroom. Parents can pump at work with these rights for up to a year after the child’s birth. Here’s what else to know about these rights: You don’t need a doctor’s note for pumping accommodations. Any standard paid breaks used as pumping breaks should still be paid. If you don’t normally get paid breaks, all pumping breaks are unpaid. If you need additional breaks beyond what’s standard for all employees, those don’t have to be paid time either. These rights are part of the PUMP Act, which is a part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). If you’re not sure whether these laws apply to your workplace, look for signs about it posted at your job, ask your boss, or look up your rights under your state’s laws. What You’ll Need for Pumping Certain items will make pumping at work as easy as possible. Breast Pump There are three main types: manual pumps, battery-operated pumps, and electric pumps. If your budget allows it, you may want to get a second pump or additional pump parts to use and/or leave at work. This is only an option if you’re able to fully clean the parts and store them somewhere they’ll stay clean and secure. Breast Milk Storage Bags or Bottles Consider your containers and how you’ll store breast milk to keep it cool. Sealable milk bags marked with your name and the date you pumped are convenient. Some people prefer reusable bottles. These can be stored in a fridge or a cooler with ice packs. If it’s a shared fridge, keep them in a clearly marked container so others don’t touch it. A cooler is great for transporting milk home. Travel Bag It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you’ll need something to get your pump, its parts, and your stored milk between work and home every day. Cleaning Supplies It’s best to clean your pump parts after each session. Dish soap and water works just fine. Some parents like using steam bags for quick cleaning in the microwave after rinsing. Don’t wash or store pump parts in the sink. Use a separate bowl or basin to avoid exposure to bacteria in the drain. How to Get a Breast Pump for Free or Low Cost If you have private health insurance or Medicaid, you can get a free breast pump as a part of the Affordable Care Act. Your exact coverage can determine: The type of pump you get (manual, battery-operated, or electric) Whether you’re renting it (and how long you can keep a rental) or whether it’s yours to keep Any extra pumping supplies that are covered, if any Whether you need to pay up front and submit for reimbursement When you receive the pump (before or after you have your baby) Whether you need a prescription from your doctor to get the breast pump You can also contact your local WIC office (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) to see whether they can help you get a breast pump for little to no cost. How to Make Pumping Easier as a Working Parent These tips can help set you up for success. Talk to Your Employer Have a conversation about your plans for pumping and what you’ll need before you go back to work, if possible. That way your job has more time to set up proper accommodations. Practice Pumping Before Your Return If you can, spend at least two weeks before you go back to work learning how to pump. That includes practicing how to clean all pump parts and how to store milk. Set a Schedule Think about how often you’ll need to pump and how long each session will take. Remember to consider the time for setup, pumping, and cleanup. Block Your Calendar It can help to have standard times when everyone knows you’ll be unavailable. If you have a calendar or schedule your co-workers can see, set your pump times as scheduled breaks to get the time you need for each pumping session. Do Some Self-Care Stay hydrated and keep snacks on hand to help your body make enough milk. Relaxing and thinking about your baby during pump time can also help get the milk flowing. Be Patient It takes time to get into a new pumping routine at work. You may find you need to add more sessions to keep your supply up. Or you might have to adjust your schedule to share pumping space with another working parent. Find what works best for you. Connect with Other Working Parents Talk to people who have gone through this experience before: co-workers, friends, or people in online communities. These people can be a great source of information, practical tips, and advice. Remind Yourself of the Benefits Pumping at work can be a challenge, but knowing you’re doing a good thing for your family can help you stay motivated. There are many benefits of breastfeeding and breast milk. For example, remember that feeding your baby breast or chest milk helps reduce your baby’s risk of newborn illness. This can mean fewer sick days for you and lower healthcare costs, too. And compared to parents who feed their babies formula, those who feed breast or chest milk get more sleep. That can help with productivity at work and, importantly, your mental health overall. Any amount of breast milk is great for your baby. Pumping at work can be hard, so remember: If you need to use formula at any point, that’s okay, too. Sources: Beck, J. & Cashman, C. (2021) A New Mother’s Guide to Pumping at Work. Harvard Business Review. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022) Breastfeeding and Returning to Your Workplace. HealthCare.gov. Breastfeeding benefits. Accessed July 24, 2024. Nelson, H. (2023) How to Clean Your Breast Pump: Tips to Keep It Germ-Free. HealthyChildren.org. American Academy of Pediatrics. Oregon Health & Science University. Pumping at work is hard work! Center for Women’s Health. Accessed July 24, 2024. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Finding a Breast Pump. WIC Breastfeeding Support. Accessed July 24, 2024. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021) What breastfeeding employees need to know. Office on Women’s Health. U.S. Department of Labor. Frequently Asked Questions — Pumping Breast Milk at Work. Accessed July 24, 2024. U.S. Department of Labor. FSLA Protections to Pump at Work. Accessed July 24, 2024. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018) Types of Breast Pumps. Text by Kerry Weiss

For the text version of this infographic, read on:

Pumping Breast Milk at Work

Planning to pump breast or chest milk at your job? Here’s what to expect from your employer and tips for success.

Know Your Rights to Pump

You likely have certain legal rights to pump at work:

  • Employers must allow break time for pumping, as needed.
  • Employers should provide a private place to pump that isn’t a bathroom.
  • Parents can pump at work with these rights for up to a year after the child’s birth.

Here’s what else to know about these rights:

  • You don’t need a doctor’s note for pumping accommodations.
  • Any standard paid breaks used as pumping breaks should still be paid.
  • If you don’t normally get paid breaks, all pumping breaks are unpaid.
  • If you need additional breaks beyond what’s standard for all employees, those don’t have to be paid time either.

These rights are part of the PUMP Act, which is a part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

If you’re not sure whether these laws apply to your workplace, look for signs about it posted at your job, ask your boss, or look up your rights under your state’s laws.

What You’ll Need for Pumping

Certain items will make pumping at work as easy as possible.

Breast Pump

There are three main types: manual pumps, battery-operated pumps, and electric pumps.

If your budget allows it, you may want to get a second pump or additional pump parts to use and/or leave at work. This is only an option if you’re able to fully clean the parts and store them somewhere they’ll stay clean and secure.

Breast Milk Storage Bags or Bottles

Consider your containers and how you’ll store breast milk to keep it cool. Sealable milk bags marked with your name and the date you pumped are convenient. Some people prefer reusable bottles.

These can be stored in a fridge or a cooler with ice packs. If it’s a shared fridge, keep them in a clearly marked container so others don’t touch it. A cooler is great for transporting milk home.

Travel Bag

It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you’ll need something to get your pump, its parts, and your stored milk between work and home every day.

Cleaning Supplies

It’s best to clean your pump parts after each session. Dish soap and water works just fine. Some parents like using steam bags for quick cleaning in the microwave after rinsing.

Don’t wash or store pump parts in the sink. Use a separate bowl or basin to avoid exposure to bacteria in the drain.

How to Get a Breast Pump for Free or Low Cost

If you have private health insurance or Medicaid, you can get a free breast pump as a part of the Affordable Care Act.

Your exact coverage can determine:

  • The type of pump you get (manual, battery-operated, or electric)
  • Whether you’re renting it (and how long you can keep a rental) or whether it’s yours to keep
  • Any extra pumping supplies that are covered, if any
  • Whether you need to pay up front and submit for reimbursement
  • When you receive the pump (before or after you have your baby)
  • Whether you need a prescription from your doctor to get the breast pump

You can also contact your local WIC office (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) to see whether they can help you get a breast pump for little to no cost.

How to Make Pumping Easier as a Working Parent

These tips can help set you up for success.

Talk to Your Employer

Have a conversation about your plans for pumping and what you’ll need before you go back to work, if possible. That way your job has more time to set up proper accommodations.

Practice Pumping Before Your Return

If you can, spend at least two weeks before you go back to work learning how to pump. That includes practicing how to clean all pump parts and how to store milk.

Set a Schedule

Think about how often you’ll need to pump and how long each session will take. Remember to consider the time for setup, pumping, and cleanup.

Block Your Calendar

It can help to have standard times when everyone knows you’ll be unavailable. If you have a calendar or schedule your co-workers can see, set your pump times as scheduled breaks to get the time you need for each pumping session.

Do Some Self-Care

Stay hydrated and keep snacks on hand to help your body make enough milk. Relaxing and thinking about your baby during pump time can also help get the milk flowing.

Be Patient

It takes time to get into a new pumping routine at work. You may find you need to add more sessions to keep your supply up. Or you might have to adjust your schedule to share pumping space with another working parent. Find what works best for you.

Connect with Other Working Parents

Talk to people who have gone through this experience before: co-workers, friends, or people in online communities. These people can be a great source of information, practical tips, and advice.

Remind Yourself of the Benefits

Pumping at work can be a challenge, but knowing you’re doing a good thing for your family can help you stay motivated. There are many benefits of breastfeeding and breast milk.

For example, remember that feeding your baby breast or chest milk helps reduce your baby’s risk of newborn illness. This can mean fewer sick days for you and lower healthcare costs, too. And compared to parents who feed their babies formula, those who feed breast or chest milk get more sleep. That can help with productivity at work and, importantly, your mental health overall.

Any amount of breast milk is great for your baby. Pumping at work can be hard, so remember: If you need to use formula at any point, that’s okay, too.

Sources:

Text by Kerry Weiss