This post was sponsored by NUK as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own.
As a mom, and especially as a working mom, I am constantly multitasking. In fact, I rarely just do one thing at a time – I’m almost always doing at least two things at once (or thinking about something else). I think it’s just in our lives as moms that we will always be multitasking, and it’s definitely been true for me.
Since I’m breastfeeding, one place I’ve struggled with being able to do more than one thing at a time is with pumping. The nature of the whole thing seems to force you to sit and just do that. There’s the pump you have to plug in, the clunky flanges and bottles you have to hold up (or use a pumping bra for), and the time commitment. I don’t know about you, but pumping takes me forever – usually about 40-45 minutes each time to get the milk I need for Ella. That’s a LOT of time to sit and pump.
Naturally, I started looking for ways to maximize the time I’m pumping. Since I’m hopefully going to be doing it until Ella turns one, I needed to make it as efficient as possible. Since I’m not really able to shorten the time I need to pump (since that’s how my body responds), I started looking for ways to make the actual act of pumping easier.
Step one was a rechargeable pump, which has been a game changer for me. Step two was making pumping not quite so much of a process by using the Nuk Simply Natural Freemie cups.
The Nuk Simply Freemie cups have been a game changer for my pumping journey this time around, simply because they allow me to sneak in more pumping sessions while I’m doing other things. The cups fit inside my bra and stay there, meaning I don’t have to hold them in place or use a special pumping bra. I’m able to leave my shirt on and still have my hands free to do other things. So what have I done while pumping? I’ve done the dishes, written blog posts, folded laundry, played games with Abbie, eaten meals and more.
I’ve even driven with my Nuk Simply Natural Freemie cups. Driving while pumping has been the biggest lifesaver by far since it allows me to get four pump sessions on a workday rather than just three. I have a 45-minute drive to work in the morning, so it’s nice to take advantage of it – it’s been great for my supply and I’m convinced it’s helping me continue my breastfeeding journey with Ella. I just put in the cups before I leave the house, then hook up once I’m in the car and before I start driving. I then keep the cups in until I get to the lactation room at work and pour the milk into a container. I usually get anywhere from 3-5 ounces just from my morning drive, which goes a long way toward my daily goal of 16 ounces.
I can’t recommend the Nuk Simply Natural Freemie cups enough. They’re compatible with all breast pumps (although with a few you’ll need an adapter kit) and well worth the investment. They’re great to use in conjunction with the Nuk Simply Natural bottles I talked about here.
You can find the Nuk Simply Natural Freemie cups at Target and Walmart, as well as the Simply Natural bottles (Target and Walmart). I’m so thankful for both these products that have helped make my second breastfeeding journey so successful.
Are you pumping mama? What could you get done if you had your hands free while pumping?
