Pumping Breastmilk In Public

Can I pump my breastmilk in public?

Well I certainly think you can. I don't think a lot of women do that. They might go somewhere else to pump. I actually had the experience. I sing in a women's organization, and we were at a contest. And I was sitting next to the woman that I sang with in my quartet, and she had a new baby at home, and so she was pumping. And she actually, we had it running on battery, and we didn't have it running during the quiet performances. But during the time between contestants it was noisy in there, and she had it on. Her arms were crossed, it was underneath her shirt. People would come up to talk to us, and they wouldn't even know that she was pumping. Lots of women pump on airplanes, because for some reason the baby's at home. They're on a business trip. They're sitting at their seat. They've got the pump underneath. They just turn away, put them on, and just sit like that. I could have done that. So I guess it's happening on occasion. I don't see it a lot, but it certainly could.

Where are acceptable locations for pumping breastmilk in public?

I think well a lot of women would probably go to a restroom. I think that is a shame and sometimes you can not find electrical outlets and so having a pump that will work off batteries is sometimes helpful to those women. But I have had women come back and say to me they were sitting in a restroom in an airport, sitting on the floor and somebody else came in and sat beside them and was pumping. So I think if I were in an airport, I would not go to the restroom. I would find more of an empty area where there is nobody checking in right then, and I would sit myself on the floor and I would plug in. I would go to an internet cafe. I would plug myself in and I would pump. I am not seeing that a lot anyway, but I think you are going to see that. A lot more of that. I see breast pumps because I recognize them, on people's arms going through airports all the time. So you could pump at your seat. You could pump at your desk, you could pump anywhere that you could sit down for a minute. I guess you could pump standing up even. But I do not think you are going to have to.

Can I pump my breastmilk while driving?

I know women have done it. I just don't think it's a good idea safety wise, but you could. I had a woman who was a sales person. She would get off the freeway, attach herself to her hands free bra, and then get back on the freeway, and pump while driving for 15 or 20 minutes, get back off an an exit, take her stuff off, and keep going. So yes you can. Like cell phones, I suppose they're distracting, and so talking on your cell phone, pumping your breasts, and eating your lunch while driving... maybe not so safe.