Pumping on the Turnpike

I set a new personal pumping record over the weekend. We took a weekend trip up to Saratoga, NY to attend a wedding. Our first trip without the baby. (Being without the baby is a totally another story).

I'm still nursing and pumping once a day, so I wasn't going to let this weekend dry up my milk. Instead I pumped -- some 4 times a day. This in turn required to pump --- on the NJ Turnpike.

I first thought I'd give it a trial run while we were resting at a rest stop. So while Andy was out smoking, I pulled out the pump -- the big black, not-so-pump in style, Medela bag and balanced it on my knees. It was hooked up to the battery pack that came with the bag (I had my doubts whether 8 AA batteries required for it to work would really do their job, but they pulled through) I pulled out one boob -- as this was supposed to be a test pump -- and assembled the pump on the brest.

Pumping work. I was sitting in the car, in a parking spot facing the turnpike, away from the rest stop, with one boob trapped in the pumping contraption.

Then Andy returned. And was mortified.

"What are you doing? Put a shirt over you......."

I didn't take into account that the spot we were parked in was facing a nice grassy patch (between the parking lot and the road), where the rest of the people walked their dogs for their restroom break. Right in front of our eyes. Not to mention that the parking lot was full and people were pulling in and out of the spots adjacent to our car.

"How long is this going to take?"

Pumping takes some time...20-30 minutes on average. Andy was getting restless and more mortified with each passing second.

Now that pumping was in full swing I decided that it would be possible to pump as he was driving. So we decided to leave. Except I couldn't pull my seat belt over the pumping contraption. Instead we waited for me to finish with the left boob. The pilot boob.

Amazingly enough, I filled up an entire skinny Medela bottle. On most work days, I barely get a half filled the last few months. Who knew the battery operated pump would work so well. But would it hold for boob number 2?

After the first boob was taken care of, we decided to leave. I had Andy hold the pump parts while I stowed the bottle in the little ice pack carrier and put on the seat belt.

"Yew! You didn't clean this well," he yelled as some milk from the shield and the pump part he was holding dripped on him.

As if it was easy to clean it up. He was sitting right next to me, watching me pump. (Actually, paying more attention to people and dogs walking around us, ensuring I was covered and not making a scene)

"It ran on my hand and down my sleeve."

"You'll survive," I thought.

As we merged back on the turnpike, I adjusted the pumping contraction to my other boob, still balancing the bag on my knees at 70 mph.

The pump worked. Again, surprisingly enougth, I squeezed out an entire skinny Medela bottle.

I got to admit I was quite proud of myself.

On the way back from Saratoga, I was a pro. I pumped both boobs simultaneously, just like I do at work, while we were driving down the turnpike at 70 mph without any problems. I actually timed to start pumping some 30 miles away from the next service area, so we could stop and rest and I could stow the milk in the ice pack container which was in the trunk of the car.

Pumping on the turnpike definitely works, but is it done in style?

And if any passing truckers got a front row gloance at my trapped boobs, who cares.