In the event you pump breast milk, whether or not each day or often, a bag to retailer and tote your breast pump and all its related equipment is a lifesaver. Baggage created particularly for this function make packing up and discovering every part you want extremely straightforward and handy.
“Anybody pumping expressed breast milk would profit drastically from a breast pump bag,” says Amanda Leddy, RDN, CLC, an authorized lactation counselor and pediatric dietitian in Flint, Michigan. You’ll wish to select a pump bag that’s snug to hold, suits your particular breast pump, and has a strategy to maintain your freshly pumped liquid gold protected and funky till you may get it house.
To decide on the very best breast pump baggage, we spoke with mother and father and a lactation skilled to find out about their favorites and what to search for in a breast pump bag. Then we scoured the market, researching every product’s specs, options, supplies, and high quality. Our picks embrace baggage which are terrific for toting any kind of breast pump, together with wearable and different moveable choices.
Our Favourite Breast Pump Baggage
Why We Like It
This glossy, fashionable bag has all of the storage you should carry your breast pump and its equipment, plus loads of room for private gadgets. The pump compartment suits all pumps in the marketplace, whereas the double insulated pockets maintain milk chilly for as much as six hours when saved with an ice pack. The within has loads of further pockets to arrange provides and a safe tech sleeve in your laptop computer or different units.
Two strap choices help you maintain the bag by hand or put on it as a crossbody bag for straightforward, hands-free carrying. And also you don’t have to fret about ruining the material with spilled milk—the sturdy nylon material is straightforward to wipe clear.
However Take Be aware
With this a lot space for storing, it may get heavy and tough to hold with the shoulder strap. Whereas there’s house for a pump of any dimension, bigger pumps could make some inside storage (just like the laptop computer sleeve) unusable.
The Particulars:
- Materials: Nylon with leather-based straps
- Dimension: 15 x 7 x 16.75 inches
Why We Like It
For a sturdy, snug backpack that may maintain your pump, provides, and milk safe, specialists and mothers love the Willow Pump Wherever Bag. The bag suits Willow 3.0, Willow Go, or any wearable hands-free pump. “Its design is glossy and compact for hands-free pumping,” says Leddy, “it may maintain a pump and pump provides together with small private gadgets.”
The highest half of the bag retains your pump safe, whereas the underside half acts as an insulated cooler to maintain as much as 30 ounces of milk chilly. The cooler is detachable so it may be stowed individually in a fridge. Leddy additionally loves that this bag is water resistant and has three strap configurations. It may be worn as a backpack, crossbody, or over-the-shoulder.
However Take Be aware
This backpack is particularly for wearable pumps, not conventional breast pumps.
The Particulars:
- Dimension: 15.5 x 7.25 x 14 inches
- Materials: Vegan leather-based shell and polyester lining
Why We Like It
This outsized, zip-close tote has sufficient house in your breast pump and the rest it’s possible you’ll want to hold. We love that its easy design and impartial colours go together with most types. “This bag is at a nice worth level of round $50 and is appropriate with many various breast pumps,” says Leddy, who additionally loves that it’s giant sufficient to carry a pump, provides, and loads of private gadgets.
Two inside stretch pockets can maintain provides, notebooks, or a laptop computer, and the small zippered inside pouch is useful for preserving keys, pens, and different small gadgets securely stowed in an easy-to-grab location.
However Take Be aware
Whereas there’s loads of room to retailer bottles and provides, you’ll want a cooler bag to maintain your milk chilled since this tote doesn’t have insulated pockets.
The Particulars:
- Dimension: Not obtainable
- Materials: Polyester with fake leather-based trim.
Why We Like It
This modern backpack will final nicely past the pumping stage, and we love that it comes from a small enterprise. Along with being worn as a backpack, the included clips make the bag straightforward to connect to a stroller or procuring cart, whereas the trolley sleeve sees it seamlessly slip onto baggage handles, making it a nice decide for journey.
Its decrease aspect compartment suits most electrical breast pumps, and the easy-access outer pockets help you shortly seize on a regular basis gadgets like your water bottle or cellphone. Because of the padded tech sleeve that holds laptops as much as 17 inches, you should utilize it as a piece bag. A D-ring on the entrance conveniently holds keys, hand sanitizer, or equipment.
However Take Be aware
There’s no insulated part of this bag to maintain milk chilly, so that you’ll want to purchase a separate cooler.
The Particulars:
- Dimension: 9.7 x 6.7 x 16.75 inches
- Materials: Polyester
Why We Like It
The Kiinde Anika Pump Bag is budget-friendly and boasts tons of options. The zippered pump pocket holds most electrical breast pumps and even has a grommet that lets you cost your pump with out opening the compartment. The alternative aspect pouch options an insulated cooler that retains milk contemporary when saved with ice packs.
The bag itself is water resistant and wipeable. It additionally has a zippered prime that opens for further storage and varied aspect pockets to maintain your equipment and provides safe and simply accessible.
However Take Be aware
This bag is a bit on the flimsy and unstructured aspect.
The Particulars:
- Dimension: 14.75 x 9 .25 x 14.25 inches
- Materials: Nylon
Why We Like It
This backpack suits most pumps within the handy aspect pocket and has an insulated cooler for milk, a tech pocket in your laptop computer, and loads of higher compartment storage for all of your equipment and work wants. The highest opens “physician bag fashion,” so you’ll be able to simply use one hand to seize what you want, and the quite a few pockets maintain every part safe and simple to find.
Put on it as a backpack, or carry this all-in-one pump bag with the massive prime deal with. The outer nylon shell is straightforward to wipe clear and is available in three impartial colours to match any skilled aesthetic.
However Take Be aware
The aspect pockets that maintain the pump and cooler “float” contained in the bag as an alternative of being separate compartments. This might result in small gadgets like keys getting misplaced within the backside of the bag. This design additionally means you will need to take away every part from the highest a part of the bag when placing your pump again into the aspect compartment.
The Particulars:
- Dimension: 13.5 x 7 x 16.5 inches
- Materials: Nylon
Why We Like It
In the event you’re trying to purchase a pump and bag multi function, the Medela Pump in Fashion is among the greatest. “This bag saved all my issues for my pumping journey in a single place and made it very handy to journey with, which made issues a lot simpler,” says Casey Schmitt, a mother from Saginaw, Michigan, who shops every part from nursing bras, breastfeeding balms, covers, blankets, and nursing pads within the tote.
Along with seamlessly storing the included Medela pump, the bag additionally comes with a detachable insulated cooler with contoured ice packs that match snuggly across the 4 included breast milk bottles, preserving every part contemporary and chilly.
However Take Be aware
The bag just isn’t offered individually, which is inconvenient if you have already got the pump or the bag will get broken and also you want a substitute.
The Particulars:
- Dimension: 14.25 x 7 x 11.75 inches
- Materials: Not disclosed
Our Overview Course of
To seek out the very best breast pump baggage, we reviewed the highest choices in the marketplace. We made our alternatives primarily based on enter from specialists and pumping mother and father, in addition to by assessing every product on the next standards:
- Dimension and pockets: A breast pump bag must be sufficiently big to carry your pump and equipment, with house for different gadgets it’s possible you’ll want for your self or your child, resembling breast pads, a pumping bra, pockets, cellphone, and keys. “One thing too small would require one other bag, and mothers don’t want the effort of one other bag!” Leddy provides. We prioritized baggage with particular pockets for chilly storage, private gadgets, and digital units as a result of they’ll stop you from carrying a number of baggage.
- Materials: A breast pump bag is sure to get messy, particularly when used with a number of kids. We regarded on the materials’s sturdiness, water resistance, and ease of cleansing.
- Fashion: Since a breast pump bag will doubtless be carried all over the place, we regarded for glossy, minimalist baggage that match any fashion and don’t essentially announce their contents.
Our Specialists
We requested mother and father what they love about their breast pump bag and the way they determined which one to buy. We additionally spoke with an skilled to be taught extra about what to search for in breast pump baggage and use them safely relating to breastmilk pumping and storage. Our skilled for this text was Amanda Leddy, RDN, CLC, a pediatric dietitian and authorized lactation counselor in Flint, Michigan.
Elements to Contemplate When Shopping for a Breast Pump Bag
- Dimension and Capability: You desire a bag giant sufficient to suit your particular pump, its equipment, and a few private gadgets.
- Insulation: “Be sure that your breast milk is saved protected and at a cool temperature throughout journey and day-to-day actions,” says Leddy. Select a bag with an insulated compartment or house to carry a separate cooler.
- Fashion: Would you like an over-the-shoulder tote or a backpack? Relying on how you propose to make use of your bag, its general look could also be a deciding issue. Together with the kind of bag, take note of the fashion, colours, and straps. “Baggage with thick straps which are crossbody or backpack are often essentially the most snug to hold,” says Leddy.
- Pump Kind: Whereas most breast pump baggage have house for electrical breast pumps, some are just for small wearable or guide pumps, and others can maintain solely particular manufacturers. Earlier than shopping for a breast pump bag, guarantee it’s appropriate along with your breast pump.
The way to Use a Breast Pump Bag Safely
One of the crucial necessary points of pumping on the go is preserving your breast milk cool till you may get it to a fridge or freezer. Breast milk have to be saved and cooled correctly to maintain it protected for the infant to eat. “Breastmilk may be saved in an insulated cooler bag with freezer packs for as much as 24 hours per the CDC tips,” says Leddy. Select a breast pump bag with an insulated storage container or pocket that may maintain milk and ice packs or one with sufficient house to tuck in a separate cooler.
Different Breast Pump Equipment to Contemplate
Along with a breast pump, there are many different equipment it’s possible you’ll discover useful in your breastfeeding journey. Contemplate pumping bras or nursing bras for straightforward pumping and breastfeeding entry, breast milk baggage for handy breastmilk storage, and lifelike bottles to assist your breastfed child simply settle for bottle feedings. When packing your pump bag, you should definitely embrace gadgets like tubing, bottles, nipple cream, breast pads, an additional shirt, hand sanitizer, and wipes.
Why Ought to I Purchase a Bag for My Breast Pump?
A bag devoted to your breast pump and all its equipment could make life a lot simpler, particularly for those who pump repeatedly. A pump bag may be useful whether or not you largely pump at work and wish a commuting bag, otherwise you simply desire a compact, central place to maintain every part for house pumping classes. They may also be helpful for longer journeys, whether or not for work or trip.
Can I Use My Breast Pump Bag as a Diaper Bag?
Some breast pump baggage are giant sufficient to double as diaper baggage. If you wish to carry only one bag in your breast pump, provides, and child’s gadgets, select a bag with sufficient house and compartments to deal with every part in an organized trend.
Are There Breast Pump Baggage Designed to Carry Frozen Breast Milk?
Not all breast pump baggage are particularly designed to hold breast milk and maintain it chilly, though many do function coolers. Search for baggage with closed and insulated compartments or sufficient house to carry a separate cooler. Whereas frozen breast milk will start to thaw when outdoors a freezer, preserving the bottles in an insulated bag with a number of contoured ice packs can buy you loads of time to get to a fridge. By no means refreeze thawed milk.
Who We Are
Kelsey Kunik, RD, is a mother of two, registered dietitian, freelance author, and diet guide. She breastfed and pumped for each of her infants, including private perception into the distinctive expertise of a mother who has skilled mixture feeding. She used her expertise as a client, insights from different mother and father, analysis, and skilled interviews to put in writing this text.