There was an episode of that sitcom Mad About You where Helen Hunt and her messed up sister accidentally switch handbags. Suddenly the messed up sister has a bag of magical solutions to every problem she encounters during her day. An umbrella when it starts to rain. A hair clip to tame the mane before a job interview. New panty hose when the pair she has gets shredded. She ends her day as the sister who has it all together.
Without her bag of magic Helen Hunt finds herself lost, subjected to the indignities and inconveniences everyday life throws her way. She ends her day as the sister who is messed up.
That said, it can make all the difference in the world to have the right stuff with you. After months of experience, I had a pretty standard set of things in my breast pump bag. Here's a list:
- Horns, valves and membranes and tubing -obviously
- Breastmilk storage bags
- Two or three paper towels (nice to set stuff down on if you are in an icky place)
- Trial size hand sanitizer
- Trial size hand lotion (my hands were THRASHED after doing dishes eight times a day...)
- Medela wipes (safely sanitizes breast pump parts when you can't get to a sink)
- Ziplock bags (always handy to put dirty parts in)
- The battery pack with batteries loaded in it
- Your hands-free bustier
- Power adapter
- Something to cover up with if you are in a public place (pancho? receiving blanket?)
- Extra nursing pads
- The frozen ice pack (throw it in the freezer at night so it's always ready when you need it)
- A picture of the bambino for inspiration
