This week I embarked on my first business trip since having the chicklette. Just one night away, but with all of the anxiety I'd been having, you'd think it was a month-long trip around the world. It's not so much being away from the baby that made me nervous -- I was actually looking forward to a quiet night, to be honest -- but more the fact that I hadn't been on a plane in 8 months. Or had to pack a bag. Or had to bring a breast pump with me. I'm out of practice.
So, here's the story. I had to give a presentation in San Francisco on Tuesday morning, and then hop on a plane around noon to LA. My plan was to get to the office at 8, pump, present at 9, and then hightail it to the airport.
Here's how it actually went down:
Got to pumping room at 8:30. Realized that even though I bring a pump to work EVERY SINGLE DAY, I somehow managed, on THIS day, to forget my pump horns. Swore profusely. Ran back to my office to see if the Walgreens downstairs had pump supplies. They didn't. Located a Target between my office and SFO that had what I needed. Found one. Checked my flight. See that it'd been delayed for 2 hours, making me late for my meeting in LA. Called travel agent. Rebooked on flight out of Oakland. Gave presentation, boobs afire (I fed the babe at 6:15, so by 10 I was really feeling it). Ran down to car, drove feverishly to Babies R' Us near Oakland airport. Ran in, bought flanges. Ran to car, got pumping bra on. Ripped open box to discover that I only bought the flanges, not the valves. Ran back into Babies R' Us, grabbed a box with valves. Ran back to car, ripped open box to discover that the box only has ONE piece. (I have two boobs.) Ran back to BRU, bought ANOTHER set, tried to convince register lady that I do not have some serial shopping disorder. Ran back to car, hooked up the girls, pumped in BRU parking lot. Flashed my nips to some random woman who had the ill fortune to park next to me. Drove to airport.
Going through the security line with breast milk was much less harrowing than I expected, although I did have some woman (a passenger) call me out for being in the "medical liquids" line. I guess I don't look like I need medical liquids? Guess who almost got a bottle of room temperature breast milk poured on her?
Anyway, the rest of the day went fine and I ended up getting upgraded to a PENTHOUSE SUITE at the Beverly Hilton, which was a pretty sweet (haha, get it?) way to spend my first night alone. And that night -- it was just a little bit blissful.
But I did miss my morning chicklette smiles. And I am happy to be home.
And I will NOT forget those damn pump horns next time!
7 comments:
I think you deserve mother of the year for
a. Still breastfeeding
b. Trying to pump at work and during travel
c. going into 5 million stores to get what you need.
Good job Mom! How fun to be at the Bev Hilton...super fun!
Sounds like quite a day! I'm sure that was frustrating. I agree with the PP, way to go still breastfeeding. After pumping for a week at work, I was ready to wean.
You've had quite the time!! Bravo to you for going the extra miles! Seeing the little chicklette when you are home will make it all worthwhile.
I've never heard of a pumping bra, so googled it to see what it was. Seems like a good idea, but I did get the giggles at the pictures on this site of a business woman casually going about her day while pumping - sounds the opposite of yours! www.easyexpressionproducts.com
Good to be home though, huh.
Very funny! And very persistent - good for you!!
I've had to do a bunch of traveling since I've returned to work, and I've bought 2 pumps (one for home and one for work), and about 5 sets of flanges/valves so I always have what I need handy and don't have to transport as much back and forth. Plus a small fridge for my office to easily store what I pump. But even with all that convenience, it's still a struggle to find the time to pump. My goal was to BF for 6 months, but that's right around the corner, so now I'm hoping to get to 9 months, or even a year when she'll be switching to cow's milk. We'll see!
I have a 3 day trip coming up in 3 weeks, and about 100 oz of frozen milk which should be wiped out with the trip. I just have to figure out how to get my pumped milk back home in useable condition!
Ha! hilarious. And yes, kudos for keeping it going ( i quit recently)
Sounds like my first trip away except insane security lines and an additional checking through customs in my 45 minute stopover meant I had to (i mean TRIED to) pump IN the airplane bathroom when major turbulence occured...
OMG...if there was a statue on the mantle to be had for that performance, you would win it!!!
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