The most important rule to follow is that you need to commit to being completely hands-free. If you think that you're going to have to look down for any reason, pumping in the car is not for you.
The steps:
- With the car engine off, put on your seatbelt (yes, you want to do this first).
- Slip a nursing shield on over your head. I find that it not only covers me, but it completely prevents me from the need to look down and see what's going on.
- Pull your regular bra up and get it out of the way, then zip on your hands-free pumping bra. I typically try to dress for the occasion and wear a T-shirt I can easily pull up and keep on. That way I'm only half-naked.
- Connect your pump parts (flanges) and anything else you need (car adaptors, etc.).
- At this point you should have your hands-free pumping bra on, your pump flanges and parts should all be connected, and your regular bra and T-shirt should sort of be collected all near your neck.
- Turn the pump on and make sure everything appears to be working correctly, or if your pump requires the cigarette lighter, now is the time to turn the car on.
- Pump and drive. Carefully.
Now, don't do anything else until you've parked the car.
- Turn the engine off, pull your bottles off one at a time, and place them in your cup holders. I like to take off the shield and get redressed at this point so that no extra fabric gets in the way.
- Grab a clean bottle or milk storage bag and carefully pour your milk into it.
- Once you've poured all of your milk into storage containers, you can either place the empty flanges into a bag to clean up later, or use the Medela Wipes, which I love because they really get all of the gunk off.
- Place your safely stored breast milk in a freezer bag until you're able to transfer it.