A few years back I read that multi-tasking was a myth. Apparently people just can't get things done simultaneously; quality is sacrificed for quantity, things thought to be done faster are not, blah blah blah, so *poof*, multi-tasking doesn't really work as well as we'd like to think it does.
Let's not think too hard about what that means for parenting.
Anyhow, I try to multi-task. I try to sort laundry while on the phone making appointments, I try to upload photos for grandparents while answering emails, I try to do the food prep while in the shower (don't judge me, Kramer did it first.) And when I was breastfeeding and pumping, I tried to pump and do pretty much anything that would offset the crippling boredom of sitting around with machinery attached to my boob.
Too bad I didn't have this:
Personally, I'd surf the net - read blogs, tweet, explore the nether reaches of YouTube - if I ever strapped myself into this garment, which I wouldn't because when I was pumping I was always afraid that the pump was going to rip my nips right off so I had one hand on the action at all times and with this you have to worry about double-nip-rippage... BUT! I'm not judging anyone who does wear this thing, it's just... it kind of looks like a underwhelming Gaultier fail, like a prototype of Madonna's cone bra gone seriously awry, yanno? Anyway, the website offers some other ideas. Like doing your make-up, or reading, or reading to your child.
Is it just me, or does that boy look like he's really trying to NOT look at his mother and the THING - which, if it's anything like regular pumps, makes a horrifying CHOOGA-CHOOGA-CHOOGA sound - that is strapped to her chest? Can he even hear the story over the drone of the pumping? (ed. note: I know that in the future, we'll all be cyborg moms, but this is a bit too Fifth Element, even for me.)
Yes, I know, I shouldn't poke fun but sometimes these things just demand that I be immature.
source source
WOW. I don't think I could do it.
When I pumped it was a serious process. And I had to focus. I just don't see myself reading a book to my kids while listening to whatever sound that contraption makes!
Posted by: Michelle | 01/27/2010 at 01:27 PM
There are other choices on the market, like this fabulous product (designed and manufactured by yours truly) that does not "look like a underwhelming Gaultier fail, like a prototype of Madonna's cone bra gone seriously awry". It is pretty and available in 7 fabulous prints to suit any mom's taste. Just sayin'...
www.PumpEase.com
Posted by: Wendy Armbruster Bell | 01/27/2010 at 01:58 PM
You kid, but this was a LIFESAVER for me when I went back to work. I could bring my laptop into the pumping room (read: closet) and continue to work. Not super romantic, but when I was pumping 3x a day I would have had to work an extra hour each day if I didn't do this. So it may be scary, but I pink puffy heart the hands-free bustier!!!
Posted by: Rachel | 01/27/2010 at 01:58 PM
Heck yeah, I loved this thing! I also used it while I was at work - locked away in a private office with no windows, I could use it and still respond to emails, surf the web and even occasionally eat lunch. It certainly beat the monotony of holding the cones and praying for the milk to come out faster when I pumped with my first kid!
Posted by: Sara | 01/27/2010 at 02:30 PM
So, I went back to work a few weeks after the kid was born and was dragging around a manual pump to client sites and on the ferry and any dingy place I could (even in the car). Trust me, it sucked. Literally. This would have been awesome.
Posted by: Stephanie | 01/27/2010 at 02:34 PM
I can totally see it being handy (no pun intended). I'd probably consider using it if I were a) breastfeeding b) weren't afraid for tender nips (pumping was painful for me last time around) and c) it were maybe a bit prettier.
(Which means that I can't help but go check out PumpEase ;))
Posted by: Her Bad Mother | 01/27/2010 at 02:54 PM
Yup, surfing the web while wearing one of these things (made by Wendy, thanks!) Should get some work done, but pumping is SUCH a good excuse for procrastination!
Posted by: ADDSarah | 01/27/2010 at 03:41 PM
@Her Bad Mother... thanks for checking out PumpEase. I'd love to hear what you think! If you poked around our site, did you come across this blog post? I was inspired by one of your mag articles: http://www.pumpease.com/the-blinders-of-our-cultural-norms-around-cross-nursing
Posted by: Wendy Armbruster Bell | 01/28/2010 at 06:43 PM
Hey Wendy,
I did check it out! The PumpEase are SUPER cute - almost makes me wish I was nursing again. (I'm actually pretty sure that my husband would say that they're sexy. Cuter than Gaultier any day ;))
And the post was great - your remarks on shared nursing were spot on.
Posted by: Her Bad Mother | 01/28/2010 at 07:00 PM
@Her Back Mother you rock!
Posted by: Wendy Armbruster Bell | 01/28/2010 at 07:48 PM
oops... typo... it's been a long day. Let's try that again shall we?
@Her Bad Mother you ROCK!
Posted by: Wendy Armbruster Bell | 01/28/2010 at 07:49 PM
As far as I can remember those hands free breast pump are similar with the one I've purchase. I have a hands free pumping bra that I purchased from Simple Wishes. I love it! The fit and the comfort that it brings when I wear it. If you want to learn more of it, you could visit this, it has reviews and video clips that you could watch and learn on wearing the breast pump:
http://www.simplewishes.com/product/hands-free-pumping-bra.html
Posted by: hands free pumping bra | 02/15/2010 at 07:19 PM