{the one where she shows off her breastpump parts}

I went back to work recently after a three month maternity leave.   When I tell people this, the overall reaction is something like:  “Wow, it must be hard to leave the kids and go back to work.”  This statement makes me smile a bit.  Yes. It is hard to leave the kids.  I miss having all that free time to spend with them.  And I miss having a more flexible schedule.  But no, it’s not that hard to go back to work. In fact, compared to life at home with two wee ones, work can seem like a breeze.

At work I can go to the bathroom by myself when I want; I can eat lunch at a leisurely pace; I have both hands free at all times; and I get to talk to real-live adults. Yep. Pretty easy.

That said, I miss the chaos. And the kisses. And the deciphering of new words that spill from my two year old’s mouth. The baby’s coos. The dirty dishes (not really). The lunchtime visits with my husband.  The outings with my mom.  The hugs. The noses needing wiping.  The wonderful, yet exhausting, unpredictability of the average day at home.

Don’t worry about me, though.  I’m not crying into my keyboard every day. I have an interesting job that I enjoy, a great boss, a fantastic daycare provider, a tiny commute, two beautiful healthy children,  and a very supportive husband who helps us get pretty darn close to achieving that ever-sought-after life/work balance.  Things are good.  

But enough about me.  On to the breastpump bags.  Because I know you are just dying to hear all about them.

I pump at work and needed something that “breathes” to carry the attachments for my breast pump to and fro the shared kitchen near my office. I repurposed a laundry bag to make two drawstring bags that hold all the attachments.   This is my favorite type of project.  They were quick and easy to make and are something I will use all the time.  Also, I had all the materials on hand at home. Most importantly, they are pretty to look at and make the whole “I am a modern-day milkmaid” experience just a teency bit better.

Sewing on mesh is not a simple affair so I folded and sandwiched a piece of twill tape along the inner seams before I sewed them up.  And the drawstring casing also sandwiches the mesh, so my machine never touched that tricky fabric.  I love the floral fabric so much.  I found a few fat quarters on super sale in Salt Lake City at this shop when I was visiting my sister who lives in Park City.  The print is called Bloom by Laurie Bird for Windham Fabrics, style 25822.  I have no idea if it is still around in shops or not.

Two miscellaneous items:

-I won’t weigh in regarding the breast vs. bottle feed debate because I think that what’s best for the mom, ultimately, is best for the kid.  However, it is helpful to know that some health insurance plans will pay for a good electric pump.  I was lucky to have a friend at work who clued me into this just before I was planning to buy one.  I’m just mentioning it here in case the information can similarly help someone else. {I’d be happy to let you know how I got mine through a medical supply company if you are interested.}

-While I was on maternity leave, a package from CA was delivered to the mailroom at work.  That package never made it from the mailroom to my office.  Thought I’d say something in the event that the sender reads this blog.  Such a bummer to miss good mail!  Hopefully (well, not really) it was just work related.