Pumping mothers: ‘And then my colleague asked if he could come and have a look’

Vera (36), mother of Saar (3) and Pepijn (1): “I was busy at work, and really didn’t have time to pump. So I took a spray of syntocinon to induce the let-down reflex and squeezed the handle of my hand pump for a nice long time. I let go a little too late, causing too much milk to collect in the attachment, blowing the vacuum, leaving my clothes and the floor covered in milk. Can you brush what you want; I smelled sour all afternoon.”

Stephanie (31), mother of Dion (6), Noël (3) and 30 weeks pregnant: “A few weeks after Dion was born, I expressed my very first bottle of milk – a generous portion. Dion was hungry and crying, I was in a rush because of that, so when I warmed up the bottle and took it out of the microwave, I accidentally bumped it against the top of the microwave. As a result, my precious breast milk flew through the kitchen and against the ceiling. Food gone, but still a crying baby. Now I can laugh about it, but then it was a reason for a good dose of maternity tears.”

Froukje (27), mother of Benja (10 months): “My colleague, a biologist, wondered what I was doing in the pumping room for half an hour every time, and wanted to take a look. He thought it was a miracle of nature, but due to the lack of children he had no idea how pumping actually worked. “Would you like to, huh?” I winked. But as a consolation, I showed him my bottles of milk at the end of the day.”

Sanne, mother of Lois (8) and Kiki (2): “Three months after my daughter was born, I went to my favorite festival. Ha, I walked there with my backpack with breast pump and bottles. Finding a good pumping room turned out to be a bit more difficult – eventually I ended up in a mobile toilet. Went fine by the way, but it’s quite a contrast; pumping into a cramped Dixie while three doors down someone goes over his neck.”

Lize (32), mother of Brent (4) and Max (2): “I had my own pumping room at work, which I shared with the health and safety doctor once a week. It was there exactly on the day I was always free, so it was perfectly arranged. Until one day I forgot my milk in the fridge of my pumping room. The next morning I drove quickly to work to pick up the bottles. The health and safety doctor was absent, but in the fridge, next to my milk, he had pleasantly placed his quarter liter of half-skimmed cow and a stack of sandwiches. Oh well, nothing to be ashamed of, right?”

More Kek Mama? Follow us on Facebook >