Never get out of your car with your pump...

Ok, so I've been struggling with keeping up with Daniel's milk needs while I'm at work. I have been so busy since we are sorely understaffed and there is a hiring freeze, that pumping once a day at work is the norm and if I do it twice in the 8+ hours I'm here, that's a great day. And I have been lazy about pumping in the evenings (can't imagine why I might be tired after I get the kids to bed and want to just veg out on the couch watching Survivor and other mindless reality tv, bitching to Scott about how everyone on them is either annoying or a moron or both, but anyway...). So I am down to no freezer stash to speak of and am eeking by on sending the milk I pumped one day to the daycare the next day, etc. And it's not that supplementing with formula would be the end of the world. It's just that I know that we'd be fine if I would just step up the pumping a bit and save us some major $$ on formula (which is a biggie right now). And Daniel's needs should taper off a bit since he has discovered solid foods and decided that not only does he like them, but he's going to make it his life's goal to get as much of them as I will give him at any given time. Since I love his pudgy thighs and can't stop pinching, tickling and kissing them, I am completely okay with that. But I digress...

So last week I decided that with my hands-free device (think tubetop with two holes cut out), I could easily pump during my commute and then if I could get one or two sessions in at work, that'd be doing pretty well. If I could squeeze in one more at night, I would be able to get our stash built up pretty well. So Friday night, I get all set up in the car, pull my shirt down to cover anything, start the car up, only to realize I am almost out of gas and most certainly won't make it home to Templeton. I was talking to Scott on the cell at the moment and he joked, "Hey, your pump has a shoulder strap, just take it with you to pump the gas." I laughed at the image and hung up, heading to the gas station right down the street from work.

When I got to the station and was ready to "unhook" myself, I looked around and realized that it was freakishly empty for a Friday evening at 6 pm - I think there were two cars out of twelve pumps. So I thought, "what the heck. No one's going to see me. It's a hassle to disengage and set this all up again, I'll go for it." I pulled up to one of the many empty pumps and put the bag on my shoulder, made sure I wasn't exposing anything and hopped out to swipe my card and get the gas started. All went well, no one was nearby me and the ones a bit away didn't seem to even notice I was there, let alone look closely enough to see that under my loose T-shirt, I had oddly-shaped breasts. I turned back to get into my truck to wait for the tank to fill and froze in horror. Somehow, I had managed to bump my doorlock when I got out and the truck was locked. With the keys in it. And my bra. And my cell phone. And my wallet. And me with the breastpump not only attached to my body, but still running. AAAAHHHHH!!!!

I looked around and - of course! - the gas station is filling up quickly as cars stream in from both cross streets. Where were you people all a few minutes ago so that I wouldn't have even DREAMED of getting out of the car with the pump? Huh? Huh? WHERE WERE YOU?!?! Thinking as quickly as only a panicked woman can, I cross my arms over my chest to the best of my ability and make a run for the bathroom inside the gas station. Luckily it was empty so I was able to grab a stall, "disassemble" things and make myself presentable. I still kept my arms crossed over my chest as the hands-free tube top didn't provide much support for "the girls" which are pretty hefty these days given my slow weight gain over the past 10 years and of course, nursing. Luckily I was able to get a screwdriver from the gas station attendant and "break in" to the truck like Scott had shown me years ago (man, has that little lesson come in handy more times in 13 years than I ever thought possible!).

So I got in the car, hooked things back up and proceeded home. And hey, I got 8 ounces on that trip home which is two servings for Daniel these days, so I guess it was worth it. Hmmm...that makes me wonder, maybe adrenaline is good for your milk supply? Again, I digress...Let's face it, that situation obviously could have turned out a whole heck of a lot worse! Moral of the story: if you're going to get out of the car with your pump attached to your body, be sure you take your keys with you.