The third trimester lasts 7 years so I really dragged my feet when it came to organizing because I was just OVER IT.
All the mamas were posting that you “had to have” a postpartum cart that stored your pump, pump parts, snacks, etc. so I got the cart. What I didn’t realize is that a lot of content creators don’t always share context. What I didn’t take into consideration was: would this cart be easy to use in my house? The answer was a resounding no.
We live in a regular shmegular tract home in a suburb in AZ and the layout has not been updated since it was built in 1982 so that means we have steps and walls in places that are unnecessary. The opposite of an open concept. A closed concept if you will. We converted our living room into a “playroom” and there is a step down and thick carpet, on top of a baby gate to keep the dogs out. Getting a cart loaded with my pump, hydro jug, snacks, and anything else I thought I was supposed to have with me at all times down a step onto thick carpet I couldn’t even roll it on – what was I even doing?!
So I unloaded everything, put the snacks back in the kitchen and trimmed down everything I was keeping in the cart into all of the storage bins I panic bought from Target. That’s when I realized I could use the extra diaper caddy we have to store my pumps and all my other pump things and it was and has been way easier to move my pump caddy from the bedroom to any other room I need to pump in!
So really it comes down to what your home layout is like and how often you’ll be moving between rooms:
Pump Cart is great for:
- If you have a larger home
- Don’t have a ton of stairs/steps
- Don’t have super thick carpet in the rooms you will be using it in
- You want to store pumps, bottles, snacks, etc
Pump Caddy is great for:
- Have a smaller home/non open concept
- Have thick carpet or steps/stairs
- If you are only going to be storing pumping items
- Small snacks
What I keep in my pump caddy (some of these links are affiliate and I earn a little $):
- My Baby Buddha – use code THATMILLENNIALMOM for 10% off the Baby Buddha website
- Simple Wishes Hands Free Pumping Bra – I purchased 2 and rotate them daily to help with stretching/wear
- Pumpables Genie Advance – use code THATMILLENNIALMOM for 10% off
- Coconut Oil
- Mother Love Nipple Balm
