How to Make a Pumping Cart on a Budget
When I first brought A home as a baby, I’ll be the first to admit I was a hot mess. I was trying to figure out how to breastfeed and pump, and eventually, it ended up with my pumping and breastfeeding supplies scattered all over the house. You could follow the trail and find where I had been!
This time around I knew I wanted to be more organized. I was searching around Pinterest one day and came across the idea for a pumping or breastfeeding cart. I mentioned it to my husband and he was super skeptical – it looked like just a cutesy Pinterest thing to him.
Well after a few weeks of putting it into use since Baby K came home I can officially say that the pumping cart was a great idea. It’s helped keep me so organized and ready for my next pumping session. In this blog post, I’ll share with you how to create a pumping or breastfeeding cart on a budget, must-have essentials for your cart, and more!
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What is a Pumping Cart?
First of all – what exactly is a pumping cart? The pumping cart is a cart with all the supplies you need to pump or breastfeed. It includes all your pumping and breastfeeding supplies, snacks, hydration, extra parts (for example nipple cream), tissues, and towels.
The key is having everything within reach so you don’t have to spend any mental energy trying to remember where things are. Depending on the type of cart you get, you can even make this a portable cart that you can take with you into different rooms and have all the supplies you need.
Benefits of a Pumping Cart
There are many benefits of having a pumping cart. A few of my favorites:
Stay Organized – By having everything you need in one spot, you’ll always know where your pumping or breastfeeding supplies are. Don’t wander around your house wondering where the heck you left your pumping bra or favorite nursing cover.
Easy to Transport – You can take your cart with you into different rooms. Some people even have carts or small tables that they put in their car so they have everything available while breastfeeding on the go.
No More Duplicates – We all know how easy it is to lose things, especially when you can find them in two different locations. Having everything together will eliminate this problem.
How to Set up A Cart
Ready to make your own cart? The first thing you’ll need is a cart. There’s really no right or wrong cart to choose from – just something that is big enough to hold the essentials.
My favorite cart to use is this one I found at Michael’s for $30. I actually bought one of these for a craft cart for Little A and knew it’d be a perfect pump cart after I put it together. Keep an eye out for the weekly coupons from Michael’s to get the price down even more! I ended up paying only $25 for my cart.
I like this cart because not only is it stylish, but it also does have the option to have wheels and it’s extremely functional. I also like that once I’m done using it for a pump cart, I can easily repurpose it for something else.
Once you have your cart, it’s time to get some bins. I like to use bins inside my cart because not only does it keep it organized, but it also makes it easier to refill my cart. I use these bins from Amazon for my cart, but I’ve also seen them in stores like TJ Maxx and Home Goods.
Once you have your bins and cart, you’re ready to start setting up your cart with supplies!
Must-Have Supplies
Ready to fill your pump cart? Here are the supplies I’ve found to be essential in my cart:
Pump
A pump is a must-have for a pumping cart! I used a Motif Luna that I ordered through Aeroflow, but any breast pump will work. If you’re using this for only breastfeeding, then you can skip a breast pump.
Pumping and Breastfeeding Supplies
You’ll want to have extra pumping and breastfeeding supplies on hand. I like to keep at least 3-4 extra sets of pumping parts on hand so I don’t have to constantly wash my supplies for every pump (I get my extra parts from Amazon).
In addition to extra pumping parts, I like to keep anything I need for breastfeeding or pumping in the cart. In mine I have:
Pumping Bra/ Bra attachment (I like these ones from Kindred Bravery)
Snacks
Snacks are a huge part of my pumping cart! Pumping always makes me super hungry, so having a healthy snack available is important to me. My favorite pumping snacks are:
Made Good Granola Balls (or you could make your own like these peanut butter ones)
Trail Mix
Granola Bars
Goldfish
Hydration
Pumping also makes me super thirsty. I usually carry around a water bottle with me, but I like to keep extra hydration in my pumping cart just in case I forget it. I’ll keep a few bottles of water and Body Armour Lyte at the bottom of my cart.
Tissues, Burp Cloths, Towels
Tissues, Burp Cloths, and small towels are some extra things I like to keep around just in case I spill or make a mess.
Quick Clean Pump Wipes
These pump wipes are amazing! I keep a pack around just in case the day gets hectic and I don’t have a chance to fully wash all my supplies. These don’t require any water and are just like a wet wipe – just wipe off the pump and it’s good to go. You’ll still want to clean after a few uses, but they’re great if you’re in a pinch!
Other Supplies and Misc.
Some other things to consider putting into your cart are:
Chargers – phone or pump chargers
Desk Light
Trash bag
Bottles
How to Organize Your Cart
Now that you have your supplies all together, it’s time to organize the cart! I like to organize mine with the most important stuff on top – like my pump.
On the top rack of my cart, I have my pump, clean pumping supplies, a small container of nipple cream, and space for my coffee or water. I like to keep this shelf fairly empty just so I have a spot to put down whatever I’m using and can use it as a table.
On the middle shelf, I like to keep snacks, an extra set of pumping supplies, my nursing bra attachment,
On the bottom shelf, I like to keep water bottles, Body Armour Lyte, and a box of tissues or paper towels.
If you use the Michael’s cart, you can also get an accessory to make the top of the into a table for even more storage.
Where to Set Up Your Cart
You should set up your cart in a place that is comfortable and where you’ll use it often. I like to keep mine next to a glider in my daughter’s nursery. I’ll also bring it into the living room when I’m watching TV.
Final Thoughts
A pumping cart can help keep you organized and make pumping or breastfeeding even easier! I’ve been using mine for a few weeks now and absolutely love it. The total cost of the project ended up being about $40 for me and I love that I can re-use everything when I’m done with my pumping journey.
If there’s anything else you would like to know, please feel free to leave a comment below.
How to Make a Pumping Cart on a Budget
A pumping or breastfeeding cart is a must have for any mom that's pumping or breastfeeding. This cart has everything you need and can be put together for under $50!
Materials
- Cart
- Organization Bins
- Pumping or Breastfeeding Supplies
- Snacks
Tools
- None
Instructions
- Assemble the cart according to the package instructions
- Add in organization bins and fill with breastfeeding or pumping supplies, snacks, and other essentials
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
How did you get the wooden top for it?
I found the top at Michael’s! I can’t find the link online, but I found it in their store by the section with the carts