In My Pumping Era: How I Was Able to Pump at Taylor Swift Without Missing a Song

I brought my Elvie Pump to the show of the year… and let’s just say, everyone performed beautifully

I’m a new mom. And up until recently, my “new mom” sea legs and desire to live in an absolute bubble stopped me from partaking in anything spontaneous that pre-motherhood me would eagerly explore.

That all changed when I was gifted tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Yep, that tour you’re seeing across every social media feed you scroll. Julia Roberts, Emma Stone, Aaron Rogers… our girl Taylor is single-handedly uniting generations across the continent for a masterclass in performance, dedication, and work ethic. (Can you tell I’m a fan?)

Needless to say, for us Swifties, this tour is a “find tickets, will travel” type of event. So the fact that we live in Georgia while this particular show was in Tampa was just a minor detail.

There was no way I was going to let sleep deprivation and new motherhood count me out, so after a fast and forceful YES, my husband and I started to prep for our very first road trip with our seven-week-old baby. To Tampa for Taylor we go.

The day before we were set to leave I went on a walk with one of my new mom friends, ready to laugh with her about how much I had packed for our first three-day weekend away.

Every single item we use in a day was arranged, by category, on our kitchen table. I had written and re-written our checklist, outlined exactly how I wanted to pack up the car, and even mapped out where we could stop to feed and stretch along the drive. I’m currently breastfeeding and also bottle feeding, so I squeezed in extra pump sessions to prepare us with pre-portioned bottles of breastmilk to carry us through the weekend—and also cover for the time I’d be at the show. Cooler for the car, check.

We’re also learning our son’s preferences and wanted to be prepared for any scenario, like when he prefers to be upright after a bottle—Baby Bjorn Bouncer, check. Other times, he likes to nap on the couch next to us—Doc-a-Tot, check. Maybe my husband would want to take him on a walk—should we bring our stroller with both the bassinet and upright seat options? Feels like we need to! Check and check.

As it turned out, my friend was heading to the Nashville show just a few weeks later. Bonded by new-motherhood and now Taylor Swift, we laughed about our over-preparedness and placed our guesses for which secret songs Taylor might play. Then, she asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks.

Ok, but how the heck do you plan to pump at the show?

Wow, one major detail overlooked. I hadn’t listed it on any of my checklists.

As you know, this isn’t just a three-hour concert. This is a get to the stadium one-to-two hours early for merch, account for at least one hour of traffic no matter what time you leave, jam to one hour of openers, and get amped for a three-hour set kind of a concert. Fast math: that’s approximately seven hours (give or take your fandom).

At seven weeks postpartum, I hadn’t been out of the house for more than an hour at a time, let alone seven. What’s a girl gonna do? A nursing mom’s gotta pump!

Bringing in my very large, very loud hospital-grade breast pump was not an option.

Panicked, I sent an SOS to my mom friends, and in less than a minute, I received a response: I got you. Borrow my Elvie. Have fun.

Something I’ve learned about this incredible community of moms I have entered into is that they are fast and efficient. If you want a real review of something, text a mom. If you want honest feedback on whether something is worth your time or money, join a mom group, drop in the question, and marvel at the detailed, thoughtful, emphatic, and beyond-generous candor you’ll receive.

While everyone might choose their own path for how they do things as a mom, you can bet if a recommendation is sent your way, it’s been tested. Extreme pressure tested to be exact.

Dear Reader, I’ve Found Your Portable Pump

With less than 24 hours to go before my departure to Tampa, I picked up the Elvie Pump kit off my friend’s front porch. It was the perfect amount of time for an at-home test run.

My first impression was utter relief. It’s small, sleek, intuitive to assemble, and easy to clean—features that have become of the utmost importance to me.

Elvie Pump comes with two different-sized shields, which is invaluable as I’ve learned the hard way that pumping with the wrong-sized pump shields can cause real discomfort and damage.

My friend-to-the-rescue had also purchased and shared two extra bottles, caps, and valves, which translated to two pumping sessions at the concert without me having to wash anything.

I charged the hub and sterilized the parts. She hadn’t used the pump in five months, so I was really impressed with how quickly the two hubs charged up. And when I say this thing is hands-free, I mean it. The pump auto-transitions from massage to expression modes at the right time for your flow. It even turns off once the liquid level has reached capacity—quite a different experience from my ball and chain at-home pump.

I tried the Elvie on under my Lover-inspired Eras outfit and sent an all-caps THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME, THIS THING IS AMAZING text to my friend.

As a final step, I reached out to the venue to make sure there wouldn’t be an issue with bringing a small canvas bag with the pump inside. I chuckled at the quick response: “We have received a good amount of these requests. Please check in with security upon your arrival to receive a ‘medical bag tag’ and there will be no issue.” Clearly, there are a lot of us Swifties in our “pumping era.”

The concert was everything I wanted it to be and more. The real gift of it all was that my new reality and pumping needs didn’t pull me away from any part of the experience. I cried, I smiled so much my face hurt, I hugged a stranger, and I got to be present during every. single. song. Really, I got the chance to feel like me again.

So, from one new mom to the next, if you’re searching for a reliable, portable pump option that really works and lets you live like you used to, I got you. Get yourself an Elvie Pump and go have fun.