How to Keep Milk Cool, Your Body Hydrated, and Your Sanity Intact
Let’s be real: summer is magical and alsoooo chaotic, especially when you’re pumping. Between sweating through naps, juggling travel plans, and trying to keep your cool (literally and emotionally), it’s easy to feel like you’re one leaky bottle away from absolutely losing it.
Whether you're poolside, road-tripping, or just navigating the heat while keeping your milk stash intact, we’ve got you. Here's your guide to staying chill -mind, body, and milk - in the wild ride that is summertime!
💗 TL;DR: Your Summer Pumping Cheat Sheet
✅ Use your Chiller like a pro
✅ Hydrate constantly
✅ Be travel-prepped (and unbothered)
✅ Prioritize your peace
❄️ 1. Keep Your Milk Chill, Literally
You already know this, but milk doesn’t exactly love summer heat. Whether you’re Team Freezer Stash or a power-pumper on the go, your breastmilk needs protection from the elements.
Enter: the Chiller.
With up to 20 hours of safe breastmilk storage, no freezer pack needed, your OG or Demi Chiller is your milk's summer BFF. Bring it to the beach, on hikes, or to the family barbecue where your uncle definitely won’t understand why you’re pumping in the car. It’s fine. We get you.
Bonus tip: Pre-chill your inner chamber a bit before heading out! The colder the start, the longer the chill. (Freezing it can cause the inner chamber to pop out, so just be mindful of that!)
🧃 2. Hydrate Like You Mean It
Hot days + breastfeeding or pumping = a hydration equation no one warned you about.
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Add citrus or herbs to your water to make it ✨fancy spa water✨ (think mint, cucumber, lemon)
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Keep an extra full bottle in your car, diaper bag, or stroller just in case
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Drink a full glass every time you pump. No exceptions! Really!
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If you’ve been sweating extra because of heat, exercise, or sun, a pinch of salt in a glass of water can help replenish precious electrolytes. Especially important when breastfeeding!
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You can hydrate through foods too, add in some produce like melon and cucumber for a refreshing snack that does double time.
Seriously. Hydration = happier body, better milk production, and fewer dizzy spells while trying to do three things at once. (Been there.)
🥒 3. Chill Snacks That Love You Back
You’ve got your milk chilling. You’ve got your water bottle filled. But now your stomach’s growling and it’s omg too hot to function, let alone cook.
Here are a few no-sweat, milk-supporting snacks for summer that won’t leave you wilting:
🫐 Hydrating + Galactagogue-Friendly Snacks:
These foods help with hydration and milk production, and won’t weigh you down in the heat:
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Cucumber slices + hummus – hydrating, protein-packed, and easy to throw in a snack bag
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Chia pudding – made with your milk of choice + topped with berries = fiber + omega-3s + hydration
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Frozen grapes or watermelon cubes – like nature’s popsicles
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Lactation energy bites – quick DIY or store-bought, often made with oats, flax, and brewer’s yeast
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Plain Greek yogurt + fruit – probiotics, protein, and refreshing AF
Need more ideas? This round-up from EatingWell has some solid inspo.
You don’t have to eat a full meal every time you pump—but a small, nourishing snack goes a long way toward keeping you grounded (and keeping your supply steady).
🧳 4. Travel Smart, Not Hard
Airport? Road trip? Errands that turn into a half-day adventure?
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Use the Chiller to safely store milk without hauling a separate cooler and ice packs. We’re TSA approved baby!
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Keep an extra flange set in your bag: sometimes heat + rushing = forgotten parts
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Try hands-free pumping bras or wearable pumps if you're moving around more than usual
And remember you don’t have to explain your pumping setup to TSA. But if they do ask, send them to our travel tips for a little education.
🌀 5. The Chiller: More Than Just a Milk MVP
Sure, the Chiller was made for breastmilk, but parents are innovators, and you’ve been showing us all the other genius ways it fits into summer life:
🥤 The Hydration Hero
Using our Flip- and Sip top the Chiller doubles as a sleek, insulated water bottle. Toss in some ice and you’re staying cool on the go.
🍦 Popsicle Power Move
Freeze juice, fruit, or smoothie pops and tuck them in your Chiller for park days. It keeps them cold all day long without a meltdown (literally or emotionally).
🍼 The Backup Plan
Got a toddler and a baby? One chamber for water, one for breastmilk. Or formula. …Or iced coffee. Or literally whatever is keeping you and yours upright.
💡 Parent Hack Vibes Only
We love hearing of folks using it for snacks (hello string cheese), and yes—even transporting soup. We don’t judge; we applaud.
🧘♀️ 6. Don’t Forget About You
This summer is not just about output (in ounces or effort). You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to say no. You’re allowed to put your feet in the grass and do absolutely nothing for a second.
Build in micro-moments of care:
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A cold drink while you pump
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A playlist that makes you feel like you again
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Telling the baby, “Mama’s pumping. Just a minute.”
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It’s easier to get overstimulated when the weather is hard on us, do whatever you need to do to stay centered!
This isn’t selfish—it’s strategy. You matter.
🌞 7. Hot Girl Summer? More Like Hydrated Parent Summer.
You’ve probably seen the memes: “hot girl summer,” “soft girl summer,” “feral girl summer.” And if that’s your vibe, incredible. But over here? We’re literally just trying to keep a baby fed, a pump part clean, and a little sliver of sanity intact.
Whether you're navigating triple-digit temps, unpredictable nap schedules, or the emotional whiplash of loving your baby so much it hurts while also dreaming of a solo weekend in a yurt… you’re not alone.
A report by the Center for American Progress found that about 73% of parents experience difficulty finding childcare during the summer months, leading to increased stress and challenging decisions between work and family commitments. -Romper
Moreover, the pressure to create picture-perfect summer experiences can add to the mental load. As one seasoned mom shared, "Sometimes it can be a blast, but sometimes it can suck pretty damn hard. That. Is. OK."
Just remember: you are absolutely crushing it—even when it doesn’t feel like it.
You’ve got this. And we’re here for you every sticky, sun-drenched step of the way. Now go enjoy the hell out of your iced latte and keep being a total badass!