Outfits for Expressing Breastmilk at Work: Pumping Friendly Dresses

It can be difficult finding affordable, stylish and professional breastfeeding friendly clothes! If you're returning to work while your baby is small you may need to find things you can wear that allow you to express breast milk through the day.

While I've expressed breastmilk for my babies at home and when out and about (like at a wedding!), I haven't had to express in the office or negotiate any pumping breaks during my day. I do know from my experiences outside the office that these outfits would work perfectly for expressing. They are ideal for attending and facilitating meetings too.


One more thing to note before I get to the outfits is that you have legal rights in Australia that allow you to continue to work and breastfeed - you can read more here to find out how to get the support you need to return to work while breastfeeding. "It is generally against the law to refuse to make arrangements to assist you to breastfeed at work, if these are reasonable". Your rights in more detail.

What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: star print pashmina
Dress: Atmos&Here Arlette jersey wrap dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs Classic Q Fran bag with gold hardware in carob brown

Why I wore it:

This dress is one of the handful of pieces I've bought that failed the 'wear twice in a month after buying it' rule. I bought it while on maternity leave, not wanting to pass on the sale bargain and knowing I'd get a lot of wear out of it when I returned to the office. I do like wrap dresses for easy breastfeeding, but this one seemed a little out of place in summer when I wore it and so it was put aside until my return to work. This is only it's second wear now, 7 months after I bought it!

Glad I bought it though, it is perfect for the office. I layered a colourful tank underneath but you can't really see it with all the layers on top! Really enjoyed wearing this, and I enjoyed getting out this Marc Jacobs Fran bag again too. It only really gets worn to the office so it's been a while since I've worn this too, over a year and a half!


Last worn: camel trench, star print scarf, zig zag print wrap dress, Walnut Melbourne Ava ballet flats, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran.

Other ways to wear: camel trench and pencil skirts, star print scarf and skinny jeans, zig zag print wrap dress worn outside the office, black ballet flats and printed jeans, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: trench coat and hidden first trimester bump, star print scarf and second trimester bump, black ballet flats and maternity pencil skirt, Marc Jacobs Fran bag in second trimester.

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Wrap Dresses Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo
Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs bright blue stole

Tank: Kmart navy ribbed tank
Dress: Atmos&Here Betsy jersey wrap dress in watercolour print
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs Classic Q Fran bag with gold hardware in carob brown

Why I wore it:

Unlike the wrap dress above, this one has been worn quite a few times since I bought it while pregnant. Even though I bought it a size larger than normal to accommodate a growing baby bump in my final trimester, being a wrap dress it still fits nicely without the bump.

Decided to go with the blue coat, scarf and tank underneath too. I like all the blue with the turquoise print of the dress. I didn't feel quite as confident in this dress as I did in the same one with a different print above. Only because I kept stopping to realise through the day that the last time I'd been in the office with this dress I was pregnant, and it made me miss my boys. Hopefully it will be easier next time I wear this dress, I'll spend less time caught in my own thoughts.

Returning to work is an emotional time, compounded by baby boy not adjusting to the change well and having disrupted sleep. Walking into a meeting room, or the lift, or the kitchen, or sitting at my desk and realising last time I did those things in this dress I was pregnant made it a bit of a tough day to get through as my boys were always at the forefront of my mind.


Last worn: navy mac, cobalt scarf, navy tank, printed wrap dress, black ballet flats, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag (above).

Other ways to wear: navy mac and chambray dress, cobalt scarf with monochrome maxi skirt outfit, navy tank and printed shorts, printed wrap dress and ankle boots, black ballet flats, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag and burgundy pants.

Perfect for pregnancy: wrap dress in the last trimester, Fran bag at 40 weeks pregnant.

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More Wrap Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A wrap dress is a classic wardrobe item that a lot of people have. They are timeless, suit so many different people and are usually pretty affordable. The wrap detail makes access for breastfeeding easy, and it's this feature that makes them a good dress choice for anyone who has to express too. You can easily layer a breastfeeding singlet underneath, or quickly slip them off to put on a pumping bra instead if you have one.

A wrap dress can make you look and feel good, meet corporate office dress codes and work for you if you're returning to work and breastfeeding or expressing.



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