Marathon Mom Manages to Use a Breast Pump While Running the Race

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Nov 06, 2019

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Joe Jenkins Photography

New Yorker Molly Waitz is now a big believer in the idea that moms can truly do anything. New mom, Waitz, recently made headlines for running the New York City marathon while pumping breast milk for the entire 26.2 mile race.

Good Morning America featured a story about Waitz’s amazing feat and how the mom of 8-month-old Bode managed to even surprise herself. The 27 year old Waitz explains, “I never thought I would [run a marathon] and the fact that I was able to do it while working full-time and caring for my child, it was just unbelievable.” She adds, “Anything is possible if you want to do it.”

And just how did Waitz manage to use a breast pump while running a full marathon? I mean, these things can be difficult to figure out while sitting on a couch, let alone running around the street of a metropolitan city. Before running the marathon, Waitz did a little research and found a hands-free breast pump that she could wear inside her sports bra while running.

She was able to run while the pump worked to fill a bag of breast milk. When a bag was full Waitz was notified via an app connected to her bluetooth. Waitz would then remove the full bag of breast milk and throw it in her backpack that she carried throughout her run. She explains the necessary process of pumping during the run which took her over six hours to complete. 

Waitz says, “I pumped for the first time somewhere between miles three and four and then I did it again right off the Queensboro Bridge, which was mile 16. I slowed down a little bit to do it but I didn’t really have to. You could do it blindfolded.” When all was said and done, Waitz had pumped dozens of ounces of breast milk and successfully completed a full marathon. Waitz is not the first mom athlete that had to make sure their baby could eat while taking part in a sport. London’s Sophie Power could be seen taking a break to breastfeed her 3 month old during last year’s 106-mile Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc race in the Alps. And U.S., Air Force Staff Sgt. Jaime Sloan famously breast pumped while competing in an Ironman 70.3 triathalon.

What do you think of this mom’s amazing physical feat of breast pumping while running in a 26 mile race?