The Looooong Version of the Ceres Chill Origin Story
By
Founding Mama, Ceres Chill
NOTHING BUT UNACCEPTABLE OPTIONS
I'm often asked why I put myself through so much to create Ceres Chill. Mostly by guys. No mom who has ever had to pump ever asks me why. Pumping moms totally get it. Life without messy, clunky, short-lived coolers is AH-MAY-ZING.
The precise day and hour that Ceres Chill was born: My first day back to work. I was so proud of myself for making pumping at work happen. I had the breast pump and all the parts. I was doing this! Then, after my first pump session, I just…stared at the plastic bottles of breastmilk sitting on my desk in my toasty warm office, which opened onto a hallway full of pretty much all men.
Now what?
My working-mama friends told me I had to buy the dreaded cooler. But I refused. There had to be a better way. My life as a new mom trying to pump was hard enough. I needed something compact, long-lasting, easy to clean, and discreet for pumping on the go.
Denied! The big, bulky coolers were the only option.
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Another bag to carry.
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More plastic to hand-wash and sanitize.
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Chemical ice packs that barely lasted a few hours and needed constant refreezing.
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And worst of all? That clunky cooler was a giant, neon sign that I was lactating. I'm proud to be breastfeeding, but it just wasn’t the topic I wanted to lead with in the office or while commuting.
I'm proud to be breastfeeding, but it just wasn’t the topic I wanted to lead with in the office or while commuting.
My frantic search for a compact, “rechargeable,” long-lasting, easy-to-clean breastmilk storage solution turned up nothing.
And then my friend Helen—a seasoned working mom—got tired of watching me sneak down hallways with breastmilk hidden in paper bags. So she bought me an annoying cooler.
THE PROBLEM WOKE ME UP
I was angry. Why were moms given no option except big, unreliable coolers? This lack of safe breastmilk storage was part of a bigger system failing moms who were trying to work and breastfeed.
That’s when I decided I would make this Chiller happen for all women — first responders, postal workers, soldiers, doctors, nurses, realtors, caterers, teachers, exclusive pumpers — all of them. Every pumping mom deserved something better.
WOW, THAT WASN'T EASY
Bringing Ceres Chill to life nearly broke me. I gave myself stress-induced shingles and survived on 2–3 hours of sleep per night for 14 months. But I DID IT.
Actually, WE DID IT.
Every Ceres Chill mom is part of this journey. Your support, your stories, and your real-life needs helped me refine this solution for situations I hadn’t even imagined.
💙 Together, we’ve changed lives.
💙 Together, we’ve made pumping easier.
And I’m so proud of what we’ve built.
A PLEASURE TO LEAVE THIS BEHIND
Just for fun, here’s photographic evidence of my pumping struggles before Ceres Chill:
UGLY: Forgot my cooler and bottles. Stuck on a four-hour drive home after a long legal deposition—ended up using banquet glasses and bags of ice from a bar.
ABSURD: Just finished a court hearing. The only available outlet for my breast pump? A frigid supply closet.
WOW: Look at Mama now! Everything I need to double pump on the go, neatly stored in one sleek, compact Ceres Chill.
Let's all enjoy a vastly improved pumping life!