I'm a working mom and am breastfeeding my four month old son. I breastfed my daughter until she was 15 months old (she self weaned) and would like to do that with my son. I currently pump three times a day- once on one breast in the morning (I nurse him on the other side) before I go to work and twice at work. I usually get around 15 oz total. We send him to school everyday with about three containers of 4-6 oz each and that usually tides him over until I pick him up. Should I increase my pumping sessions to four? I have three shelves in my freezer full of stored breast milk now for a cushion. I just remember with my daughter my supply dropped really low around 9 months and I started to pump like crazy (5-6 sessions a day) just to keep her on breast milk until she was one. It was so stressful and I don't want to go through that again. I also, however, don't want to go overboard with the pumping. How many pumping sessions do you do in one day?
Thanks, mamas!
I would probably try to build up your frozen supply now, while you are producing the most. Despite exclusively nursing, my supply dropped and I was unable to pump any from around 9 or 10 months on. Fortunately I had plenty frozen from the early days when I made more than he needed. Better to pump too much now, than to not be able to later!
Zelda,
I would pump after each breast feeding and pump as often as I could - to keep my milk production up as well as making sure I got the hind milk.
I would not breast feed exclusively past 6 months old. That's me. Am I reading that you exclusively breast fed your daughter until she was one?
If you have 3 shelves of stored breast milk? I think you are good...however if it's only 4 to 6 ounces? I would make sure that as she gets older there is more like 8 ounces per serving. Keep rotating your stock.
Good luck!
I always tried to pump the same amount that my kiddos were eating, so in your case my goal would be to pump 18oz/day. Maybe do another dual pump/feed in the afternoon, just to pump that extra 2-3oz? I would do a little pumping with my first feeding after work, as I usually had a pretty good supply built up by then, and I always got more pumping when the baby was feeding on the other side. With that little extra, you are not hitting up your back up on a regular basis. I usually sent my kiddos to daycare with 3 feedings plus a small bag with 1-3oz that the sitter could either feed or mix with a little water and feed if I was running late. Worked out great, but still a ton of work. I know exactly how stressful it is to try to keep up on that supply!! You are doing a great job :)
I did 6 a day, but I exclusively pumped. I did once before work, 3 times at work (8,noon, and 3:30), and twice at home before bed. I would maybe try to sneak in one more time during the work day if you can.
Both my kids are older now (9 & 6) but I pumped with both until they were a little over a year. I used to pump one side and feed with the other in the morning before I left. I pumped both sides once at work. Then I pumped one side and fed on the other when I came home. I had a lot in my freezer.
If I were you I wouldn't stress about it right now. Just make sure your freezer stash stays about the same and if it goes down start pumping a little more. Make sure you are using some of that freezer stash and freezing fresh so you don't have a bunch of old stuff in there. Your breastmilk changes as your baby gets older.
I work from home, so don't have to pump during the day, but to build a stockpile of milk to allow me to enjoy adult beverages, etc. I pump at night, right before I go to sleep. If your baby is sleeping through the night, adding a pumping session a few hours after baby is asleep will make your body think you need more milk and increase your supply. The added benefit is that you won't wake up engorged in the morning.
