Pumping in preparation for a solo trip

Silverlining2011

hi there
i have to travel without my baby Labor Day weekend. Baby is 9 months old. I pump twice while I'm at work 4 days per week and nurse him the other times. I only have about 20 oz of milk in the freezer because I never built up a huge stash. 

Is is it possible to pump enough so I can cover the time when I'm gone? How would I do that?  I was considering adding a pumping session after he goes to bed but I know that time of day doesn't typically yield as much milk as morning. I just can't pump in the morning after I nurse him. 

I already feel like I make barely enough so I'm wondering if my body will just make more if I add this session! Any experience with this or advice is appreciated. 

Sorry if if there is a recent post about this. Please just direct me to that if I missed it.  

ashton2190

Does he eat on both sides each time? Mine typically just does the one so I pump the side she didn't eat on in the morning and get a whole 5-6 oz that way 

Silverlining2011

@ashton2190 thanks for your post - yeah he does nurse on both sides each feed. Have been power pumping last two nights and gotten a really sad amount... Hoping it will pick up. 

ashton2190

Silverlining2011 said:

@ashton2190 thanks for your post - yeah he does nurse on both sides each feed. Have been power pumping last two nights and gotten a really sad amount... Hoping it will pick up. 

Just try to stay consistent for a few days and hopefully it will pick up. Something else I did was start drinking coconut water. It seemed to give me a boost that then I was able to maintain without having to drink it every day. I think I drank it every day for a couple weeks and now I pump an extra 5 oz several days a week

klirwin82

So you have 20oz total and you'll be gone 3 days? Assuming baby drinks the minimum of 24oz/day you'd want to have 72oz stored by next month. I think it's going to be tough, I know it was really hard to increase supply at 9 months, even with extra pumping. Personally I'd keep pumping but also start cutting the BM with an ounce of formula so it'll stretch, just in case. Get baby used to the taste. Last thing you want is to be staring at 40oz in the freezer the night before you leave and having to go heavy on formula when LO hasn't had it before. Mommy gone + weird new milk taste = very unhappy baby. We tried different brands and my LO finally accepted Similac for Supplementing. And started with just 1oz mixed in at a time. 

yodiggity

I would pump after every nursing session in addition to the pumping you are already doing. That will help with your stash and it should help with your supply. It will tell your body that baby needs more, and should make more next time. 
You could also do as the pp suggested and have the caregiver mix formula in to stretch it out through the three days.

emilyalso

Maybe get up early in the morning and pump - supply is the highest then so you might get better results then than other times of the day. 

I am definitely pro-breastfeeding, but my supply tanked a little around 6 months and I've been having to supplement a little since then. If all else fails, you could do half/half bottles or 2/3 breastmilk and 1/3 formula just to help it go further. 

Good luck! 

Silverlining2011

Thanks so much everyone for all the ideas/advice!!!!  Will def have to try coconut water! I have gotten 20 more oz pumped so far but it's been dwindling again.  Hoping I can pump the rest by Labor Day. It's only 2 full days I will be gone plus 2 feeds the third day so hoping to pump 30 more oz to have some room.  If it's not looking good I will add the formula like you said! 
Thanks again!