# of pumps per day? (extended EPers)

dandywarhol

I EP with my LO who is now almost 10 months old. She was a micro-preemie so she is the equivalent of a 6 month old. I pump 5x a day and get about 44oz per day. I have a large freezer stash and still manage to put add about 8oz a day. I'm hoping to EP for at least one year if not longer. I imagine that as she gets bigger she'll be consuming larger amounts (she only takes about 3oz/bottle) at each sitting but will also begin to get more calories from solids.

So my question is, for you extended EPers, how many times per day do you pump? At what age/point did you reduce your number of pumps?

DahliaFlower

I am not yet an extended pumper, but I wanted to reply to say congratulations on your micro-preemie who has done so well.  It's so inspiring.  We have a friend who had a 2 lb 25 weeker, now a thriving 3 year old  And congrats to you for managing to keep up with your pumping over the last 9 months.  

Re. your question, I am not an EP, but I do pump a lot because of work.  I am not able to stash as much as you are b/c DS is a big eater and it's all I can do to keep up.  I usually pump 4 times a day at least, rarely 5.  I BF in the evening, at bedtime and overnight.  I do one session before I leave in the morning, then about 3 while at work most days.  I do 5 oz per session while at work and more at my home sessions.  I have about 110-120 oz in the freezer and I would like to build up that stash a bit.  I am planning to keep going until he is 10 mo - 1 year if possible, but I may cut back a bit as he takes more solids.  Right now he is almost 6 months and taking 1.25 oz of pureed veggies each evening.  

BootsOrHearts

You could probably start cutting out some pumping sessions, baby only needs 25-30 oz per day as others have said. And good job mama!

dandywarhol

@DahliaFlower - Thanks! It has certainly been a journey! My LO started out at 1lb 5oz and is now a whopping 11lbs! We call her the biggest baby ever because to us she is so much bigger than she was but we know she's a peanut compared to most other babies.

Thanks for the advice. LO was in the NICU for 100 days so pumping and making sure she had enough milk was/is very important to me. It made me feel like I could actually do something to help her. Now I'm just so used to it that I'm not sure I can stop.

How do you cut down on the number of pump sessions? Do you just deal with the engorgement/uncomfortableness until your body gets used to producing less milk?

BootsOrHearts

Ugh I responded to the wrong thread so let me try this again!

I pump 8-9 times per day (15-20 mins each) and get 25-30oz total. It's taken me a while to get my supply up to this point and I think I'm pretty much maxed out. It's hard to pump any more and still work, sleep, have any kind of life, etc.

atcwag

Pumping 44 and freezing 8, so are you saying your LO is eating 36 oz/day? That is A LOT! I think the upper limit is 32 oz/day for BF babes. Good job mama for EPing - I had to for about 6 weeks and it was awful! I'd re-evaluate her eating habits and see where you can make some adjustments.

atcwag

Whoops! Forgot to mention, when I was EPing due to my DS's hospitalization (he was on IV nutrition), I pumped every 3 hours during the day and gave myself a 6 hour stretch of sleep at night, so about 7 sessions/day. I was pumping 30-40 oz/day so I definitely could have dropped 1 or 2 sessions, but I was petrified my supply would tank and was committed to return to BFing.