Pumping for 2 bottles a week

Alaska_Bride

Hi ladies,

I'm returning to work in about a week, though only for 2 hours a day, 2 days a week. I would like to have bottles on hand for DH to feed just in case. How would you go about a pumping schedule? Should I pump enough for a bottle on the mornings I work? Or maybe pump a little after each feeding during the day until I have enough for a bottle? Will it mess with my supply if I only pump twice a week, or should I pump every day and save the extra for a freezer stash? I'm sure I'm over thinking this, but my sleep deprived brain can't quite figure it out. Thanks in advance for any advice!

nunzchucks

I personally like to pump after DS's first morning feeding and save that milk for the freezer stash. If you do that, H would always have something in the freezer in a pinch.

Alaska_Bride

Thanks ladies! I'll try to pump after her morning feeding tomorrow and see how that goes. 

flcl

casey78 said:

If you are only going to be gone for two hours, you likely can feed LO right as you go and then right as you come back again.   I agree that having back-up bottles on hand would be a good thing just in case of growth spurt, you getting delayed, etc.

I suspect the simplest thing would be to pick one time a day and just pump at that time everyday or most days.  Most mamas have the best luck first thing in the morning.  I was always in a rush so I mostly did mine in the evening after LO went to bed.  It's not unusual to only get an ounce-ish when you do that.  Save up in the fridge and then combine to use or freeze (2oz increments work great). 

If YH uses a bottle, you'll likely pump to replace it.  When you pump to replace, you'll get more. 

Totally agree with all of this.  Whenever I would be gone from LO for just a couple of hours, I would feed him before I left and right after I returned.  It was also easier for me to get my pump session in at night before bed.  When I first started, I would only get around an ounce or so.  Now that the nightly pump has become routine, I get 2-3.