pump-n-dump...with a time difference

Sofka

1. how do I mentally prepare myself to pump-n-dump liquid gold? (not dumping is not an option as we will be driving lots and staying in different hotels and it might go bad in the car)

2. if I usually nurse at 7pm, do I pump at 4pm (we'll be on west coast) and same for the mornings (ack! 3-4am??)? or just pumping before and after bed is OK?

thanks

Hey Jellisy

1. You are dumping to CONTINUE to nurse.You are not getting rid of milk so much as ensuring you will still have it for you LO on your return.

2. I say go with before bed and in the morning.  I've never been consistent with the times I nurse or pump and haven't had real isssues with supply.  Your body will adjust.  Bring extra pads in case you get leakiy. 

femmeftle9

I say stay on schedule if you don't want to wean anytime soon. I say this as someone who has always had problems with supply though.

Is there a way for you to call the hotels ahead of time to see if they will freeze the BM? On my last trip for work (while still BFing), I got lucky and stayed with a friend who lived in the same town and froze my milk in her freezer. I then packed a cooler with ice packs & insulated it in my luggage. After having my luggage sit at Phoenix International due to my flight delay, then further delays in San Francisco (due to engine failure DURING take-off... yikes!) I made it back to IAD and my milk had BARELY started to thaw. And I was in transit for 14 hours that day... thank God I was able to charge work for that time

If you can freeze the milk and insulate it well during transit to the next hotel, chances are you won't have to dump!

 

kbird

Hi there -  I just did a 3 day trip out to the West Coast over the weekend.

It was hard dumping all the milk I pumped, but focus on the big picture - you're keeping up your milk supply for your baby.  Pumping while traveling is really hard - give yourself a pat on the back for that, and don't fret over dumping.

I stuck to no schedule what so ever as far as when I pumped.  It wasn't possible, as I spent the three days on airplanes and wedding festivities.  I just did it when I could fit it in.   I was really surprised to find that my boobs seemed to go into overproduction mode during the first two days.  They were constantly full.  But they calmed down by the third day.  

Lugging a pump around an airport was not fun - but it was doable.  It helped me rationalize all the expensive and fattening airport food I consumed - Good luck!