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can you successfully add a supplemental pumping session to avoid pumping at work?
I am going back to work full time on Monday. As it stands, when I work, I pump every three hours, which could potentially be 3-4 times at work. I also pump immediately after my morning nursing session. I get enough for one bottle at that time (on a rare occassion, 2).
I'd like to see if I can get away with only pumping once or twice at work. Has anyone had any success with adding a pumping session in the evening right after LO goes down, or another time? Thanks!
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Re: can you successfully add a supplemental pumping session to avoid pumping at work?
When I first went back to work I would pump before I left in the morning & then 2 or 3 times during the workday. After a few weeks, DS started waking in the mornings when I got up -- so I would BF him in the morning before I left (dropping that pumping session) and I went down to just pumping twice during the workday & I BF him as soon as I get home from work in the afternoon. That's still our routine & going strong.
DS sort of adjusted his eating habits when I went back to work... taking fewer bottles during the day & BFing more in the evenings when I'm home with him. To this day we still BF every 2-3 hrs when I'm home on most days.
I just don't have the time or inclination to pump more than twice at work. I feed DD2 before I leave in the morning (around 7), then pump around 10 and again around 2-3. Yes, there is about 4 hours between the 2 pumpings, but it hasn't affected us. I feed DD as soon as she gets home, around 5:30. She tends to cluster-feed in the evening - I might feed her at 5:30, 7, and 9.
She takes 3 bottles at daycare - 4 ounces each. I pump about 15 ounces in my two sessions, so I actually have more than I need each day. I freeze a few bags/week.
It works very well for us.