dropping the middle of the night pump session?

SWR&MSM

I am going back to work on Thursday (ACK!!!).  I am down to pumping 6 times a day - every 3-4 hours.  I am getting about twice as much as she eats.  Right now I'm am pumping when she gets up in the middle of the night to eat.  Since I'm going back to work I'd love to ditch the night time pump and just get up to feed her, it would save a lot of time and hopefully sleep   Give or take an hour our schedule is: 10pm eat/pump; 3am eat/pump; 630am eat/pump.  So I'm going about 5 hours - is there a way to stretch that out without having to wake up again after she eats at 3?  Maybe pump at 9, feed her at 10 and then again at 3?  and stretch it out that way first??  Not sure how to do this.

schenkertobe

I don't know the answer, but am curious to hear what others say as well. I've also been pumping 6-7 times per day and would love to drop the middle of the night pump. But I am usually so engorged by that point, I am uncomfortable anyway and end up wanting to pump. 

sandsandmore

I can't speak to your specific issue, but I'm EP right now since my babies are still in the NICU. I just dropped my middle of the night pump session, so I'm down to 7 pumping times a day. The first few days were PAINFUL. I pumped at midnight, then at 6AM. That first morning I was so hard, it felt like there were bowling balls attached to my chest. The next morning was easier, and it's gotten easier. I'm still engorged at 6:30 or so, but it's manageable, and then I just pump for a really long time to fully empty. Having that long period of sleep is worth it though!

goblue

There's a great ivillage message board on pumping with lots of helpful advice on when you can drop pumps and how to watch your supply, etc.  -

https://forums.ivillage.com/t5/Exclusively-Pumping/ct-p/iv-ppexcluspump

How much total are you pumping/is your baby eating each day?  As long as you are above 32 ounces in 24 hours, I would say you are good to try to drop a pump.

holn76

Can you nurse at night instead of the bottle?

If not I would just drop that pump session and let your body adjust. It will hurt a few days but you will get used to it. 

MarriedBestFriends

I successfully EPed for a year and stashed enough milk for 6.5 months after I was done pumping, and I didn't drop my middle of the night pump until DD was 5 months old. Your supply is still being established and I wouldn't drop it quite yet.

lemen99

What I did was drop the night feed when he did - which was when I went back to work at about 6 weeks.  I had a lot of supply and even if he hadn't dropped that feeding, I would have been fine dropped the night time pumping.

SpencersMum

My lactation consultant in the NICU had me track the amount of milk I was pumping, then drop my middle of the night pump and see how it compared.  Since my following pump did so well, she told me to get the sleep and just track production and make sure I was keeping up.  My son never latched on, so I pumped for 9 months...ugh.  BTW, if you don't have a hands-free pump bra...GET ONE!  I LOVED the Simple Wishes one!   Good luck!