s/o working/pumping moms

mandy0505

I know I have a ways before I have to worry about pumping while at work but maybe I can get some insight from you all. How often do you pump for a newborn? Are you able to schedule it or do you know when you have to go pump. I'll be working 10 hour shifts, how should I break up my pumping routine?

TIA!

alibee09

I came back to work at 5m, and pretty much just pumped whenever M would be eating -- so every 2ish hours, at 9:30, 11, 1:30, and 4. Once my supply was established and I knew how much he needed, I knew that I could drop one of those pumps and still get the output I needed for the day.

I would recommend that you start pumping before you go back, if possible, so you can acclimate to the pump -- it takes a little while for your body to really be able to let down for a pump, so starting before you have to will help

SJBride05

I pump as many times as he gets a bottle while I'm gone.  So in the beginning it was 4x/day, not it's only 3x/day. 

I have alarms set-up on my phone to tell me when to pump - 9:30AM, 12:00 and then 3:30PM.

HTH!

futrkingsley

I did the same, pumping 3 times a day for months once we both got the swing of it.  I kept an elaborate excel spreadsheet with the time I pumped, output, etc and corss referenced it with how many ounces a day he was taking.  I could see when I needed to switch it up or add in a pump. 

 

Mrs.BoomBoom

I was able to pump every 3 hours.  I had no choice about timing.  I had to pump when I had breaks and could not pump at other times.

One thing that helped was to remember that even if I couldn't pump long, it was still better than nothing.  It also really helped not to have to wash pump parts.  BM can be at room temp for a long time, so I figured it was no problem to leave it in the pump all day (especially since I was refrigerating parts)

mandy0505

SJBride05:

I pump as many times as he gets a bottle while I'm gone.  So in the beginning it was 4x/day, not it's only 3x/day. 

I have alarms set-up on my phone to tell me when to pump - 9:30AM, 12:00 and then 3:30PM.

HTH!

 

OOoooh setting an alarm will help me a ton!

secretkeeper321

mandy0505:

SJBride05:

I pump as many times as he gets a bottle while I'm gone.  So in the beginning it was 4x/day, not it's only 3x/day. 

I have alarms set-up on my phone to tell me when to pump - 9:30AM, 12:00 and then 3:30PM.

HTH!

 

OOoooh setting an alarm will help me a ton!

My boobs were my alarm.

but yes, whenever he was eating I would pump.

mandy0505

secretkeeper321:

mandy0505:

SJBride05:

I pump as many times as he gets a bottle while I'm gone.  So in the beginning it was 4x/day, not it's only 3x/day. 

I have alarms set-up on my phone to tell me when to pump - 9:30AM, 12:00 and then 3:30PM.

HTH!

 

OOoooh setting an alarm will help me a ton!

My boobs were my alarm.

but yes, whenever he was eating I would pump.

I'm thinking the 4 x a day was with a regular 8 hour day, so am I looking at 5x a day? I'm pretty sure my co-workers are going to be less than thrilled about this. Also, how much time did you spend pumping? 10 minutes?

SJBride05

mandy0505:

I'm thinking the 4 x a day was with a regular 8 hour day, so am I looking at 5x a day? I'm pretty sure my co-workers are going to be less than thrilled about this. Also, how much time did you spend pumping? 10 minutes?

15min sessions 3x/day

secretkeeper321

I'm thinking the 4 x a day was with a regular 8 hour day, so am I looking at 5x a day? I'm pretty sure my co-workers are going to be less than thrilled about this. Also, how much time did you spend pumping? 10 minutes?

 

Remember that as the bambino gets older they tend to not eat with the same frequency...of course depends on the baby, but it'll space out a bit.

I went back to work when H was 4 1/2 months old and he was eating every 3-4 hours...so I would pump 2-3 during my work day. I pumped for about 25 minutes but found that the majority of my milk came in the first 15 or so minutes of the session.

Mrs.BoomBoom

mandy0505:

Also, how much time did you spend pumping? 10 minutes?

It depends on you but a full session for me is more like 30 (I really don't respond well to the pump and even BFing used to last 20-40 minutes...20 by the time I went back to work).  Add the time to get your stuff, get attached, calm down, detach, re-dress, and put everything away and it's a while.

If you pump right before your workday and then every 3 hours and again right at the end, I think you may be able to get away with only 3- 4 sessions.

My.ABC.Life

alibee09:

I came back to work at 5m, and pretty much just pumped whenever M would be eating -- so every 2ish hours, at 9:30, 11, 1:30, and 4. Once my supply was established and I knew how much he needed, I knew that I could drop one of those pumps and still get the output I needed for the day.

Ditto.  I also calendared my pumping sessions so that my colleagues would know that I was not available (or only available for phone meetings) during those times.

ladipale

The LC I see says a general rule of thumb is to take # hours you are away from baby and divide by 3, and thats how many times you need to pump. I've been leaving Ellie for about 6 hours and pumping twice and feeding right when I see her. I'm also still building a surplus b/c she won't take much from a bottle these days.

I get 90% of my pumped milk in the first 5 mins, but still pump for 15 (the whole process takes me about 25 mins b/c I have to walk to another building to pump)

quesarah

I pumped 3x a day at work (and tried to coincide with my breaks/lunch).  I think if I remember that was the number of feedings he had while at DC, but it's been awhile.