Help me figure out my pump schedule at work

ClaudiaStar21

Ds is 15 weeks. I have been back at work since 7 weeks. When I was first back I was able to pump 3 times a day but that was too difficult. I felt I couldn't get my work done.  Here is the schedule I have been following. Nurse at 4:30am. Nurse at 7 am at daycare (supplement bottle of 2 oz after - I don't make enough milk - pcos). Pump at 9:30 and 12 :15. Pick him up at 3 nurse when we get home at4 or 430.  I only get 2 or 2 and a half oz each pump at work.  Ds gets those 2 bottles at day care at around 10 or 10:30 the 1 or 1:30. She has to supplement with 2 oz of formula. Today I tried pumping at 10:15 and 2. I got more milk because each time was a longer stretch. I just don't know which scenario is better. I have students from 7:30- 8:45; then 10:35-11:35; then 12:45 to 2. So I can pump anytime in between. Also it takes me forever to get milk like half an hour. I wish I could do more frequent shorter pumps but I have to do 2 half hour pumps. Any advice would be appreciated. 

JenJune3

Pumping more often will make your body produce more. So I would suggest pumping 3 times if you can. Also, are you pumping at home? Try pumping after each feeding and after LO goes to sleep at night. I started pumping after each feeding about 3 weeks before I came back to work and that made me have an oversupply. I now pump much more than DS needs, he drinks around 12 ounces while I'm at work and I pump at least 21 ounces at work, but I make sure to pump at home after he goes to sleep and in the morning after his first feeding. I feel like I'm a jersey cow and I'm always hooked up to my pump!

jlsimon56

I pump at 4am then wake LO and feed her.  (I do it that order so I leave the house once she's eaten, she's more likely to fall back asleep if the house is quiet.)

At work, I pump 3-4 times, even just for 10 minutes if that's all the time I have.  

I also pump ~2 hours after LO goes to bed.  This pumping session just started rewarding me.  :-)  I used to barely cover the bottom of the bottle, now it's my best session!

I notice what you did today - waiting longer will yield more.  BUT in the long run, it won't.  Your body will think you don't need as much b/c of the longer time between pumps.

Another idea would be to pump in the car while you drive.  I've done it a few times and it's not really ideal, but it works..... 

ClaudiaStar21

Thanks everyone:) I think I'll try to pump more for shorter times. My body is just funny. If I pump for 1/2 I'll get 3 letdowns with a total of 2 or 2.5 oz but its slow in that I get a small letdown, then a few min go by then I have another small letdown and so on. So I fear that with the shorter pump I still have milk in there. I will also to try pumping more at night. I'm just getting a little burned out with working and an hr commute each way. I do pump in the car when I don't have lo but I get nervous with him in the car.