Would you drop a pumping session?

jinx75

I currently pump 3Xs a day at work. I nurse LO at 5am (from one side) before I leave for work and then I pump both sides at work at 7am, 10:30am and 1:30pm.  Currently I am averaging about 18oz a day pumped.  I send 12oz to dc with LO but she only eats 8 (2 feedings every 3 hours for a 7 hour day).  So we rotate out the third bottle daily but she always has an extra 4oz at dc.  I am freezing about 10oz. a day and have a freezer stash of about 350 oz.  94 of those are being donated this week and I am trying to keep the freezer stash at 250.  So what do you think?  Should I eliminate one of my pumping sessions and push my sessions out to 8:30am and 1pm?  I nurse LO as soon as we get home around 3:30pm.  What are your thoughts?

Ashley&Scott

How often does your LO eat on the weekends when you are together?

jinx75

She feeds on demand but typically goes about 3 hours between feedings during the day and then wakes once at night to feed.

madladybride

How long do you plan to fee LO breastmilk?

Most women experience a supply drop around 6 months and then around 10 months. However, it sounds like you have plenty of freezer stash. I might wait one week and see if she is still doing strong. You could drop a session, but sometimes if you go down to 2 sessions you could lose your supply if LO is eating more often. Could you try not fully emptying yourself during pumping, or  making your pumping times shorter?

AmyRI

Are you also pumping on the weekend and freezing 10 oz? If so, you could think about dropping a session.

If you aren't, and after a long weekend you aren't engorged, then I would suspect that your LO just likes nursing better than bottles, but after some more time and another growth spurt at 4 months, you might end up having her drink more at daycare and you'll be wishing you had that extra milk from the 3rd pump.

Ashley&Scott

jinx75:

She feeds on demand but typically goes about 3 hours between feedings during the day and then wakes once at night to feed.

We are in similar situations. On weekends DS feeds on demand, approximately every 2-3 hours. I pump every 2.5 hours at work, getting 20-25oz per day. DS reverse cycles & only eats 4-6oz at daycare. I considered dropping a session, but I decided I am more comfortable having a large freezer stash & donating when necessary. 

jinx75

I am planning to BF to at least one year.  I do not typically pump on the weekends unless I feel engorged and then I will depending on if LO has recently nursed. 

smilelari

I'd keep all 3 sessions.  When I first returned to work I was pumping about 24 oz in 3 sessions at work and LO was eating about 12.  Now I pump about 16 and LO eats about 16.  I expect that eventually she'll eat less at night and more during the day and I won't be pumping as much as she eats and I'll be grateful for my stash.  Dropping one of the sessions will only bring on the inevitable supply drop faster.

meganandgabe

I personally would keep it up if you can.  When DS was under 4 months, I was pumping 18-20oz a day and he was only eating 8-10.  Now, at 9 months, I am pumping 11-14 and he is eating 12-15.  We break even right now, but I am expecting my supply to drop these last three months (it did with DD).  I have about 500oz in the freezer right now.  I am happy with that because if something goes wrong, it will keep DS on BM for awhile.  Or, this way, I can start weaning of the pump earlier than a year because I have back-up.

WaitingOnNo2

I wouldn't drop a session until 6 months or so because your supply will probably dip in the future and you might need it.  My supply with my DS dropped off a LOT at 6 months and I had dropped a pumping session and ended up not making it as long as I'd wanted to with him on breastmilk.  If it's not bothering you to pump 3x you could even donate more if you don't need it later on.