Hi everyone! I mostly lurk but post occasionally but appreciate Ll the great conversation on this board. I am EPing for DS who is one month old. I also EPed for DD for one year she is now 2.5,years old. I started pumping 8 times per day at one week and am now down to 6 because I am pumping twice asynchronous as he needs. He drinks about 25 oz a day and I easily freeze 20 to 30 oz a day. I would like to go down to 5 pumps per day but I am afraid that long term pumping will suffer. I posted about this a few days ago when I went down to 6 but am afraid the less I pump now the sooner my supply will drop for later. I would like to EP for at least 6 months and possibly the full first year again. I had a lot of milk with DD and was down to 4 ppd by 12 weeks but I feel like this sooner than with her. Thanks!
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Re: EPers with an oversupply
I could have written this post! I EPed for my daughter for a full 8 months and am now EPing for my DS who just turned 3 months today. I was doing 8 pumps a day up until recently, but have dropped to 7 a day more due to time limitations. I easily get more than double what he uses (he eats between 22 and 27 oz a day [he fluctuates throughout the week...the week before last he gained 7 ozs, this past week he only gained 3 ozs] so I end up freezing 20-30 ozs a day and have ended up making 3 HUGE donations to a few local gals in need of BM). I have been seeing a lactation consultant who has said not to even think about dropping pumps until 3+ months PP as dropping them too soon can hamper supply months later. I stupidly started dropping pumps with my DD really early on and my supply disappeared at 8 months. My goal is the same as yours though...pump 6 months minimum, possibly the full year or at least until I have enough of a stash to make it a full year.
So, my advice is the hang in there until 3 months before you drop pumps. Then, do it carefully. Don't drop more than 1 pump a month and look out for clogged ducts and mastitis which can be an issue with milk being in the ducts for longer periods when you drop a pump.
I do produce a out double of what he needs still, which I then give to my toddler and freeze at even parts.
I did not drop any pumps before 3 months though. After that I dropped at about one per month and did not lose supply at all until now, where we lose out on about 6 oz a day. Having an oversupply, that is ok with me though.
Hope that helps.