Pumping Schedule- input requested

marieg4108 · August 2010

Hi ladies-

I go back to work in 3 weeks and I need to have my pumping schedule blocked on my calendar so that meetings don't get scheduled over it. DD will be 16.5 weeks old when I go back. Right now, I only pump after her first feeding in the morning and whenever she takes a bottle.

What do you think of this plan?

6:30AM - BF DD and then pump

10AM- Pump

2PM- Pump

6PM- BF or Pump (depending on work day)

BF on demand for last feeding of the day/any night feedings (she mostly STTN but not every night)

Is this enough or do I need to do 9:30/12:30/3:30 instead of just 10/2? I appreciate any insight!

cc62406 · August 2010

I would probably block off 3 sessions at first. I find it easier to drop a session than add one. How many times a day does you DD currently eat? You want to be pumping around when she is eating. Don't worry you will get it figured out!

LouRN09 · August 2010

I think your schedule sounds just fine, but I am no expert! I am an RN and work 12.5 hr shifts 3 days a week. DS still nurses at home every 2-3 hours and there is NO way I can leave the floor to pump that frequently. I end up pumping 4x a day (sometimes just 2-3x) and get exactly what I need.

On the days I work, I am up at 4:40 and pump a good 11-12oz total at this time. I am out the door at 6:20.

I try and pump again between 10-11. Another session around 2 during lunch. And pump again around 5-6pm. I get off work at 7:30pm. DS will nurse 1-2x once I am home.

With these 4 sessions I often get the exact 32oz I need for bottles for my next work day. I work LONG days so this is what works for us!

true_norskie · August 2010

It really depends upon your output at those two sessions. With DD1 I started out pumping before work and then twice (roughly 10 and 2) at work. I had oversupply in the first few months and wound up with a ton of extra milk so I dropped that before work pump pretty quickly.

Like the pp said, you'll get into a rhythm and get it figured out.

I went back to work full time both times when the girls were 12 weeks old and pumped enough to get them through their first year between BFing and EBM. It can be done! But it isn't the end of the world if it doesn't work. It is hard, time-consuming and very demanding. Set those short-term goals for yourself--I started with "make it until she's 4 months" then it was "6 months."

And truthfully, after the 6 month mark the rest of the year was pretty easy as they started taking more and more solids and after about 10 months we started giving a little whole milk here and there when they needed a little extra while at daycare (per their pedi).

azuremama · August 2010

I always had to pump 3x a day (for an 8-9 hour work day) to keep my supply up and get enough for DS to eat. I posted this on the thread about pumping below, but I always had good luck with my first session being as soon as I got to work. Even if I'd nursed not too long before, it was still my most productive session, and I found it easier to fit in before things got busy at work. I am lucky in that I have my own office and could just shut the door then check email and do other things to get ready for the day.