- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
D.C. Area Babies
Am I ready? work pumping question
I have my PISA bag packed for tomorrow - I have big bottles to pump into (I have occasionally overflowed the 5 oz bottles and never regain the momentum when I switch bottles), smaller bottles for storage and bags just in case. Extra breast pads. Breast pump wipes. Hands free bra. Cooler bag and I need to take the cooler piece out of the freezer in the AM, although I have a fridge in the lactation room, so maybe it's not vital. Am I missing anything?
I will be at work from about 8-4 and am planning to pump at about 9, 12 and 3 and then nurse when I get home at about 4:45 or 5. I will probably nurse LO at 4 am (his usual wake-up time) and then at about 6:30 or 7 (his usual second wake-up time). I will leave for work at about 7:15 or 7:30 depending on nursing time.
During maternity leave I have been feeding from one side at 4 am, the other side at 6-7 am and then pump both sides sometime between 9 and 11, so that should work for now.
I'm just a little nervous! This is when we need the working mom checklist equivalent of lauracg's wedding planning checklist.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Am I ready? work pumping question
You sound really prepared, the only thing I would add is a book or magazine to read and a picture of LO if you have trouble with let down.
BTW 5 ounces from each side - I am jealous. The only time that ever happens for me is when I am over engorged. Usually I am luck to have 3-4 ounces per side in the morning and 2 ounces per side in the afternoon...
I was going to bring in my iphone - reading material and pictures of LO in one place!
I occasionally get 6 or 7 oz from the left side in the morning, though usually around 4 or 5 , but I max out at 3 or maybe 4 on the right side. I think LO nurses on the left side more often since that's the way that's easier to hold him and get things done with my right hand. I've also only ever pumped once a day, unless LO has gotten a bottle and then later in the day it's more like 3 and 2. I hope I can keep it up. I've bought brewer's yeast, flaxseed meal, oatmeal and mother's milk tea, and will be whipping up a batch of lactation cookies at some point!
Your schedule sounds exactly like mine the first few months.
Sounds like you've got everything you need. Just try to relax and don't get distracted/stressed during pumping. Put it on your calendar so people don't try to schedule meetings during your scheduled times. For some people it helps to have a picture of their LO to look at while pumping - otherwise, it was always a good time for me to read magazines or baby books.
TTC #2: BFP 12/17/11, m/c 1/7/12 and D&C 1/12/12
baby blog/cooking blog
I agree with pps, you sound very prepared, so I am sure you will be fine.
I don't know what you do or what your work day is like, but I found that doing 3 pumping sessions a day was pretty impossible (just too distruptive) and I ultimately did a 2 session schedule during the work day (at 10 and 2:30/3) and then pumped again at home before going to bed. If you can do 3 sessions at work, kudos to you, but just know that you can make adjustments if need be and your body will adjust.
I'll ditto what tom&court said about scheduling your pumping sessions on your Outlook calendar. I've had to miss some sessions due to meetings, but most of the time people schedule around my blocked times. It works well.
Good luck tomorrow!
I would maybe pump earlier, b/c pumping at 3pm and then nursing at 5:30pm might be cutting it too close. I know I get less and less milk as the day goes on and need a longer period b/w my last pumping session and pre-bed nursing.
you'll do great!
I think of pumping as forced relaxation
I have a very similar nursing schedule.
It sounds like you are very prepared.
A cooler will be useful for when you bring your milk home. It's supposed to be in the 80s tomorrow. Good luck!
Off to the beach
DS 7/18/2010
Handy 2.0 Due Early August
2011/2012 Races
12/17/2011 Christmas Caper 10K
2/11/2012 Have a Heart 5K
3/17/2012 DC RNR Half Marathon
4/22/2012 10M Parkway Classic
10/28/2012 Marine Corps Marathon
i didn't read through all the responses, so maybe someone already suggested this...i'd bring a couple receiving blankets to lay in your lap to avoid spills on your clothing.
G/L!
I used dark colored towels because I usually had dark colored pants on.
Thanks for the suggestions! The first pumping session went ok - I ended up taking longer than I planned because another new mom came in the room and we ended up chatting. It's nice to have the break, though. I have the sessions on my calendar and have told my boss and team that I'll be pumping those times so they know not to look for me.
He didn't want to nurse for very long when he woke up at 6 this morning (during maternity leave we would snuggle in bed and he'd just snack on and off for an hour) so I had to pump from that side before I left to relieve the pressure. So he had freshly pumped milk for his first bottle feeding of the day.