EPs...how much do you pump in a day around 2w PP?

damabo80 · June 2011

I'm playing around with my pumping schedule to see if I can get more sleep (when people hear that LO is in the NICU, the standard response is "oh, enjoy your sleep while you can...har har!", but getting up during the night a few times to pump isn't adding to my restfulness here). The LC I met with on Monday (who can't provide a direct answer to anything if her life depended on it) pretty much told me that if my supply goes down after eliminating some night pumpings, then to add them back in again.

But, this lends the question, what can my supply go down to, to where it will still adjust to her feedings once she comes home?

The NICU told me that they have so much of my milk frozen there, so I shouldn't bring in anymore milk, and instead keep it at home. It's been a few days, and my freezer looks like BM central. I was getting about 25-30oz/day before cutting down on the pumpings. Since decreasing the night pumpings, I'm getting around 20oz/day. Does this mean my supply is dwindling and I should add more pumpings in?

My main concern isn't feeding her now (like I said, I have enough frozen BM to last until Judgement Day, here), or squireling away a "stash". My primary goal is to just pump enough now so that when I bring LO home in about a month, there will be enough milk being produced for her, and my breasts can still adjust to her feed on demand schedule.

LO is 2.5w old, but since she's in the NICU, she can only take 1oz (max) at a time right now.

katie4253 · June 2011

I'm pumping around 20oz too (sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less, I don't measure output because I am obsessive and am positive if I was tracking every drop I'd have a drop in supply due to sress). I really try to hit 8 pumps a day, but I too have been messing with a schedule. Yesterday I hit 7.

Are you doing a sleep stretch? I actually noticed my supply went up when I was sleeping a little more. The past 2 mornings my session after my longer sleep in the am has been 120ml (4oz). I'd never gotten that much before. So, I can only assume it is the sleep (oh and I do pump for 30 mins instead of 15-20 when I sleep longer. It takes more time to drain my boob).

WaitingforGrace · June 2011

I had a less than stellar LC at my NICU too. She told me to sleep all night, but every bit of research said I needed to pump every time LOs would be eating. With that said, I did skip the 2am pump to get a 6 hour stretch of sleep (needed for my sanity) and only pumped 7 times a day. My supply was not affected by this though. I also knew that with twins breastfeeding exclusively wasn't something I wanted to attempt so bottle feeding the 2am wouldn't have broken my heart. I've ended up EPing and it has worked out ok.

Supply is really periolous for the first 8 weeks. I wouldn't do anything drastic at all in that period including dropping any pumps. Keep in mind that a normal 1 month old will drink 25-35 ounces so if you aren't getting that much at 3 weeks I'd do everything I could to maintain/keep my supply.

It's super hard to pump for a NICU baby so I give you credit for wanting to tackle this head on! Keep up the good work!

ETA: At 2 weeks I was pumping around 28-30 ounces. At the height of my supply at 8 weeks I was pumping around 40 ounces. After going back to work and dropping some more sanity pumps I'm at about 32-36 ounces.

schenkertobe · June 2011

I EPed while my LO was in the NICU, and I too was pumping tons. I was up to pumping about 1oz/per boob/per hour. I stuck with pumping 7x a day, even if I had more milk that I would ever use to ensure that my supply was well established. I then cut back to pumping much less frequently, which only minimally affected my supply. Since you are only 2.5weeks pp, your supply is still getting established. If you are now pumping 20 oz a day, I'd be concerned that you might not make enough to feed your LO when she is home. I would stick with the night time pumpings, as much as it is a PITA. I would aim for pumping 25-35oz a day, since that is likely what your LO will be eating when she is home. Once your supply is well established you can cut back. Hang in there!

BeetleLinz1125 · June 2011

katie4253:

Are you doing a sleep stretch? I actually noticed my supply went up when I was sleeping a little more.

This exactly. When I don't get enough sleep my supply suffers drastically. I can normally get enough for 3 feedings in my morning pump (one boob produces 4 oz, one produces 8-9 oz, so 2 feedings), but this morning I only got 2. I am so tired and have had about 5 hours of sleep instead of my usual 7-8.

I would say that you will be OK to take out a few feedings since your LO can only take an ounce, and you will be building up a nice stash until LO comes home. You should be able to adjust your output once LO is nursing regularly.

I had a crazy oversupply at 2.5 weeks, which I wish would have never ended. I got mastitis and had to use up all my supply and now I am just pumping enough for about a day and a half. It really sucks.

JDoe11111 · June 2011

From 1-5 months my kiddo ate over 40 oz a day average. Luckily I was producing even more than that, but I wouldnt have felt at all comfortable only producing 20 oz. Since you are setting up your system now, and it is easier to cut down that to get supply back, I'd suggest you pump a little more still - freezer stashes go fast if you actually have to use them.

I did the every 3 hours around the clock for one month, and then dropped the 3am session to have one 6 hour break. I had no drop in supply. at 2 months I dropped to every 4 hours with no middle of the night session, at 3 1/2 months every 6 hours, and now every 8 hours. My huge freezer stash gave me the confidence to drop sessions and regain my sanity. Setting goals a month at a time was helpful.

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EPs...how much do you pump in a day around 2w PP?

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