EP'ers.. What is your pumping schedule like?

lakreuz · February 2013

Considering going to EP, DS (4wks) eats better from bottle, and I have to go back to work shortly. What's your pumping schedule? Do you pump throughout the night? Every 3 hrs? Advice please! TIA!

Itsjustlaur · February 2013

I pump every four because I would have no time to do anything else if I did more than that . My DD is also formula fed, so she gets both.

lakreuz · February 2013

So do you pump til empty or for a specific amount of time? Both breast each pump session and one during feeding? I swear this BF' ing thing is confusing to me.... I'm hoping doing both will regulate my supply. Thank you

Mrs&Dr2b · February 2013

I pump first thing when i wake up. I pump until I fill 2 ten oz bottles (in fact I'm pumping right now ). Then I pump when I get to work about 3 hours later. And 1-2 more time while at work (I generally pump about 15-20 oz at work. Then I either pump or nurse DS when I get home and pump one more time before bed for another 7-15 oz. In the morning and night I pump till empty. At work I pump for 15-20 minute increments

Diver10 · February 2013

my LO is 8 weeks (almost 9) and I pump every 4 hours during the day and then if I get up at night, I'll pump then. Otherwise, I just pump in the morning when we wake up. I pump until empty on both sides, which usually takes me about 15-20 minutes per breast unless I help squeeze the milk out. I think this has helped keep my supply up even though I'm going 6-8 hours at night without pumping or BFing. My LO does HORRIBLY at the breast... she is lazy and will only take the foremilk and then screams and wont latch again and wont calm down until she gets a bottle.

julieteve · February 2013

MrsDr2b:
I pump first thing when i wake up. I pump until I fill 2 ten oz bottles in fact I'm pumping right now . Then I pump when I get to work about 3 hours later. And 12 nbsp;more time while at work I generally pump about 1520 oz at work. Then I either pump or nurse DS when I get home and pump one more time before bed for another 715 oz. In the morning and night I pump till empty. At work I pump for 1520 minute increments

This seriously depresses me. Awesome for you but it really makes me sad how I struggle to get milk out when I pump. Third kid and I still can't get enough milk from pumping or I can only get just enough.

I breastfeed DD and she is doing great, but I'm back to work now. She is drinking a 3 ounce bottle every 2 hours at daycare when she is with me she bfs about this often too. At work the last couple of days I pumped every two hours and only got SEVEN ounces total all day long!! This makes me want to cry. DD is only 8 weeks and I can't go on like this or we will run out of our freezer stash and DD won't have breastmilk for daycare.

Itsjustlaur · February 2013

I pump throughout the night using a Medela Pump in Style Advanced with a hands free bustier, so I can do both sides at once.

I usually pump 1:00pm, 5:00, 9;00, 2:00am, 5:00, 9:00. I set an alarm on my ipad for each time, but I sometimes sleep through the 2am one, so I have to squeeze another session in throughout the day to make sure I get at least six. If I can do more, I try, but sometimes six is all I get.

I do notice that the Symphony from the hospital is better for keeping up supply, but I can't lug that around town with me .

babygirlva2013 · February 2013

I pump pretty much whenever I can. It's usually between every 3-5 hours honestly depending on DD. she's not the best napper so it's hard. Sometimes she will lay next to me on a blanket. I do pump during the night when she wakes up for her feeding. I pump for 20-30 minutes at a time. I do the best that I can and for the moment I can keep up with her.

GigiFairy · February 2013

I pump every 3 hours while I feed her a bottle (using my handsfree bra) and I sit her on the boppy. When DH is home he'll feed her a bottle and I can get on the computer or watch some TV while I pump. Some days (when I go out) I have gone 4 or even 5 hours without pumping and I have to power pump a couple sessions the next day so that my supply doesn't go down. Oh and she sleeps 6 hours a night at least, so I don't pump at night. So far it's been OK.

We usually have to supplement with 1 bottle of formula per day. Some days if she's extra hungry 2 bottles; but I won't shoot myself on the head for that. I just hope once I go back to work, I can maintain the schedule.

Putting the pump parts in the refrigerator in between pumping sessions and washing only once a day has been a lifesaver.

workerbee82 · February 2013

julieteve:
MrsDr2b:
I pump first thing when i wake up. I pump until I fill 2 ten oz bottles in fact I'm pumping right now . Then I pump when I get to work about 3 hours later. And 12 nbsp;more time while at work I generally pump about 1520 oz at work. Then I either pump or nurse DS when I get home and pump one more time before bed for another 715 oz. In the morning and night I pump till empty. At work I pump for 1520 minute increments
This seriously depresses me. Awesome for you but it really makes me sad how I struggle to get milk out when I pump. Third kid and I still can't get enough milk from pumping or I can only get just enough. I breastfeed DD and she is doing great, but I'm back to work now. She is drinking a 3 ounce bottle every 2 hours at daycare when she is with me she bfs about this often too. At work the last couple of days I pumped every two hours and only got SEVEN ounces total all day long!! This makes me want to cry. DD is only 8 weeks and I can't go on like this or we will run out of our freezer stash and DD won't have breastmilk for daycare.

Julieteve: i do almost exactly the same schedule and have same output as MrsDr2b except i pump a little longer during the day (20-25 min) but I'm still not making enough as I am feeding 2 babies...we have to supplement too. Don't feel bad about it. Whatever they are getting from you helps. Hang in there!

workerbee82 · February 2013

GigiFairy:
Putting the pump parts in the refrigerator in between pumping sessions and washing only once a day has been a lifesaver.

This, too. At first we were washing AND sterilizing all this stuff per hospital procedure.

meya1955 · February 2013

I have a 4 months old baby boy. I struggled when he was going thru his early growth spurts. I couldn't pump an ounce and I had to supplement him at least a bottle. Starting at 2 1/2 month, he got better at eating every 2-3 hours instead of every hour. STILL, I couldn't pump during the day to catch up with his feeding, but I was no longer supplementing him (unless we were out). I am now only able to pump at night when he's asleep. And even then, I can only pump once. I pump about 4 oz per breast.

Everyone is different. Do the best you can. I used to 'hate' that I couldn't pump and store. Now, I get 8 oz in the freezer per night.

BLPL101 · February 2013

I pump 7 x a day. Once right before bed (around 11 pm) once in the middle of the night (around 3 am) and then when I get up (around 8 am). During the day I pump every 2 1/2-3 hours. I make about twice the amount that LO drinks so I have a huge freezer stash!

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