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October 2015 Moms
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Pumping at work - supply question

altow1310altow1310 member
in October 2015 Moms
What will happen to my supply as a result of pumping at work? Today is my first day back, and I'm worried the pump won't be as efficient as LO at getting milk and, as a result, my supply will suffer. LO seems to be eating approximately 5 oz per feeding (still sorting this out though as part of my return), and when I pumped this morning I only got 5 oz TOTAL from both breasts. I was hoping to get close to five from each. I drank a ton of water after my morning pump, so hopefully that will help with the next time. I am pumping again now, so we will see! Has anyone had any issues with supply as a result of returning to work and pumping? I am only in the office three days a week. The other two I work from home.
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Re: Pumping at work - supply question

  • vamomtobevamomtobe member
    Some tips that will hopefully help - pump as often as you would be nursing (every 3 hours or so) if possible.  Do you have multiple let-downs when you pump?  If you're stopping after the first let-down, try for a second by switching back to the let-down mode on your pump.  Sometimes I have to go through two cycles of the let-down mode to get more milk.  It helps if I watch videos of LO on my phone.  I don't think most moms can pump twice the amount LO normally has per feeding in one session, so don't be discouraged about that!  
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  • janeedemjaneedem member
    I'm not able to get nearly enough milk by pumping as compared to feeding him directly. However, watching videos of him helps me produce much more.
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  • sarapagansarapagan member
    My schedule with my 10 week old is I feed her in the morning before I leave at 7am. I leave two 3 oz bottles (defrosted from frozen) with my husband or MIL (depending on the day) and she eats those at 10-10:30 and 1-1:30 (also depending on her napping that day---my policy is DO NOT WAKE HER--feed when she wakes up on her own!) I pump twice at work--at 9am and noon. I usually pump about 6 ounces total per session. So I'm going home with 12 ounces of pumped milk to freeze. Then when I get home around 3:30 I feed her again. Then she typically cluster feeds from around 6-9pm until she goes down for the night. I nurse on demand in the evenings! Not sure if this helps, but I feel like its the routine I've been in since I went back to work a month ago. I also chug water all day, eat oatmeal for breakfast lactation cookies for snacks :wink: 
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  • plumpousplumpous member
    I started work yesterday. From each pumping session I get 2 or 2.5 oz. So to make 1 bottle, I have to do 2 sessions. I feel like something is wrong with me.
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  • smnewbysmnewby member
    Do you massage & compress when pumping? That always boosts my output.
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  • MrsM2015MrsM2015 member
    I started back to work on Monday. I read that you should leave 1 to 1.5 oz for every hour that you are gone. I'm gone 10 hours and leave 15 oz. I pump every 3 hours. I usually leave work with about 15oz after pumping 3 times. The most I've left with was 17 oz. I usually get 5oz from both breasts at each session.
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  • Stephanieshort2Stephanieshort2 member
    plumpous said:

    I started work yesterday. From each pumping session I get 2 or 2.5 oz. So to make 1 bottle, I have to do 2 sessions. I feel like something is wrong with me.

    Nothing is wrong with you! I went through the same thing. I recently rented a hospital grade pump from Babies R Us and it has done wonders! I've had it a week and I'm already pumping 7 oz per session.
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  • CDA71089CDA71089 member
    Baby only needs 1 - 1 .25 oz for every hour since last feed. So if baby eats every three hours he/she only needs 3.75 oz AT MOST! This amount will never change, as your milk composition changes to fit babies needs. No one could keep up with 5oz every 3 hours. Look into pace feeding a bottle, its more natural for baby AND it stops bottle preference.
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  • kaza512kaza512 member
    @CDA71089 that isn't completely true. If you have a really great sleeper, they may eat more than the ounce per hour to compensate for all of the hours they slept. I am dealing with this now as my daughter has just started to sleep for 12 straight hours. She still eats the same amount in the day (28-30 oz of pumped breastmilk, I exclusively pump due to latch issues) but will devour it during the day. I feel like I am feeding her ALL.DAY. LONG. During her awake time, she will eat 5 oz again after 1.5 hours.
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  • danniellemichelledanniellemichelle member
    edited January 2016
    @kaza512 same here ... My daughter sleeps for 12 hours and naps four times during the day. She eats about 35oz give or take and will easily eat 5oz and eat five more an hour and a half after that. She can eat 7 or 8 ounces over the span of an hour and a half easily. She's 13 weeks and weighs 16.5 lbs (I exclusively pump as well and pump about 45-50oz a day)
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  • CDA71089CDA71089 member
    A baby needs between 25-30 oz of breastmilk a day, that amount will never change. If a baby sleeps through the night then they will definitely eat more often during the day. Most day care providers don't pace feed which can lead to a bottle preference/ stretched belly. The OP was asking about supply issues when she probably doesn't have an issue at all, so 1-1.25 oz per hour is more realistic a goal for her than 5oz per feed.
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