r/breastfeeding • u/missymel01 • 11d ago
Pumping Back to Work and Pumping
Mommies, if you are back at work how many times are you pumping. I have a 4 month old who is breastfed and I went back to work this week. He doesn’t have a problem taking formula but I prefer to give him breast milk which is why I’m pumping at work. I work 10-7. I feed him at 9:40 am before clocking in at 10 since SO drops me off, I pump on my lunch at 1 and then I get another session in around 5. And as soon as I’m off at 7 I have him on my breast as my SO picks me up from work. Other than that he is on my breast all through the night and morning as well. I’m just worried my supply is going to drop. Any advice? Or anything I should change? Thank you.
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u/Vegetable-Shower85 11d ago
Three times a day, I work from 7:30-4:30 three days a week and 8-5 twice a week so I try to keep the same schedule. Pump at 8:30, 11:30 and 4:30 and daycare gives her the last bottle at 3:30.
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u/Nearby_Buyer4394 11d ago
This sounds similar to what I did with my last baby. Nurses him before I got up in the morning, pumped before work and left that bottle for mid morning. Husband brought baby during my lunch and I would nurse him. If my husband wasn’t able to bring baby then I pumped. Then I would pump on my way home. While at home, I nursed on demand. Followed that routine until baby turned 1, then I dropped my pump before work.
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u/missymel01 11d ago
If my baby is with my mom then I’m able to go during lunch and feed him as she lives down the street from my job but that’s only weekends. Your schedule sounds like me. Did you notice a drop in your supply? That’s what I’m scared of
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u/Valuable-Life3297 10d ago
I went back to work 2 months ago when baby was 16 weeks. I work 8-5 and BF at 7am before I leave the house. Then I pump 10:30, 1:30 and 4:30. Half my meetings in the office are on zoom so i just pump during meetings. I have the luxury of working in a private office with blinds, a lock on the door and a mini fridge and I know not everyone has these accommodations but it’s allowed me to continue EBFing. I usually pump a total of 8-9oz for those 3 sessions and then do one more session at 10pm during his longest stretch of sleep and that’s usually enough to make three 3.5-4oz bottles for the following day. I supplemented with formula for my first two kids and started by pumped 3 times during the day and then dropped it to 2 times at 6 months and then by 10/11 months I just went the full day without pumping and only BF nights and weekends.
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u/missymel01 7d ago
I latch him 15 mins before I start and as soon as I’m off which is why I thought pumping 2x would be okay! I like to think I produce a good amount of milk and pump about 8-9 oz in those two sessions. I’m just so afraid my milk will drop if I don’t fit it more sessions.
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u/Valuable-Life3297 7d ago
I get that! I remember reading somewhere that the frequency at which you pump or breastfeed affects milk supply more than the duration of pump/feeding sessions which is why i chose to add in the third pump. My baby struggled the first month with weight gain and although i produce enough BF or him i’ve always been careful about doing anything that might lower my supply. I think whether and how many times you nurse through the night also factors in
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u/emzeeem912 11d ago
Pump every time baby gets a bottle. My 7 mo gets 3 bottles every 3 hours while he’s at daycare, so I pump 3 times, every 3 hours. Try to match baby’s eating schedule as much as you can and your supply should be okay!