Poll: Pumping At Work!

[dawnfire]

I'm debating if I should still bother to pump at work.  I only pump like 1 ounce and it's depressing.  For those of you still nursing, give me some dataz!

ETA: words are hard.

[dawnfire]

Mar 25, 2015 16:45:06 GMT -5 @zerozeroone said:

Pumping twice a day at work but my output is getting steadily worse. I'm hoping to make it to a year but I don't know if that's going to happen. If it does I will probably start weaning from the pump at 11 months to be pump free at a year. I can't wait.

Yeah, my goal was to nurse for a year, but that's not going to happen.  I'm so on the fence about if continuing to pump at work is worth it.  The only pro (aside from getting an additional trickle of milk for LO) is that it's been a great time for me to relax and read!

[honeybee434]

I still pump twice a day at work. My supply has dropped but thankfully between DD not drinking a ton of milk and a large freezer stash I'm rotating through, it hasn't been an issue.

I think I can keep this up for another month and a half to two months and then go down to once a day until she hits 12 months and then just nurse her at home assuming I don't dry up from the change.

I hate pumping, but it's worth it to me. And knowing I have 3 months left is a huge motivator. As long as I can get about 6 ounces a day at work I'm good due to the freezer stash (i usually pump about 9-10 and DD eats 8-12 a day)

[kam3100]

I'm crazy with pumping, I still pump 3 times a day and I get 6 ounces, which is exactly enough. I'm hoping to nurse long term and I have an extremely breastfeeding friendly job so the three sessions is probably the only reason I haven't had a major supply issue. I'm only guessing. The only reason I keep up to date on these threads is because of all the pumping.

[jnnfrrose6]

It won't let me vote! I'm pumping once a day, but only dropped my second session a couple weeks ago and I still go and nurse at lunch.

[surfmama106]

I'm pumping 2x at work and 1x in the morning after she nurses. I use to get 13oz (she takes 12 a day at DC) but ever since this last AF It's dropped to 9oz a day so I'm working a deficit. I have 18 6oz bags in the freezer so I'm constantly paranoid about my supply. I swear I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself when I don't have to worry about how much milk I'm producing. I haven't been drinking nearly as much water as I should be so I'm hoping that by making a conscience effort to drink more water it will save my supply and I'll make it until the summer. The plan is to keep pumping until school ends and they wean over the summer.

[dawnfire]

Thanks for all the input, ladies. It's good to see where everyone is--and that some of us are in very different stages. Those of you who can still pump 6oz+ a day--rock on with your bad lactating selves!

I'm going to play it by ear, but I think I may try to stop pumping at work next week. I know I'm going to have Mommy Guilt at first, but now he's taking 100% formula bottles once a day at daycare and that's going well. I can't imagine how much free time I'll have when I don't have to pack his "lunch" each day and do all the extra washing of pump-related things!

[liziz]

I pump 3 times still and get 8.5-11 oz (which is what she takes most days)

Holding on to my supply for dear life, but it's been a bit easier since she started on solids.

[ladytiffany24]

I'm still doing 3 sessions. I'm terrified of bumping down to 2. Because with my 3 sessions, I usually get about 12 oz which is exactly what she takes at the sitter. And also, I barely have a freezer stash so most times, if I don't pump enough, I supplement with formula.

At the same time, I don't want to continue to be a slave to my pump.

I'm thinking at 9 1/2-10 months, I'll drop a pumping session. Any advice on dropping a session? How badly will it affect my supply? I've set BFing goals for myself all along...first it was 3 months, then 6 months, then 9 months, which I'm about to hit. So now, it's 12 months. Will I be okay dropping a session? Thoughts?

[jessafishy]

dawnfire What kind of pump do you use? Have you tried any tricks for increasing supply?

I'm so ready to divorce the pump, too.

[jessafishy]

Oh, and I'm pumping twice a day at work and I still nurse him on my lunch hour. I get anywhere from 10-14oz a day. DS still isn't great about eating solids either so he still takes 11-13oz a day in bottles in addition to nursing at lunch.

[rlb]

Mar 25, 2015 17:12:56 GMT -5 dawnfire said:

Mar 25, 2015 16:45:06 GMT -5 @zerozeroone said:

Pumping twice a day at work but my output is getting steadily worse. I'm hoping to make it to a year but I don't know if that's going to happen. If it does I will probably start weaning from the pump at 11 months to be pump free at a year. I can't wait.

Yeah, my goal was to nurse for a year, but that's not going to happen.  I'm so on the fence about if continuing to pump at work is worth it.  The only pro (aside from getting an additional trickle of milk for LO) is that it's been a great time for me to relax and read!

I'm with you, sister.  I'm lucky if I get 2 oz, and I'm only pumping about 2x daily (1x at work) and only nursing in the AM and occasionally at night.  I had to start supplementing at 6 months, and her formula intake has gradually increased.  I toy with stopping altogether, but I'm still in the mindframe that as long as she is getting some she is getting the benefits.  She's been able to have 1-2 bottles a day of straight BM, but I'm currently away from her for 3 days and no freezer stash, so she'll be on straight formula for the duration.  I thought maybe I'd try to dry out while I'm here, but still can't bring myself to do it.  

Edit: now I have to try and fly back with BM, too.  I have it in bags and am going to freeze them and have freezer packs for traveling.  ursula @iheartmyshiba - have you flown with BM?  Any issues I should be prepared for?  I checked the TSA info and they said it should be fine, I just need to make them aware of it (I prefer to carry-on due to potential damage).

[bullybutt]

I just got through pumping. I pump at 10:00 and 2:00 every day at work. I am getting anywhere from 4-5.5oz during those sessions. I had a slight dip in supply a couple weeks ago but I'm back to full force again. I will stop pumping at a year because my work mandates that. I will finish off my stash and then start her on whole milk at daycare and still nurse on demand at home.

ladytiffany24, I am pumping out the same exact amount in 2 sessions that I was in 3. It was actually a relief to drop that lunch session because it was making me so paranoid that I was only pumping 3-4 oz at a time. My supply wasn't effected by cutting out that lunch session. I think you would be okay to drop that middle one.

[honeybee434]

ladytiffany24 I'm the same as bullybutt and get the same from 2 sessions that I got from 3 as far as work pumping goes. I started with 3 when I first came back and then shifted to 2 sessions 4 hours apart and it was enough.

[dawnfire]

jessafishy, I have a Medela PISA which has been pretty great, overall. My supply first started tanking when I had my first postpartum period (December). Before that, I was producing like a grand champion dairy cow...22 oz a day! I used to pump 3x a day at work, but when that started to barely net 3 oz I cut back to 2 and then to 1.

At this stage, I'm just hoping to keep a supply for evening and morning nursing sessions. We'll see how it goes. It is sort of liberating to not have to plan when I can pump at work, though!

[ursula]

rlb I've flown a lot of time with breastmilk, it's never really been a problem. TSA is cool with it.

[rlb]

Mar 27, 2015 16:47:13 GMT -5 ursula said:

rlb I've flown a lot of time with breastmilk, it's never really been a problem. TSA is cool with it.

Right on.  Thanks!

[ursula]

Mar 27, 2015 19:55:33 GMT -5 rlb said:

Mar 27, 2015 16:47:13 GMT -5 ursula said:

rlb I've flown a lot of time with breastmilk, it's never really been a problem. TSA is cool with it.

Right on.  Thanks!

I've had them ask me once or twice where the baby was. Seems like a legitimate question to me, lol. 

[rlb]

Mar 28, 2015 6:46:51 GMT -5 ursula said:

Mar 27, 2015 19:55:33 GMT -5 rlb said:

Right on.  Thanks!

I've had them ask me once or twice where the baby was. Seems like a legitimate question to me, lol. 

I'll let them know she's in my checked luggage, because no one wants to hear crying in the cabin, der.

[kelpsu]

I pump twice at work and once on the drive into work which makes me paranoid that if I get in an awful accident I'll be unconscious with the pump still going and the EMTs either freaked out or laughing when they find me. Morbid mommy thoughts!

[dawnfire]

Mar 29, 2015 4:57:45 GMT -5 kelpsu said:

I pump twice at work and once on the drive into work which makes me paranoid that if I get in an awful accident I'll be unconscious with the pump still going and the EMTs either freaked out or laughing when they find me. Morbid mommy thoughts!

The mental image of that is kind of hilarious.  And here I thought it was just important to have clean underwear on in case you get in an accident!

But really, don't get in an accident.

[Lola]

Mar 30, 2015 15:35:54 GMT -5 dawnfire said:

Mar 29, 2015 4:57:45 GMT -5 kelpsu said:

I pump twice at work and once on the drive into work which makes me paranoid that if I get in an awful accident I'll be unconscious with the pump still going and the EMTs either freaked out or laughing when they find me. Morbid mommy thoughts!

The mental image of that is kind of hilarious.  And here I thought it was just important to have clean underwear on in case you get in an accident!

But really, don't get in an accident.

I used to think the same thing when I would pump and drive! I asked my DH who is firefighter. He has never been on an accident call when a woman was pumping. However he has seen lots of crazy underwear! 

[kam3100]

I just ate a lactation cookie that I bought at sprouts hoping that it will up my pumping. I ate it for breakfast. I also have a division meeting today and have to delay my pumping for about two hours. I hope the cookie works but I also hope it doesn't work so well that my meeting will be uncomfortable haha

[kelpsu]

Mar 31, 2015 8:05:07 GMT -5 Lola said:

Mar 30, 2015 15:35:54 GMT -5 dawnfire said:

The mental image of that is kind of hilarious.  And here I thought it was just important to have clean underwear on in case you get in an accident!

But really, don't get in an accident.

I used to think the same thing when I would pump and drive! I asked my DH who is firefighter. He has never been on an accident call when a woman was pumping. However he has seen lots of crazy underwear! 

I probably drive better when I'm pumping because I'm hyper vigilant due to the possibility of impending mortification that I mentioned earlier.
Now I'm going to be conscious of my underwear decisions too!