9/14 Mommy Milk Monday

[junebugjam]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this question, but figured I'd start here and move elsewhere if needed.

I'm a teacher and I've been pumping twice a day (lunch and prep) but I'm feeling very overwhelmed by my job and how much time I'm losing to the pump, because then I have to do the work at night or on weekends.

So I think I want to drop a pump and supplement if needed. Here are my questions if anyone else has started this process.

First, is it possible that after 7 months of EBF I can drop a pump and still get similar output (not lose supply I guess)? I'm thinking I won't pump during lunch so I can eat like a human, but then still pump at prep at the end of the day. If I get enough, great. If not then I will supplement a bottle or two a day.

My real concern is when we are together, like weekends. I should still be able to feed him mornings & evenings, and he's been pretty good about STTN but I'd like to still nurse if we wakes up. That shouldn't be an issue, right? And then I can just choose a bottle or 2 to supplement on a weekend if needed, right?

I'm more disappointed about this than I thought I'd be, but I think I need to for my sanity.

Thanks for any advice.

[seamonster]

I don't know if you could get the same amount with one session as with two. Could you drop it one day and see how it goes?

I try to get four sessions in if I can, three on a busy day, and two if I can't get away from meetings or other work. If I do two sessions I can only get a little more than half of what I get with four. I end up needing to power pump to deal with the engorgment and get the milk out. I usually can eek out enough with 3 sessions, but it's stressful. But he's ok on the weekend. I take fenugreek all week long and drink nursing tea and eat oatmeal to keep up my supply.

[junebugjam]

Sept 17, 2015 15:22:18 GMT -5 seamonster said:

I don't know if you could get the same amount with one session as with two. Could you drop it one day and see how it goes?

I try to get four sessions in if I can, three on a busy day, and two if I can't get away from meetings or other work. If I do two sessions I can only get a little more than half of what I get with four. I end up needing to power pump to deal with the engorgment and get the milk out. I usually can eek out enough with 3 sessions, but it's stressful. But he's ok on the weekend. I take fenugreek all week long and drink nursing tea and eat oatmeal to keep up my supply.

Well I do 2 at work, but also one before bed and one in the morning to get the oz I need for daycare. I don't mind supplementing, I just want to get an idea of what the process is I guess.

[seamonster]

Then I'd drop one session for a few days and see how things go. I know what you mean about wanting to eat lunch like a normal person. I get tired of hiding in the pump room

[lilyelayne]

junebugjam the older our babies get (the more established our supply) the more likely you'd be able to work without pumping & not routinely in the MOTN but still have milk for morning/evening/weekend nursing, which is often how BF past 1 year old looks, but it's hard to know til you try. I think seamonster's suggestion to drop a pump at work is a good one. If that doesn't work, maybe a quick manual pump instead of a full pumping session?