pumping less than feeds?

[maidelyn]

I may be going back to work three days a week and was hoping to get away with pumping just once a day. Currently he feeds early in the morning then mid morning, mid afternoon and evening plus an occasional night feed. Is pumping once realistic?

 

[Julesillini8]

Wheni went back to work after my first child,I pumped at the same time my daughter would feed,so equal times. I collected less ounces than what she ate though, so I had to pump one other extra time at night before I went to bed to collect a few more ounces to even the stockpile out for the next time. So for me I actually pumped one more time than the number of feeds I missed.... I don't know it may vary woman to woman. In my opinion, I would recommend more than just once though,if you can....... If you only get one break during your day or something, then maybe pump right before you start and when you finish to keep supply up? Best of luck!

 

[scoobydrlp]

I agree, you will likely end up with a supply issue if you only pump once. It has always been my intention to pump as many times as LO is feeding (when she was younger that was 3 times, now tends to be 2), however I don't always have time at work so some days I do better than others. I also always pump at home after her morning feed because I have excess early in the morning.

 

[maidelyn]

With him being th hat bit older I was hoping it wouldn't be as much as an issue. ..

 

[Julesillini8]

It may not be an issue for you, but I nursed a year and if I missed pumping as many times as I should've for more than one or two days i could tell in the feedings that it effected my supply, even with the older baby. It may be different for you, I have no idea. My input is just what I did and it was what I needed to do for me. I worked in a physical therapy clinic ( I'm in the US, I forget what you call it in th UK) so sometimes my patients ran over and such wherei would skip a pumping session. It wasnt the end of the world, but like I said, I did extra pumping at night to try to keep the supply going and to keep collecting the ounces that I should've to keep the balance for the times when I wasn't at work and was at home nursing ( I worked part time, three days a week)

 

[seaweed eater]

I don't think it is realistic. If you're replacing 4 feeds out of 5, and he's eating some solids, you would probably have to pump around 16-20 oz give or take. Even if you can somehow contain 16 oz (which seems unlikely), I don't think there's any way you could continue to produce that much for emptying your breasts just once. You'd be lucky to get about half that much from one pumping session over the long term. Sorry