Pumping Schedule for Going Back to Work

You are so kind to donate to a Milk Bank. I would probably have you reconsider. I was the same way as you...had an over abundance and froze so mcuh I was going to do the same thing & then my supply dropped dramatically. Wish I would have kept some that I threw away.

I pumped three times at work. I would feed my son about 5:30am and then pump at 9:00, 12:15 and 3:30. I tried to figure out when he would be eating and go from there. He would usually have a bottle about an hour before I picked him up - which was nice - when I got home in the evenings I could get started on supper and do other things before I would sit and nurse him. I had an abundance of milk as well - but it was nice to freeze the extra for my son - I have stopped nursing about a month ago and he is still getting breast milk every day at the sitter's. I would think as long as you are pumping whenever he is eating - and nursing him when you're together, I don't think you're supply will change too much. Good luck! And I think it's wonderful you're committed to pumping at work - it's a lot of work but definitely worth it!!

Hi - after returning to work (when my daughter was 3 months) I pumped up until she was one year.
Here's what I did:
4:45am BF daughter before getting ready for work
8:30am - pump 20 mins at work
noon - pump 20mins at work
2:30pm pump 20 mins at work
5:30pm - nurse as soon as we got home

For a number of months I was pumping approximately 24oz during the day - which would be approximately what she was eating while at daycare.

"Breast" of luck to you!

I would pump right after feeding in the morning before work(used to get 7 oz this session). Then i stuck to a 3 hr schedule at work and fed right when i got home. So i pump 3 x in 10 hrs away from lo. you will have ups and downs with supply. A few times i have had to step up pumping or take supplements to eek out a few oz but, he really only drinks one oz per hour i'm away. i was just ocd about sending 3 bottles for a long time. We made it a year so my goal is met and i am proud of this accomplishment. it is a sacrifice but, well worth it! Good luck

Depending on how long you wish to continue to nurse I would quite donating your milk or you might run out. That's great that you have done that though cause there are babies out there that need that breast milk that would not get it any other way. I know I needed all of what I had stored up when I went back to work. I usually pumped three times a day. I would take a break in the morning for about 15 mins then pump at lunch and then again after lunch. I would not have had enough just doing it once. Even with a good pump. But every woman is different.

Hi Adriana,

I had to pump too when I went back to work. I pumped at home before I left for work and then usually pumped three times (but I only worked till 3pm). I started at 7am and pumped at 8am, 11:30 and then at 2:30 right before I left work. If your little one is eating every three hours or so, I would suggest pumping around every three hours as well. Also not sure how busy you are at work and if you have a lot of meetings. I always made sure that my pumping time was blocked out on my calendar so nobody would book a meeting with me at the same time. Hope that helps.

My back-to-work schedule was as follows:

6am - nurse (leave home around 6:45am)
9am - pump (work 7:30 am to 4pm)
12pm - pump
3pm - pump
5pm - home (first nurse between 5pm and 6pm)

My baby is now 17 months, and my pump schedule is now just twice a day, sometimes once, depending on my work. I try not to go longer than about 4.5 hours without pumping or nursing ever.

I would pump every 2 hours or as to what my kids eating schedule was at for 20 minutes each session (assuming you can double pump) If you notice a decrease in supply incease frequency and duration of pumping.