Survey: How Much Milk Do You (Did You) Pump At Work?

[laurac5]

DD is 9 months old and I've been pumping since I went back to work at 6 weeks. I work part-time but each day I'm at work is a full 8-hour day. My supply has dropped from its "peak," where I would pump 13 oz during my time at work, but I was having issues with oversupply at the time. Now I pump between 9 and 11 ounces a day, depending on if I wait too late to pump the first time.

How about you ladies? I know every mom and baby are different, but I'm curious about how much milk we mamas make during the day.

[Phoenix~Mama]

I went back to work when DD was 2.5 months old... in the begining I would get 14-16 oz a day.

Now I generally get about 13 oz a day, except for a few days before I get my period I usually only get about 9 - 11 oz.

DD drinks anywhere between 12-16 oz a day and the rare day even 20 oz!!!

Thankfully I built up a major freezer stash before I went back to work and I have the rare day off here and there and have not had to supplement at all and the freezer stash isn't in too bad of shape... But I am praying we make it to at least a year without having to supplement anything. only 5.5 more months to go!!!

[laurac5]

JSMa's post brought up a good point -- I should mention that we started introducing solids at 6 months, and dd has worked up to eating around 6 ounces (12 on rare occasions) of solids per day.

Thanks for answering!

[rainashine]

I took dd to work with me for a long time so I didn't have to start pumping at work until she was 9 months old. But I missed three feedings so I based what I needed on that. I was never able to pump more that 11 oz during the weekday pumping three times and so I pumped at home again after she went down for the night to make up the little bit and have a little cushion.

[_betsy_]

DD2 is 6.5 months old. I get about 12-14 ounces each day, pumping 3 times. I went back to work at 11 months PP.

With DD1 we burned through my decent freezer stash very early on. It was always only meager the rest of time. We intro'd cow's milk at about 13 months and the pressure was off. I pumped until I was 2 months PG, my supply dipped, DD had a stuffy nose and just wasn't interested anymore. She was 20 months old when she weaned, and I had stopped my once-a-shift pumping at 19 months.

A month ago, DH was out of town for 5 days, and I took vacation days to stay home with the girls. My supply bumped up big time after that for about a week, and I was able to add back at least some to the freezer stash. I had been getting 12 ounces pretty consistently, now I am getting 12-14 on a good day.

Do be aware that pump parts wear out, and if the seals get stretched out, it's less efficient. So changing out the rubber parts periodically is recommended, and will help your supply.

Also, the regular advice - get plenty of water, plenty of sleep (HA!) and oatmeal can help, too!

[Halfasianmomma]

My DD is 12 months old right now but when I returned to work, she was 10 months old and I only pumped once a day, obtaining anywhere from 7 to 10 oz. usually. It proved to be way too much since she refused to drink or eat while away from me. She survived on water and cheerios alone for the first little while at daycare (yikes!). Eventually, my body adjusted and I would pump 5-6 oz. a day, pumping only once at lunch.

Now that she's eating solids full-time at daycare and that we reverse cycle at home, I`m slowly reducing my pumping session length, from 30 minutes down to 15-20 minutes. Now I only get about 3-4 oz., which I scald and give to the DCP to mix in with soy milk. I'm hoping to stop pumping altogether within the next month, because I HATE IT!!!

[purplepaperclip]

I pumped three times a day at work for 11 months averaging 12-18 oz per day.

[beru]

Early on, I pumped twice per day. (I nursed baby at lunch.) In those two pumps, I got 5-6 ounces. When I went up to 3 pumps a day, I got 6-8 ounces.

I used a hospital grade pump and had seen a lactation consultant. I used larger flanges. I did not have a low supply when nursing directly. I tried fenugreek to increase my output. I pumped the same amount but got more plugged ducts. (I was producing more milk but the pump could not get it out.) I tried several different manual and electric pumps. None were better than the hospital grade pump in our lactation room.

I work with tons of women of child-bearing age. There are around 8 of us who pump/ed, probably more now. I think we average 8-10 ounces a day, pumping 3 times. The majority of the women either add a pump or two at home or supplement with formula. Only 2 women had pumping output that matched the amount in the babies' corresponding bottles.

Conclusion: breastpumps are inefficient!

[somelady]

about 12 oz most days, but it's been as low as 10 or as high as 15. When he was sleeping with us (and I was working every other day) I'd get that in 3 sessions. When we moved him to his crib around 5 months I had to do 4 (luckily my boss doesn't mind)

[haurelia]

My son is 6 months old, and I work two 12 hour shifts weekly. On my work days, I pump between 10 and 12 ounces in 3 sessions, usually; and my son comes to nurse at lunchtime. We've had to dip into freezer stash at times that I haven't had a few days between shifts, because he eats about 15-16 oz plus the lunchtime nurse on my work days. Normally, I'll pump after he goes to sleep to get those few extra oz, but if there's just one day between, it's frozen milk to supplement the fresh. I have a very minimal frozen stash, so I'm getting a little nervous and trying to be more careful about my schedule.
We haven't started solids yet, nor do I have AF back yet.

[_betsy_]

I can match or exceed my DDs needs each day, most days.

I pumped with DD1 until she was 19 months, and I went back when she was 7 weeks old. She was EBF for about 6.5 months, and 90% of her calories came from BM at a year.

While the pumps aren't as efficient as a baby, many, many women work and BF without supplementation.

[kwilki8]

I pumped twice a day and usually got about 9-11 oz.

[JudiAU]

I went back to work at 4 months and always worked one day a week from home. With the exception of 15 oz a day when I was gone, he rarely if ever had other bottles. I never fed him one and it was a always a super slow flow nipple.

I was a crazy pumper months 2-4 (two pumpings per day 10 min - shower - 10 min both times) and had a huge freezer stash when I went back and an oversupply. I never used the stash and ended up donating it, something like 700 oz with the original supply plus oversupply. I kept up an extra morning pumping for at least a month before I went back. I was so paranoid about my supply dropping.

I pumped around 20 oz in three pumpings a day. I stopped pumping 3x at 16m and at that point was at 15-16 oz. I stopped 1x at 18 months and generally got around 6 oz. I never really meant to pump that long but he wasn't much interested in solids for a long time.

[Caneel]

Originally Posted by laurac5

DD is 9 months old and I've been pumping since I went back to work at 6 weeks. I work part-time but each day I'm at work is a full 8-hour day. My supply has dropped from its "peak," where I would pump 13 oz during my time at work, but I was having issues with oversupply at the time. Now I pump between 9 and 11 ounces a day, depending on if I wait too late to pump the first time.

How about you ladies? I know every mom and baby are different, but I'm curious about how much milk we mamas make during the day.

I was similar to the OP.

DS bm intake dropped off noticably around 10 months when he started solids. At that point, I needed to really drink a lot more water and I started massaging during pumping, which typically resulted in an extra ounce.

[kriket]

i have a 12 weeker 8 hour day 5 days a week and pump about 12oz. More in the morning less after lunch. this is my first week bach FT and I am going to try building up my supply by pumping between feedings etc

[Carita]

pumped for 17 mo - started pumping 14-15 oz at peak, then down to 10, then eventually during the last few months, it was down to 3-5. By the end, I was barely getting 3 oz.

[kriket]

Originally Posted by Carita

pumped for 17 mo - started pumping 14-15 oz at peak, then down to 10, then eventually during the last few months, it was down to 3-5. By the end, I was barely getting 3 oz.

would you share the chronological time frame on that? I'm curious about what to expect

[sh0rtchica]

i pump twice a day at work, and today i got 15 oz. DS takes 9-12 while i'm away, so i donate the extra

first pumping session always produces more, today i got 8.5 oz in the first session and 6.5 in the second.

[justKate]

I pump the breast DD (5 mos.) doesn't eat before work = 3-5 oz; then both at lunch time = 8-10 oz; then the breast she doesn't eat after work = another 3-5 oz. So total anywhere from 14-20 oz daily, which is just enough to get her through the next day of daycare. I try to add one pump a day on Sat. & Sun. to maintain a stash in the freezer.

[docta]

My daughter is nearly 4 months, and i have been back to work FT for about 3 weeks. I pump twice a day at work, and have ranged from 10 to 18 oz, but usually about 12 oz. I seem to pump more in the a.m., right after I get to work, and less in the afternoon. So far it seems like I'm pumping enough (I always call to see how much she's drinking) although she has started reverse cycling so maybe that helps.