Going back to work - BF & Pumping ?'s

[raidercake]

Ok, I feel like I am making this waaaay too hard. I am (obviously!) a rookie mom and bf'er. I am going to back to work in 2 weeks (DD will be 8 weeks old), and I have a Pump In Style Advance. I'm confused about what to do when I go back to work. Right now I'm feeding from one side only each time. What do I do when I go back to work?

Should I:
A) just pump on one side each time, at the time she would normally eat?
Or
B) double pump at work and continue feeding her on the opposite side when I get home? (ie - If I feed on the left side before work, should I double pump at work and feed on the right side when I get home?)

Any suggestions? My plan for the next 2 weeks is to start feeding on one side and pumping the other during the hours she will be in daycare -- then I suppose I just continue that cycle by double pumping? I'm concerned about oversupply if I do that. Advice or suggestions?

[mambera]

I think your plan is good; I would agree with double pumping at work at the times when she normally eats, if you can. A little oversupply will be a blessing if you are trying to pump full time - you can keep adding to your freezer stash. More women have the opposite problem (insufficient stimulation from the pump leading to supply spirals). I think it would be difficult to create an oversupply by pumping alone. If it happens you can always reduce your pumping sessions.

[Quinalla]

Definitely double pump as it saves time and will help keep your supply up at work since the pump is not as good at stimulating supply as your baby. And you can probably nurse from either side when you get home, I know it makes little difference for me.

[akind1]

I do one side at a time, because 1) it feels more "natural" to me and 2) I like having a hand free to turn magazine pages (this is a very silly reason, but I like to do something distracting while pumping)

I only double pump when I am in a hurry. Doing one side at a time, the actual pumping takes 10-15 minutes. (add another 5 for set up and take down, which would be the same regardless of single or double pumping).

[Anna Phor]

I'm a uniboob nurser but a double pumper. I nurse right before I go to work (around 8.30, leave the house at 8.45) then I double pump at 11.30 and 4. At the 11.30 pump I usually get less milk from the nursed-on breast, at the 4pm pump I get about the same from each, roughly. When I first went back to work I was pumping 3x but I found I get the same amount of milk doing it only twice, and it's a time-suck otherwise.

The other thing that really helped me was buying the bigger horns for the pump. Pumping was more comfortable & I get more milk.

[UberMama]

Double pump when you are not around baby. It will help in keeping your supply up, since the pump doesn't bring all of the milk out as efficiently as baby does. You can get a hands free bra or make one yourself, that way you can be double pumping yet have both hands free (the only way I survive EPing!!).

The optimal situation would be to pump just a bit more than she eats per day. You don't want true oversupply (it's not fun, believe me), but keeping up with her and just a bit more is helpful, of course.

Pump as often as she eats, if possible. If you can't, then pump as often as you can. Remember that more sessions vs. longer sessions are better. Meaning that if you can pump 3x a day for 20 min at a time, that is better than 2x a day for 30 min at a time.

[goodygumdrops]

Double pump with a special nursing bra. Get enough flanges, etc that you won't need to clean each time you pump. Bring home each night and put in dishwasher.

Good for you for planning ahead!! I'm sure you'll have a fine time of pumping and your babe is so lucky!