Not able to pump for 9 hours?

[raidercake]

I have been pumping & nursing a 5-month old with no problems. She is eating about a tablespoon of either cereal or fruit/veggie puree every day, but is basically exclusively bf. (We're just doing "solids" for the taste & texture, not the nutritional value right now.) DD eats pretty much every 3-4 hours around the clock (no night weaning for me right now!).

I am participating in a program through work one day a month, for 10 months, that makes it very hard to pump -- we are busy taking tours in the community, having meetings, lunches, etc. It will be logistically difficult -- but not impossible -- to find time & location to pump during these classes. Personally, I would just rather not deal with it. Would there be a problem if I just went 9 hours without pumping, once a month? My supply is fine, and I have an emergency supply built up, so it's not like I'm going to have to resort to formula if I just "skip" a day.

Thoughts, mamas? Thanks for your advice & insight!

[Fujiko]

If it were me...

I wouldn't be worried about my supply, because my supply is good and it's only once a month.

BUT.

Since my supply is good, my breasts would become painfully engorged after maybe 4-5 hours. Nine hours seems nearly impossible to me. I would be worried about the pain, major leakage, and possibly mastitis.

A month ago (when my son was 6 months old) DH and I went on a date. We were gone for about 5 hours and by the time I got home I had to pump because I was just too engorged. (DD has been long nightweaned and DS just wasn't gonna nurse THAT much that late at night, otherwise they could have taken care of it I'm sure.)

[Angelorum]

hmm.. I think you would probably get pretty uncomfortably engorged before the day was over. I know if I went that long without emptying my breasts I'd be at high risk for mastitis, and trust me, not dealing with the hassle of pumping is so not worth mastitis!

[maddymama]

I'd think you could probably go that long without pumping, but you might think about disappearing to the restroom occassionally to hand-express some out to prevent engorgement- enough to relieve some pressure.
Also, my DH did a program like this a few years ago. One of the moms had her DH meet her with their nursling at lunch time and she nursed him during lunch for the first two or three times they met. I guess after that the kiddo didn't need to nurse quite so much. Is that a possibility for you? You might want to warn the leaders/organizers and get an itenerary........
~maddymama

[crystal_buffaloe]

I like maddymama's idea -- is there a way someone could bring the baby to you at lunch or another time during the day?

I had to go 5 hours at work on Monday (grumble, grumble) and it got really pretty uncomfortable -- and my DD regularly goes 6 or more hours at night.