When did you go longer between sessions?

Question

4 weeks into (almost) exclusively pumping (nursing when I can and supplementing with formula) I have been pumping every 2-3 hours since 5 days pp. Getting 3 oz TOTAL now. 
When did you switch to a longer stretch between pumping sessions? And at what intervals ? Did your milk supply suffer ?

Answer

Get your total daily supply up to 20-30 oz (wherever baby’s normal daily intake ends up). Stay at that level for at least a couple weeks before dropping any to tell your body that’s how much you need.
When you do start to drop, do everything gradually so you don’t tank your supply. If you do it right, your total daily supply should stay the same. You’ll just produce a little more during each session.  Wait a month and see if you can drop another. If your supply drops more than you want, add the pump session back.  I’ve been down to 3 pumps a day from 3 months pp to 7 months pp, making about 25oz a day.  Closer to 10-11 months, I’ll drop to 2.

Answer

I have been EP for 2.5 months, my son is 3.5 months old. I started out with pumping every two hours 8 times a day and would produce anywhere between 20-25 oz every 24 hours. 
I am now on a set schedule I pump every 4 hours 5 times a day and produce 30-33oz a day. My son has 6 5oz bottles a day, I will normal have around 150-180ml left over a day to add to my freezer stash. 
My left always produces more than my right I normal get between 5-6 oz every pumping sessions.

Answer

Getting 3oz in total every 2-3 hours is perfectly normal! 
Is your goal to exclusively pump?  Are you using the correct size flanges? Tried different settings on your pump? Have you power pumped to mimic clusterfeeding. Gentle massage while pumping may also help.

Answer

First of all you’re doing great! It can be so exhausting and so much is out of your control but it does get easier. Some good advice in the comments: check you flange sizing and pump (Spectra has been most highly recommended by lactation specialists for me). After 12 weeks I moved to pumping every 4 hours, 5 x day and 3.5 months PP that is still my schedule. To get my supply up, my nurse recommended supplement of Legendary milk Liquid gold, and power pumping for 2 weeks and that helped me increase my supply. I also swear by LaVie breast massagers too. Hang in there!

Answer

I wouldn’t attempt reducing until 12 weeks especially if your struggling with supply. How frequent is nursing?

Answer

Have you tried drinking/eating things that are intended to help with lactation? Milk makers cookies, boogie bars, they have tea for lactation. I’ve also heard body armor drinks are super hydrating and can help!
Hope everything is getting easier for you 💕

Answer

It really depends on what your supply is like I was told to wait until 12 weeks postpartum to drop pumps. But I also never pumped more than every 3-4 hour every 2-3 was not manageable. But I went back to work at 14 weeks postpartum that’s when I stopped waking up at night to pump. My supply didn’t really decrease until I only was only pumping 5 times a day but even then I was making more than enough milk.

When did you go longer between sessions?

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