Well at work now...

[@llli*sb]

Thanks to everyone for all of the tips on pumping. I'm new to this pumping at work thing (yesterday was my first day).

I seem to be fullest in the morning at 10 AM. I usually feed the baby at 7AM. He is almost five months now and is VERY distracted all the time. I try to nurse him again before I leave since he seems so distracted.

I am going to be home on Mondays and Fridays so will have four days home with the baby. Since he is super distracted these days, should I pump to keep up the supply? He seems to eat a TON around 3-4 AM. I know that some babies will get a big portion of their calories in their night feeding but is that good for supply too? Just getting ahead of myself and worried about not producing enough.

And last question: I have the Medela PISA and I am thinking about getting a second one to keep at my office. Should I hold off on that given that I hear that supply dips at 9 months and think about getting a hospital grade rental instead? Thanks everyone!

[@llli*joshuas.mommy]

My son went through that phase of being super-distracted around 5 or 6 months, also. I considered pumping for the sake of supply but never actually did it. They have to get their calories sometime so as long as you are nursing on demand when home, I don't think it's necessary to pump while at home. He will eventually settle in and eat, though it may be at 3AM. Night-nursing is actually great for maintaining a good supply, though it can be exhausting for you!

Whether to get a second pump and what kind to get is really a matter of personal preference. I considered getting a second PISA for at work but ended up just lugging mine back and forth between work and home. I know everyone talks about the dip in supply at 9 months and it is common, but we're currently at almost 9.5 months with no sign of drop in pumping output, so I don't think it happens to everybody or is inevitable. I've always had good pump output and mild oversupply, though, so take that for what it's worth depending on your own supply. I'm a working mom and have been paranoid about supply and the 9 month dip ever since going back to work (posted a thread on it awhile back) but thankfully in my case all that worry was for nothing. There's no way to know ahead of time when or if you'll have supply problems so I'd recommend just doing what you can to protect your supply on a day by day basis by pumping often enough and to empty, and respond to problems if/when they arise. Good luck, you'll get in a groove and figure it out.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

Do you plan on pumping at home? Honestly, I just left the pump at work. My schedule was very similar to yours. If you can maintain 3 days a week, I imagine that you will not have a supply dip at all. I did start working 4 days a week when my babies were 6 months old and had a slump around 9 or 10 months, but it was motivation driven.

[@llli*mumtothomas]

I usually left mine at work too (for a while I pumped in the mornings while I nursed, and late at night to have enough for the next day), but I stopped pumping around 10 months because of the huge dip I experienced; I was nursing with no problem but could not produce with the pump. So if it were me, I probably wouldn't invest in a second pump--but that's just me; you may not have that problem.

[@llli*mtmama]

dont worry about the second pump. i did take my home every night because what is there was an emergency or i needed it . there was never an emergency but occationally i did need it.

i used to pump on the commute into work because i felt full in the morning and it helped me get an extra session in and not stress to fit it in at work.

i recommend using compressions when you pump and hand expressing just a min or two at the end, it really helped me.

i had the simple wishes hands free brea and loved it.

if you are ever nervous about not having enough milk you can always add in random extra sessions, i would do one right before i went to bed once in awhile most mostly everything was fine.

just post a thread if you are stressing and we will help.

and i found my son nursed more at night once i went back to work. it was a good way for him to get milk but a lot of it was cuddling and getting mommy time

[@llli*sb]

Well the baby still isn't taking in much milk during the day. Some days, he'll only take 1-2 ounces while I'm at work (10 hours a day). Obviously this is only the second weekof my returning to work but I am concerned. I also am home F, Sa, Sun, M and only breastfeed. Should I be attempting the bottle when I'm home so that he gets used to it? I am worried that after four days of breastfeeding, he does his bottle strike on Tuesday when my babysitter comes back. Thanks everyone.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

Have you checked your milk for excess lipase? This happened to me with Lilah and I didn't know. She did start taking between 5 and 8 ounces during the day after about a month- I was away from her for 10.5 hours at a time. It was stressful, but she nursed on demand all night long, so I figured it would be ok. Some babies sleep through the night.

[@llli*mtmama]

definitely check for the lipase like tracie said. just taste it periodically for few days.

also, my son really struggled taking bottles. it took a good, cuddly caregiver who was willing to lay one of my shirts on her chest while she snuggled him and attempted the bottle. he needed that extra love and they said he clung to my shirt all day in the beginning. i used to send him in with the shirt i had slept in the night before for the first couple of weeks.

he will get it soon enough. he may just never take a lot away from you and it is ok as long as he nurses a lot at night and on the days hes home.

keep us posted