What to do on the weekend

[@llli*twogingers.mom]

I returned to work last week. I nurse at 7a before I leave, pump at 9:30 and 12:30, then am home around 3:30-4. I may nurse or pump at that time depending on baby's last feeding. Baby typically only nurses from one breast per feeding.
While pumping, I have been getting 8-9 oz at the first session and about 3 at the others.

One day, for example, I was gone 7 hours and she drank 11 oz. I produced 12 oz.

1) Is that much variation in pumping normal?
2) On the weekend, should I be pumping the opposite side in the morning when baby nurses to maintain the higher volume-- I seem to need it to add to the other sessions so I can make 4 oz feedings.

[@llli*maddieb]

1) Is that much variation in pumping normal?

Well a pretty wide variation in how much is pumped per session is normal, and 3 ounces is a normal, good amount to be pumping at one session. 8 or 9 ounces is an unusually large amount to be able to pump in one session. I know your baby nurses in the morning before that, but are you going a long time overnight without nursing? That might explain that high output in the morning, but it might not be so good for your milk production going forward.

2) On the weekend, should I be pumping the opposite side in the morning when baby nurses to maintain the higher volume-- I seem to need it to add to the other sessions so I can make 4 oz feedings.

I am not sure why you need to make 4 ounce feedings? Most babies vary their intake bottle to bottle and 4 ounces would be on the high side for every bottle.
As far as pumping on the weekends, if you need more milk for baby than you can pump over your workday, weekend pumping is a good way to make up that shortfall. If you feel you are not keeping up in your overall milk production, then additional pumping as needed is a good idea. In both cases you could pump when you wanted, not necessarily in the morning (although many moms find they get more when they pump in the morning.) But if the goal is keeping your milk production in all around good shape, you could also simply try encouraging baby to nurse often on the weekends.

One day, for example, I was gone 7 hours and she drank 11 oz. I produced 12 oz.

For a 7 hour separation, if you follow the "1 to 1.5 ounce per hour" rule of thumb, then baby would take in between 7 and 10.5 ounces during that time. So 11 is not outrageous. But just to be on the safe side I would suggest be sure your caregivers are feeding baby appropriately to avoid over feeding. http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...astfedbaby.pdf and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH4T70OSzGs

I may nurse or pump at that time depending on baby's last feeding.

As you can see in the above linked tip sheet, baby being fed a bottle too close to when mom gets home is not recommended. When a baby needs bottles and mom needs to pump due to separations, maximizing opportunities to nurse is considered important for both maintaining good milk production and for preventing breast refusal due to baby becoming overly habituated to bottles.