Will only pumping for a weekend effect my milk supply?
I have a 10 week old son who is exclusively breastfeed. I don't pump very often maybe 20 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. But my husband and I are thinking of taking a little vacation, my parents would watch him from Saturday morning to Sunday evening. My first question is really how much will I have to pump to be able to leave my parents with enough milk for him for the weekend. Also do I need to pump while I am away from him? If so how often, and will it effect my milk supply negatively? Thanks.
?2011-03-23T10:54:19Z
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I would pump as much as possible since you really have no way of knowing how much he is eating. Start pumping after every feeding for 10 minutes on each side. You would be fine just pumping on the weekend; it won't effect your milk supply. The easiest way to do this would be to have your parents call or text you every time he eats so you can pump while he is eating.
EDIT One of my overnight trips was at 5 weeks, a friend gave us tickets to a Nickelback concert. I had separation anxiety like crazy, but my boys were just fine and I had no problems continuing the breastfeeding.
You would need to pump roughly every 2-3 hours while away from your son to maintain your supply. And pumping is not as effective as a baby is at getting milk out so you would need to be diligent about it. You would also need to pump whenever your baby would nurse at night, so you'd be waking up to pump.
10 weeks is still pretty young to be away from mom and dad, especially for the whole weekend. It's your call, obviously, but I would wait awhile before doing this.
Well, how often does your son eat? I'm assuming every couple hours he eats around 4 oz at this age. He will need to eat approx 18-20 times then. So you need to pump 80oz if not a little extra. They say to pump every two to four hours to build up supply and keep from getting infection. Just pump until you are dry each breast, then wait a couple hours and pump again. You should pump after you breastfeed too that will bring in your supply more. Remember to label the date and time you pumped when you freeze it. No, pumping will only build your supply for baby, no negatives.
besides to having adequate moist/poopy diapers, yet another degree of whther your infant is getting adequate is weight earnings. at the two week mark, a infant is meant to have regained birthweight (or extra) and from thereon out 1oz. in line with day. I did the calculations, and so far so good. Your babe has fairly gained 1oz or extra in line with day. Will the 6 hours an afternoon a pair cases each week harm your grant? it could slightly, yet once you're which includes those feedings for the era of the the remainder of the week, i might think of your grant might immediately leap back during the weekdays. in case you're quite in touch, you may constantly upload a galactogogue like fenugreek as a supplement on the weekend. I constantly had (hormonal) grant subject concerns and interior of a few hours of taking 3-4 pills of fenugreek and chugging approximately sixteen ozof water, i may well be conscious a marked distinction interior the milk my infant have been given. So... perchance you should objective taking it a pair hours into your shift at artwork, preserving up with water throughout your shift, and nursing infant often for the 1st few hours when you get homestead? purely a theory. by using ways i think of that, for this reason far, you're doing great and your infant sounds very healthful on mama's milk :)
If you pump every 2 hours you should be okay, but you really should wait until he is at least 3 months old to ensure you have a good supply and prevent nipple preference/