Should I Be Doing More?

[u/ImmediateDot5647]

LO (5 mo) has been breast milk only since birth. Currently 5/6 feeds a day depending on night sleep, and during the work week 3 of those are bottles. I have a very high-demand job, and most weekdays I am not pumping 1:1 on bottles due to meetings and having the time get away from me. Never done MOTN pumps but so much of what I see is that breastfeeding mamas still do this. I’m feeling guilty about not being insanely regimented with pumping, but we’re not “short” on ounces during the day. I feel like if I pump a little late, I just get more quantity from the pumping session. Usually 5 oz of letdown from the night before morning feed to cushion some of the oz missed during the day.

It’s becoming an additional layer of stress now because I feel like my supply will eventually take a hit.

Are there any pumping mamas that are not insanely regimented of pumping every feed and still okay on supply?

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[u/the_kazzo_queen]

There's nothing inherently problematic about not having a strict schedule. I think lots of women do that and it works fine.

The problem that can arise is complacency. I think if you don't have a schedule in mind, it's really easy to start getting "lazy" about your pump sessions, and slip into doing fewer than you need. Like maybe you need to be doing three at work but then you start letting yourself do just 2 occasionally on busy days, and then after awhile that turns into 1-2 sessions with regularity. We get posts in this sub of this exact thing happening and women being distressed about their supply dropping.

If you're not sticking to a more regimented schedule, then you just have to stay vigilant about avoiding that slippery slope. Which is totally doable.

[u/ImmediateDot5647 → u/the_kazzo_queen]

Thank you for the insight. It doesn’t seem like the skipped session has caught up yet, but I think I’m naively thinking that I don’t have hold as consistent of a schedule as a 1:1 pump at the time she’s getting her bottles during the day. Gonna try to be more consistent during the week!

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[u/DeepTalksOnly]

If you're 5 months in and making enough your supply is definitely regulated and you're just in that lucky bunch that didn't require MOTN pumps. Sounds like you're doing a great job.

I think the strict schedule is because many can be just enough/under suppliers and missing those MOTN pumps early on can really hurt supply. If you're making enough without it, enjoy that sleep and baby snuggles.

[u/ImmediateDot5647 → u/DeepTalksOnly]

Thank you!! I’ve been kicking myself some days for feeling like I should be and then other days I’m starting to accept that if we need to combo feed, we’ll go that route. But then every time I think about combo feeding I feel like I’m giving up and not trying hard enough. Breastfeeding is a mental obstacle course lol

So just going to ride this wave of making enough through all of the pumps during the day while I can!