Tuesday, October 24, 2006

how often should i pump at work?

the frequency with which you pump at work will vary, depending on several factors including (1) the age of your baby, (2) the frequency with which your baby nurses when you are together, (3) the amount of time your job/boss provides for you to pump, (4) how busy you are, and (5) how far you have to go to pump (e.g., right at your desk or down 3 flights of stairs and through 6 hallways to get to a 'mothers room').

assuming that you have a cool boss and a convenient place to pump, then the basic guideline is to pump as often as you would nurse your baby if you were together. for myself, working a regular, 8- or 9-hour day, that meant 3 times per day in the beginning. i tried to pump at regular 3-hour intervals, like 9:00, 12:00, and 3:00. so, i would nurse in the morning when my baby woke up (at about 6:00 am), then would pump at 9, 12, and 3, and then would nurse again right when i got home from work at 6:00 pm. then again at 9:00 for bedtime, and of course all through the night on demand. (how to deal with sleep deprivation at work is another issue alltogether!)

the milk that you pump during the day is then ready to give to your daycare provider the next day. (note: read my posting on Avent pumps on how to make this easier on yourself. ) whatever you pump on friday, freeze it. on sunday night, take your oldest frozen milk and put it in the fridge. it will be thawed and ready for day care in the morning.

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