Will reducing pumping stop supply?

[SweetElizaRose]

Dd is five months and I've expressed the whole time. To be honest that along with crippling pnd and exhaustion is ruining my life. I express 6/7 times a day but when dd is six months id like to start introducing formula and only expressing 3/4 times a day. I could still express overnight, it's the not being able to go out for any length of time which is so difficult, especially with an older dc too. All I seem to do is express at the moment.
I wanted to go from 6am, 9am, 1pm, 4pm, 8pm, 12am, 3am to more like 9am, 10am, 5pm, 8pm, 12am, 3am, 6am - basically I need a longer daytime slot. 6 or 7 hours ideally. At the moment I get about 150mls each time and am more or less meeting dd (has had occasional formula when she's eaten loads more for some reason) and ideally I don't want to give more than 50% formula so would still need to be getting 500mls at least.

Think trying to extend the day will mean supply will drop?

[babypeach]

Hi,
Wow you are very dedicated to be managing all of that!
If you change your schedule your supply will eventually just change to meet your new routine I should think. So you will eventually produce very little milk during your 10-5 gap.
However I'd say do it gradually, so dropping one session at a time and letting your body adjust before dropping another. As your baby is five months I doubt it will damage your overall supply x

[HandbagFan]

I'm also pumping 7 times a day. Only 12 weeks in (only!) but I'm doing 3.30, 7.30, 10.30, 13.00, 16.00, 19.00 and 22.00 - about the same time as baby eats.

I've found the US boards and sites most useful on the subject as so many mums there pump as they're back to work. For example this message board - community.babycenter.com/groups/a4592405/the_exclusive_pumpers

I agree it's really tough. Every drop you give baby is great going, but I also understand the guilt if supply drops. You need to balance happy baby with happy mum - we've got the worst of all worlds pumping, bottle feeding, sterilising, keeping supply up etc. Well done to you for getting this far without cracking!

[BertieBotts]

You need to look up resources about exclusive pumping because normal advice about BF will not apply in your case.

That said, dropping a daytime pump is safer than dropping an overnight one which is a pain!

Sorry it's the obvious question, but any chance/plans/will to get baby back on the breast? It's sometimes possible that problems which existed when they were smaller sort themselves out with time and it's possible to relactate later.

You might already be aware but Kellymom has very good info on pumping in general (A lot of US sites do because it's much more common there.)

kellymom.com/mother2mother/exclusive-pumping/

[BertieBotts]

From that article:

The main concern is to get enough pumps in per day – a minimum of 7 pumps per day... it is the number of pumps per day that you get in and not necessarily the amount of time you wait in between pumps that counts. So, if I needed to run an errand or just wanted to get out of the house without dragging my pump along, I would pump every 2 hours in the morning and then have a window of about 4 or 5 hours in the afternoon to do everything and would then pump again every 2 hours in the evening to get my total of 7 pumps in for the day.

[MirrorMouse]

Hi, well done on expressing for so long. It is tough isn't it. I only did it for about 11 weeks then I managed to get baby feeding from the breast directly, and it was really hard going. Like you say it's the not going out that's hard. I used a hospital grade Medela symphony at home with a bra with holes cut in so that I could have my hands free, but I also used a manual Medela pump when I was out and about so I wasn't so restricted by the pumping schedule. I used to do it in the car under a nursing cover or at friends' houses and in baby feeding rooms in shops. Maybe that would help you if you want a long day out? To be honest after 5 months I think giving formula and accepting a reduced supply would be a sensible way forward.

[SweetElizaRose]

I've also got a symphony!
I bought a hand pump in the hope of being able to use it when out but I barely get any milk when using it...