Pump and dump?

[thighsmadeofcheddar]

I'm planning to go away for two days (one night) at the beginning of October. Much needed weekend away with girlfriends!

DD2 will be just under 6 months then and she is EBF. I'm not worried about leaving her with enough milk, I'm quite good at expressing and I've plenty of time to accrue a supply in the freezer. She also takes a bottle well. I'm just worried about my supply when I'm away. Would I be able to maintain the feeding/supply when I get back? Would it simply be a matter of pumping and dumping every 3-4 hours in the day and then maybe twice at night? DD feeds at 10pm and then usually wakes only once for feed at 4.30am.

Appreciate any advice. Thanks

Yes, at 6 months it won't be a problem. Make sure you pump really well and hand express at the end of the session. I used to do a last thing at night pump, and then just as soon as I woke up in the morning (I bf and travelled for work)

Depending on what you are doing, for a one off weekend you'd prob be OK expressing first thing, lunchtime, evening and night. And at a push, just hand expressing a bit at lunchtime would be OK

Thanks CMOT. Much appreciated.

Not sure you need to in the night though as long as you pump the whole lot out in the morning, and have a really good pump before you go to bed. DS2 stopped feeding in the night at 8 weeks but on the few occasions recently that he's wanted a middle of the night feed (he's 13 weeks) it hasn't been a problem and there has been lots for him.

At 6 months would have though 4-5 times in 24 hours would be enough, the supply will sort itself out in the first few days back.