Going to work 2 days a week - how to start pumping for just these days?

[Lalarosex]

Looking for some advice regarding pumping

My baby is 4 months. I am going back to work at 7 months PP for 2 days a week. My baby is EBF from the breast only - I pumped for 2 weeks at the start then stopped.
I would like to continue breastfeeding as normal on my days off if possible

how to begin pumping at 6 months post partum?

best time to pump to provide probably 3 bottles on my working days only?

how much do I need to be able to produce per bottle?

thank you in advance!

Get a good pump (consider hiring a hospital grade one perhaps) and start pumping after your baby finishes feeds. I would aim for a couple of times a day. Don’t exhaust yourself pumping around the clock. You can freeze breast milk for up to 5 or 6 months so you can start getting together a stash.

I wouldn’t worry about amounts too much at this stage. Just start storing what you can pump. Then maybe before you start work you can use some of your stored milk to get a feel for how much they have. By that stage they will be weaning so their demands change quickly at that stage as they rely more on food. Good luck.

At seven months, your supply will be quite good at you might even get away with feeding before and after work and at night on those two days. If your little one will take water or solids, they might not need a bottle at nursery, depending on how long the day is. I fed my LO immediately before dropoff and at pick up (not completely the same as she was combi fed & could have formula too, but they definitely space feeds out if they take well to solid food). My baby conveniently dropped an afternoon feed the day before I went back to work at seven months, and it really helped that she dropped it on her terms!

@OtterMummy2024 thank you for the advice, what were your working hours? I’m dropping off at 8am and likely collecting at 4.30 so could potentially only need 2 bottles. Currently baby feeds every 3 hours but I have no idea what to expect by 7 months as he will be eating too.

Dropoff at 9, feed at 8.30am, pick up at 4, feed at nursery or in the car immediately. But my baby was 5 months and not on solids at nursery, so a seven month old on solids might be happier going longer.