How often do you express when your LO is in childcare?

[salbysea]

My DS is 6.5mths and eats 3 meals a day (solids).

How often should I be expressing? should it be a bottle expressed for every feed he has? this is complicated because if I'm not there he is not too bothered about milk

If I dont express on the days he's in childcare (only for about 5 hrs mind) will his extra feeds on the days I am with him all day be enough to keep up my supply up?

he's in childcare 9 - 2 on mondays, not tuesdays, I am away from him for about 5 hours on wednesdays and for 5 hours on thursdays (with him fri to sun).

Is pumping really necessary?

p.s. I could go a whole day without BFing without hurting or leaking much, I've never really had engorgement pain despite a good supply

but should I?

is it really detrimental to overall supply?

I think everyone is different, but I know for me that 5 hrs apart twice a week at 6 months would have had no impact on supply. I would only express if you need him to have milk when you not there - otherwise dont bother. If supply drops off you can always rev it up again.

thanks

its 3 times a week BTW, not nit picking at you just making it clear for anyone else who may read the thread

see today I fed him before his breakie and again at about 10.30, then he had a MINI snacky feed just before I left. I got home at about 5 and gave him a big BF about 30 mins later (after tea and wee etc ). Then he had a bottle at bedtime (if BF at bedtime he needs a dream feed as he nods off, hence the bottle) while I expressed 150ml from one side.

I brought my pump with me when I was away but didnt get time to do it

while I was away he only had 120mls of milk (in one go). He had lunch and dinner and beakers of water with meals during this time

So I guess I'm asking if I need to express again later to make up for the 120ml milk feed he had during the day?

I don't bother - never have. DS1 was in full time childcare from 5 months. He had formula while he was there in a cup (always refused bottles). He would cluster feed to build up my supply again on Saturday morning and we'd be back to normal. Mondays were painful though. I carried on feeding him until he was 2.9 with no supply problems.

DS2 started in childcare when he was 11 months so it was less of an issue, but again I never express except when I'm away overnight.

This is mainly because I dislike expressing intensely and because DS1 would only drink breast milk from me (spat it out if it was in a cup).

That's good to hear! I HATE expressing

interesting to hear about you LO only drinking BM from you - My DS was refusing all bottles at the CM (after a little sip) until I started sending formula instead of EBM. Now he'll happily take either from her