Dropping the night pumps

[professionalnomad]

I'm very lucky to have a 5 month baby that sleeps through the night from 8.30pm until 6.30am.

She is exclusively bf and this well I returned to work. Currently my feeding and pumping schedule looks like this-
7am - feed
11.00 - pump
14.00 - pump
17.30 feed
19.30 - feed
20.30 - feed
03.30 -pump

I usually go to bed around 10pm. is there any way I can drop the 3.30am pump and not affect my milk supply? I usually wake up because I'm so engorged.

Sorry this week I returned to work not well

By exclusively breastfed do you mean exclusively fed breastmilk, rather than exclusively fed by the breast?

If she’s exclusively fed by the breast you don’t need to pump in between feeds. If you feed on demand, your supply will regulate to her needs and you will stop being engorged.

But if you’re pumping in addition to breastfeeding to build up a supply of milk for when you’re not there, dropping the nighttime feed will mean you stop having milk available at that time. Do you have enough of a milk stash built up, or do you get enough from your other pumping sessions to meet her needs? If so, you can definitely drop the night pump and your supply will regulate so you stop being engorged in the morning.

If you’re worried that stopping pumping overnight will reduce your milk supply in the day, don’t worry too much. Your supply regulates according to need, so you should still produce enough for the daytime feeds.

If you do stop that night pump, gradually taper off rather than stopping abruptly, or you’ll be at risk of mastitis.

My supply wasn't ever affected by dropping the night pump. I dropped it early for the sake of sleep. The engorgement would wake me up early and got the pump on immediately.

Sorry i should have been clearer.
She's on the breast but Monday to Thursday I'm at work from 8am to 5pm so I pump twice at work. The nanny then uses that expressed milk the next day for her feeds via bottle. I do have a considerable stash built up as well so I don't think I'm short of breast milk for use when I'm at work. I'm just so desperate for some unbroken sleep now especially since I'm working again.

As someone who pumped a lot I remember night feeds and first in the morning got the most milk.

Have you started your DC on solids yet? I’d do that and then try dropping it.

Alternatively actually you could drop it a couple of days and measure exactly what your DC is having Vs how much your pumping. If there’s enough, drop it permanently. If not, you can pick it up again.

I gave up pumping at 7 months and shifted to formula. Honestly, it’s absolutely fine. Work is exhausting so I would also consider dropping the feed and just make up the slack with formula.

Surely by now your supply is 'on demand' rather than needing to be built up. I'm sure there was something on Kelly Mom about it.

This is all so helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to help me

I haven't started solids yet. For some reason I've got it in my head she needs too be able to sit up by herself first

You should be fine to drop that pump, enjoy her sleeping through and your supply will regulate, if you wake up engorged just take off enough to make yourself comfortable rather than a full pump. You’re right that the UK guidance is 6 months for solids, when they can sit up. When you start the amount she will be having won’t replace calories from milk anyway x

I wouldn't.
I had a huge oversupply. I breastfeed exclusively till 7 months and then combi fed with pumped milk and at 7 months she slept through and I stopped 1 night feed and my milk supply went down so quickly. It's those hormones that peak between like 1 and 3am ish. That give a real boost.

I went from an over supply to just enough, so if she's sleeping through and your not knackered I'd just pump the once.