There's that "formula" that gives an approximate need-in -ounces for up to
about 3 months.multiply2.5xbaby's weight to get 24-hour total need in
ounces, then divide by approximate # of feeds per day to get what baby needs
at each feed. But after that, at about 4 mos, mother is making
approximately all the milk her baby will need, since supply stabilizes about
then, according to what the baby has been asking at the breast.
In order to change her pumping regimen, she has to determine what the baby's
needs are... If she's exclusively pumping, does the baby take all that she
pumps daily? If not, how much is she putting up in the fridge every day? It
should be simple to match the baby's daily intake against what she'
pumping. If she drops a pump session, will she have enough based on what
the baby is taking now?
If she's making more than the baby is taking , she can make a stash and use
that stash to replace a pumping session of course.
We only get that first 24 weeks or so of exclusive bm feeding before our
babes begin to be ready for some solids, so she's halfway through that
precious time. She's only got 12 more weeks.
There's no hard and fast rule about what happens when you change a pumping
routine, but there's the health of the breast to consider as well, and to
gradually reduce pumping time is the best way.
Generally speaking, less pumping will mean less milk, although by 4 months,
she's making pretty much all the milk she'll need, because of the way bm is
so efficiently used by her baby.
Best,
Jackie Levine
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