When you are exclusively pumping for a newborn, you may be pumping up to 8 to 12 times per day. As your baby gets older, you can start to pump less frequently. Here is everything you need to know about how to drop pumping sessions.
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What is “dropping a pumping session”?
This means changing your pumping schedule so that you pump one less time over a 24 hour period than you currently are.
In many cases, when you drop one pumping session, you would also rearrange your schedule a bit so that your remaining sessions are more evenly spaced. (I’ll show you examples of this later in this article.)
When should you drop a pumping session?
In most cases, I would wait until your baby is moving out of the newborn stage and you think your supply is regulated.
This is because frequent removals of milk in the early days is important for establishing milk supply.
However, exclusive pumping can be overwhelming. If you’re burning out or really struggling, sometimes dropping a pumping session is the right call to help you keep going.
(If you’re struggling with whether or not to drop a pumping session, here’s a flowchart that I made to help with the decision.)
What effect will dropping a pumping session have on my supply?
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer here – different people will have different results. When you drop a pumping session:
- Your output might not change, or
- It may decrease, or
- It may even go up.
(My experience was that my supply stayed the same when I dropped from 8 sessions per day to 7 to 6 to 5; increased when I dropped from 5 to 4, and decreased with each session I dropped after that.)
The most important thing that you can do to protect your supply when you drop a pumping session is to add the time from the dropped pumping session back to your other pumping sessions. The total amount of time in a day that you spend pumping should stay the same, just consolidated.
For example, if:
- You currently pump 6 times per day at 20 minutes each, and
- You want to drop to 5 pumping sessions per day, then
- You should change the the length of your sessions from 20 to 24 minutes (so that the 20 minutes from the 6th session is added back to the 5 remaining sessions)
The exceptions to this guideline are if you are weaning from the pump or trying to reduce supply. If either of these is the case, you should keep your sessions the same length of time when you drop one.
Does it matter which pumping session I drop?
For the most part, no. When deciding which pumping session to drop, think about what works best for your schedule. Do you need more sleep? Are you having difficulty getting away from work to pump? Or are you at home with your baby and are struggling with pumping while he or she is awake?
The only other thing you might want to consider is when you get the most milk.
Prolactin levels fluctuate over a 24 hour circadian rhythm. A lot of people notice that they get more milk in the middle of the night and less milk in the afternoon.
Therefore, it might be easier to drop a session in the afternoon than early in the morning.
(More on dropping middle of the night pumping sessions here.)
How to drop pumping sessions
There are four ways to drop a pumping session:
- Cold turkey
- Slowly reduce the time of the to-be-dropped pumping session
- Slowly reduce the volume of the to-be-dropped pumping session
- Gradually bring two pumping sessions closer together
If you are prone to clogged ducts or mastitis, one of the more gradual approaches may be better for you.
1. Cold turkey
This one is pretty simple – you just stop pumping at the to-be-dropped pump time. However, you may need to respace your other pumping sessions.
For example:
Old Schedule: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm
To drop the 3pm pumping session, you might rearrange your schedule to the following:
New Schedule: 6am, 9am, 1pm, 5pm, 10pm
You can just switch over one day, and then you’re on the new schedule.
2. Slowly reducing pump time
With this method, you start pumping less at the session that you want to drop until you get it down to 5 minutes or so. Then you stop pumping at that time completely.
Taking the prior example, where we drop the 3pm pumping session:
Old Schedule: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm (each pumping session is 20 minutes)
Old Schedule/First Day Reducing Pump Time: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm (15 minutes), 6pm, 10pm (all other pumping sessions are 21 minutes)
Old Schedule/Second Day Reducing Pump Time: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm (10 minutes), 6pm, 10pm (all other pumping sessions are 22 minutes)
Old Schedule/Third Day Reducing Pump Time: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm (5 minutes), 6pm, 10pm (all other pumping sessions are 23 minutes)
New Schedule: 6am, 9am, 1pm, 5pm, 10pm (each pumping session is 24 minutes)
3. Slowly reducing volume
Essentially, what you do is just pump an ounce less every day (or every few days) until you’re down to 1-2oz at a given session, then stop pumping altogether at that time.
This way, you are carefully controlling the amount of milk removed from your breasts at that time to allow your body to get used to the new schedule.
Old Schedule: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm (normally you get 4 oz at 3pm)
Old Schedule/First Day Reducing Pump Volume: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm (3 oz – add time to other sessions)
Old Schedule/Second Day Reducing Pump Volume: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm (2 oz – add time to other sessions)
Old Schedule/Third Day Reducing Pump Volume: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm (1 oz – add time to other sessions)
New Schedule: 6am, 9am, 1pm, 5pm, 10pm (add remaining time to other sessions)
4. Gradually bringing them closer together
With this method, you move two pumping sessions closer together until you can comfortably drop one.
In the below example, you would move the 3pm and 6pm closer together until you are ready to drop the 3pm one.
Old Schedule: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm (each session is 20 minutes)
Old Schedule/First Day Closer Together: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3:15pm, 5:45pm, 10pm
Old Schedule/Second Day Closer Together: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3:30pm, 5:30pm, 10pm
Old Schedule/Third Day Closer Together: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3:45pm, 5:15pm, 10pm
Old Schedule/Fourth Day Closer Together: 6am, 9am, 12pm, 4pm, 5pm, 10pm
Then drop the 4pm pumping session and re-space to the 12am to 1pm and you’ve got the new schedule:
New Schedule: 6am, 9am, 1pm, 5pm, 10pm (each session is 24 minutes)
Hopefully, this gives you some insight about how to drop pumping sessions so that you can hook yourself up to a breast pump less often!
Thinking about weaning from the pump? No idea where to start? Worried that you’ll get a clogged duct or mastitis when you stop pumping? Grab my one-of-a-kind guide here.
References- Bonyata, Kelly, BS, IBCLC. “My breasts feel empty! Has my milk supply decreased?” https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/breast-fullness/
Comments & Chitchat
Hi Amanda! I am 3 months pp. my baby has started sleeping through the night so I have been too. I usually pump every 3 hours but haven’t pumped during the night since he’s been sleeping through the night. I usually pump twice as much as normal when I wake up. However, it seems like the rest of the day my supply is a bit lower than usual. Is this okay or should I try to wake up and pump?
Hi Lilly! Congrats on your sweet baby! I think this is really up to you. It just depends on how much you’re making, how much your baby takes, how much you want to pump for, your risk tolerance – all the things. I do think that at 3 months it’s probably pretty okay – I’m not particularly concerned. But you have to weight all that for yourself and decide if you want to wake up once a night or not. (I probably wouldn’t, in your position.) Hope that helps!
Hello! I am about 4.5 months PP and currently pump at 6 am (30 min), 10 am (20 min), 2 pm (20 min), 6 pm (20 min), and 10 pm (20 min). I would like to drop to 4 pumps per day with a schedule of 6 am, 11 am, 4 pm, and 9 pm and hopefully maintain the same supply. How would you recommend going about doing this as I can be prone to clogged ducts (cold turkey may not be the best option for me)? Thank you!
Hello,
I have a 2 month old and I’ve been pumping every 2 hours. I am now pumping more than she eats in a day. I have more supply than expected it’s almost overwhelming having to freeze so much. I am wanting to go longer stretches in between pumping. Can I just go ahead and space out the time in between pumping sessions? Or is that basically the same as dropping a Session?
Hi Meghan! I think you can space them out now for sure – every 2 hours is really frequently for 2 months, so I think every 3 hours would likely be just fine.
My LO is just over 2 months and I pump 6-7 times a day for 30 mins each session. I’d love to drop a night session (12:30 & 4:30), if possible though she’s not sleeping through the night yet. However my biggest pumps (4-6.5 oz a session) happen overnight. I average 24oz a day though she eats up to 30 at times so I already supplement. Thoughts on how to drop a pump as I head back to work in a month and want to slowly pull back.
Hi Ashley! Here’s what I would suggest! I would start with the 4:30 and then make the rest of your sessions a little longer so that your total pumping time in a day is the same to protect your supply!
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/
Good luck!
Hi Amanda!
Thanks for all of these amazing resources. Super helpful. I’m almost 5mpp and have just dropped from 7 to 6 pumping sessions per day while increasing my pumping time. I’m a just enougher. If my supply drops can I regain it by adding back a session? How long should I wait to see? Thanks!
Hi Gabby! You can try it for sure – I would add it back along with power pumping and oatmeal if you do see a drop. I would give it 2-3 weeks. Good luck!
Hi Amanda! Thanks for all your knowledge and resources. I’ve been EP for my twins since they were about two months old. I’ve always pumped when they eat, so the number of pumps has reduced with time (from 8 pumps as newborns to 4 pumps now that they are 9 months). My schedule is 7 am, 11:30 am, 4pm, and 10 pm. They are starting to eat solids but still consistently drinking 4 bottles a day. They were NICU babies, so my my milk has always been supplemented with formula and increasingly so lately, as my supply hasn’t kept up with their need. My afternoon pump is consistently producing 2 oz. total, which is less than the 50mL per baby that has been proven to provide the benefits of breast milk. I’ve been thinking about dropping this pump, since it yields such low results, but I’m worried about it reducing my already low supply. I know this is complicated. I appreciate any advice you have. I’ve made it 9 months EP so I don’t want to wean a pump too early but with the results I’m getting in the afternoon, I wonder if it’s worthwhile to continue. Thanks!!
Tamara
Hi Tamara! I really think that you could go either way – unfortunately there’s no way to know ahead of time what will happen with your supply – you kind of have to try it to see. So you have to weigh how much you want to drop that session with how upset you’d be if your supply did drop. I wish I could be more helpful, I really think it’s about a 50/50 chance either way whether you’d lose overall supply or not. Good luck!
Hi!
Thank you so much for sharing this information, it is so helpful!
I’m 11 weeks pp and am doing a 50/50 combo of nursing/pumping and formula. My baby does not transfer milk efficiently so I pump after he nurses, 8x -9x a day. I get roughly 18.5 oz (I have tried everything to increase my supply but am struggling).
Current rough schedule : 12 am, 4am, 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4 pm, 6pm, 9pm. I’d like to get down to 3-4 sessions a day but not lose the little supply I have as this current lifestyle is so hard to maintain. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
Hi Alyssa! I’m going to link to some info about triple feeding that might be helpful!
https://exclusivepumping.com/nursing-pumping-and-bottle-feeding/
Hope that helps!
Hi Amanda thank you for all of your posts, I have learned so much from you! I’m almost 5 weeks postpartum and a huge over supplier. I’m currently pumping every 3 hours during the day and every 4 hours for 3 night sessions. So 7 times a day and my sessions are 20 min every time. Roughly I get about 90oz a day and my baby is eating 28oz a day. I already have well over 1000oz in the deep freeze and I really want/need to drop sessions or stretch out my times or something. I’m a first time mom so I have no idea where to begin. I’m terrified of mastitis and terrified of the possibility of losing my supply too much but right now it’s way too much and taking up way too much space. My baby will be going to daycare 4 days a week when I start back to work the end of August and my frozen milk will be used for that. I’m hoping for her to have breastmilk for at least a year. What would you suggest I do?
Hi Baylee! I think the first thing I would do is maybe drop one session – slowly – without adding the time back like I suggest in the post. I would see how that goes and where you’re at, and then reassess. I don’t think I would do much more than that now because your supply likely hasn’t regulated yet. Then see where you are over the next month or so. Maybe things will calm down a bit with that. The problem with trying to reduce supply is that it’s hard to calibrate the reduction that you want, if you know what I mean. Good luck!!!
Hi Amanda,
My LO is almost 8months old and I do 4ppd.
He has been dropping intake since started having solids and drinks more or less about 20oz (previously 22-24oz).
I pump about 36oz.
My pump schedule is 6am/8am, 11am/2pm, 6pm/7.30pm, 10pm/11pm, depending on my two shift work schedule.
I find that I’m not able to stick to the 10pm/11pm pump because I get very tired from work and fall asleep each day at 9.30pm on the couch and end up waking up at 2 or 3 am to pump. I aim to pump til he’s 1 yo.. is it too early to drop a session to 3ppd so I can do maybe 6am,2pm,9pm and 5am,11am,5.30pm,9pm alternatively?
I saw in several different sources that dropping from 4 to 3ppd has the biggest drop in supply..how much of a drop normally that’ll be? I’m not keen on supplementing with formula, if people normally drop over 16oz then maybe I’ll keep my 4ppd. But otherwise I’d like to have a better quality sleep.
Any advice would be much appreciated!! Thanks in advance,
Priscilla
Hi Priscilla! Dropping to 3 can definitely be unpredictable. Some people don’t see a drop at all, others get their periods back and struggle. What if you respaced the 4 sessions so that the last one was at 9pm? I think going 9-6 or 9-5 is overnight is totally fine. Just a thought. You can also try three and it might be fine, it just makes me a little nervous. But do what is best for you!
Hi Amanda! Thanks for all of the great info, your site has been incredibly helpful!! When dropping a pumping session, is it best to add the lost time evenly to the remaining sessions, from a supply standpoint? I’m currently doing 7×30 mins per day and trying to drop to 6… do you think it would make a difference if I added the time back so that I did (2×30 mins, 2×35 mins, and 2×40 mins) vs. 6×35 mins? I’m hoping to maintain supply especially since I already need to supplement, but 30 mins already feels long when baby is awake! Thanks in advance!!
Hi Colleen! That’s fine, no concerns!
Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s super helpful. I have one question once you drop a pump by say merging two pumps together how do you space out the remaining pumps? For example say you’re pumping 6am, 12pm, 6pm and 12am, and I merge 6pm and 12am to say 10pm, now how do I re-space 12pm to 2pm, just move it or slowly move it by taking time as in move in increments of an hour?
Hi! You can do either. I just moved it one day but if you’re prone to clogged ducts you might find a more gradual approach works better. Hope that helps!
Amanda,
Do you have a rough time frame type guideline for when to attempt dropping pumping sessions with lower risk of losing supply (for example 8 weeks PP 7 sessions, 12 weeks PP 6 sessions)?
Thank you!
Holly
Hi Holly! I don’t have this per se but the closest I have are these schedules! These with this timeframe worked well for me!
https://exclusivepumping.com/sample-pumping-schedules/
Hi there,
I am currently 4ppd and wanting to go down to 3. Solely because I am going crazy pumping, I am done with it. However my goal is 6 months and my baby is 3 months old.
Schedule is 7am/12pm/4pm/9pm. Would you suggest I space our the pumps and cut off the 4 pm pump, chances of my supply going down? I want it to stay the same ideally. Thank you in advance!!
Hi Sarah, if you can cut out the 4pm and maybe move the 12pm back a little that might help. You’ll have the best chance of your supply staying hte same if you increase the length of the remaining three sessions so that your total pumping time in a day stays the same. Good luck!
Hi Amanda! Your website has been a valuable resource, so I firstly wanted to thank you!
I was wondering, I’m dropping from 3 pumps to 2 (1 hour evening and 1 in the morning), should I pump the whole hour or could I power pump instead? So far my
Supply has remained constant which is great.
Thanks, Rachael x
Hi Rachael! I’ve never actually tried that so I’m not sure whether just pumping for the whole hour or power pumping would be better. You could give try – would love to know how it works out!
Amanda,
Do you have a rough time frame type guideline for when to attempt dropping pumping sessions with lower risk of losing supply? When were you able to drop to 6 sessions per day?
Thank you!
Holly
Hi Amanda – your site is so helpful. Thank you! I am EPing 6 times a day for my 20 week old. I nurse her at 7am then pump 7:30, 10:30, 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30. I get about 24 ounces (+ whatever she nurses on me first thing in the morning). I have a few questions as I’m returning to work next week and would like to drop a session.
1) how can I adjust the schedule to drop the 7:30pm pump? Can I get to something like 7am, 10am, 2pm, 4:30pm, 10pm or is that too much of a change? Should I drop one pump session cold turkey then after a week or two adjust the timings of others ifs the current timings are too early or late? I have not yet gotten a clog.
2) Eventually I would like to drop to 4 sessions and eliminate the one after I nurse first thing in the morning. How should I go about this or should I keep it as most milk made in the morning?
3) If I notice a dip, I will plan to power pump the last session before bed. How long does it take to notice a dip aks will it be across all sessions or to total day output?
Thanks so much!
Hi Akari! So I would maybe train your body to go longer at night. Basically you’d do that by slowly pushing back the time you pump until you can make it through the night:
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/
Hope this helps!
Hi – thank you for all you do to help us mamas! I need your help 🙂
My son is 4 months. Schedule (5 days a week b/c of daycare): BF – 7 am, 10 – pump, 1 – pump, 4 – pump, 6 – snack BF, 7 – bottle. He is still waking up 2-3x a night to feed (working on this as he’s not always hungry- trying some CIO techniques, pacifier, etc. we will get there).
We are at 1/2 and 1/2 formula and BM (transition since last week). I need to wean from pumping now but need 1-2 more weeks of milk so I can get him onto full formula for daycare and maybe save another few bags. Trying to decide if I move down to 3 session a day OR wean all together?
there are so many components – can you help guide? I did have mastitis with my first- but not from weaning. I also am prone to clogged ducts – but do have a massager and lethicin. I can’t recall how to do this as this was a great breast feeding run for us compared to my first.
Questions:
1. Should first go to all bottles (switch the 7 am/6 pm BF) OR keep the feed sessions while I reduce pumping?
2. Should i wean all pumps OR start by reducing a pump – from 4 to 3. Ideally i was wanting to reduce the 4 pm pump – but if i give him a bottle at 6 pm – then I am going from the second pump all the way to the bedtime pump – 6 hours
3. Should i even be pumping at 8 pm if i know he’s waking for feeds at 12:30/1 and 4/5? I do feel full by the time he’s up. But, maybe I wean this one by minutes?
any info would be so helpful!
so appreciate you and this resource – it is SO SO HELPFUL! I’ve sent this along to some of my friends 🙂
Hi Amanda,
First I wanted to thank you for such an amazing blog. You are a wealth of knowledge and I would not have made it this far without the resources you provide! I am 8 weeks PP. Is that an acceptable time to consider dropping a pumping session (from 8 to 7) or is the risk of losing supply still to high?
Thank you!!!
Holly
Thanks so much Holly! I think it would be fine! 🙂
Hi, your articles have been really helpful! Though I don’t EP but doing a combination of breastfeeding and pumping during work, I find your articles still help out quite bit! I have a question about dropping a session though. Your article mentions to keep the same total length of pumping time when planning to drop a session. What if I already *max out” on my pumping time with the number of current sessions? I pump three times during the day while I work and once around midnight so I can make up for the amount that my son take to the daycare the next day. So I pump 4 times and each session is 30 min long. I have been wanting to drop the middle of the night session so I can get more sleep and/or one of the morning session because the output has decreased recently. But I’m afraid that dropping any session will impact my supply even more. And if I do drop one session, does it mean I should make the other 3 sessions 40 minutes each to get the same amount of total pumping time? Your help will be much appreciated!
Hi Jill! Hmm. I think what I might do is more the MOTN session until right before bedtime and then gradually reduce the length of that session, maybe? And see how it goes? This is a tough one!
Thanks so much for your site! I thought I posted this question a few weeks ago but can’t figure out if I did so here goes… my baby is ten weeks old and currently I pump at 8 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm, and 11 pm just before I go to bed. I also do a middle of the night pump around 4:30 AM. I go back to work in two weeks and will work in a busy ER from 11 am to 11 pm. I will NOT have time to do three pumps during my shift. I will be able to make time for two. How would you suggest I time these? Can I stick to my normal pumping schedule on my off days and just do something different on work days? I will only work ten days per month. I also really need to drop my 4:30 AM pump when I go back to work. Is there a way to make all these changes without hurting my supply? I am still only pumping 18 ounces daily so need to supplement as my baby eats 3-4 ounces 6-7 times daily.
Hi Raquel! So I would start by dropping the 4:30 – I would move it back until you can make it to 8am without any issues. Add the time from that dropped session back to your other sessions. It’s fine to have a different schedule on the days you work – I would pump right before work at like 10:30am, right after at 11pm (maybe in the car if you drive to work), and twice in the middle when you can. Keep your total time pumping the same, so you’d have longer sessions on those days. Good luck!
I’ve been using your site religiously! I am now wanting to wean off the pump. I’ve had so many issues with my elastic nipples, I think it’s time to throw in the towel. I’m 3.5wpp and am pumping 5 times a day. Highly prone to clogs. Got mastitis twice and might be having it again. I pump at 12:30am, 5:30am, 10:30am, 3:30pm, 8pm. I only make about 5-6 oz total per session. I was previously trying to wean but stayed at 5ppd when I saw how manageable it was. What do you recommend for weaning, so I won’t get clogs? I’ve been good so far but the flanges are acting up again and I’m using different ones to see what works, I keep going back and forth between different ones. So now I potential clog at the base of my nipple because I think I injured it. I’m also taking sunflower lechitin.
Hi Kay! I would do it really slowly. Here’s an explanation, let me know if you have any questions. And good luck!
https://exclusivepumping.com/weaning-from-the-pump/
Hi,
Thank you so much for all of this information. I am a bit torn on what to do next as I am trying to drop my 12am session. I am 15 wks pp and pumping 8 times a day (9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm, 12am, 2am, 6am).
I just recently moved from 9pm to 10pm but want to drop my 12am. Because there are only 2 hours on either side of the 12am would I just space it out to pump at 1215, 1230 etc until my 2am? Or just until 1am and then push the extra hour? Just seems too close to pump an hour or less before the next session. Thank you!
Hi Laura! Are you prone to clogged ducts at all? If not, I think you could be okay just making the change cold turkey.
Hi,
Yes I get them occasionally but taking lecithin already. I keep sleeping through my midnight session though so wondering if my body is telling me it will be ok. If I don’t drop it cold turkey any recommendation?
Hi Amanda!
Your information is so helpful! I have used this site for ALL of my research EPing and being a first time mom. I make short term goal so that I don’t overwhelm myself, but my ultimate goal is to make it to a year. My little one will be 5 months at the end of this months and I have been at 6 pumps per day for the past few months since he started sleeping through the night. I was wondering what the best way to drop to 5 pumps per day would be without losing ozs? My current schedule is 6am, 9am, 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm (25 min sessions). I work from 8-5 so three of my pumps during the day are at work. I would really like to drop the 6 pm pump to have more time with my baby and husband. I most consistently make about 36-38 a day with my little guy eating 30-32 oz a day so I do have extra that I am freezing but I’m hoping to save that for later on incase I can’t keep up once we get closer to the end of our EPing journey
Hi Amy! I think this should be fine. Can you move the 3pm back to 4pm? If so, I would do that and add 5 minutes to each session and you should be good. Good luck!
Hi Amanda!
Thank you for all this amazing info. I am currently trying to wean from EPing. My daughter is almost 12 weeks old and I know this process can be a little long so wanted to start now. I have been slowly pushing my time back from every 3 hours and I am currently at 3 hrs and 45 minutes. I take lecithin because anytime I move it I’ll get clogs so I usually pump until I get those out because I’ve had mastitis before and want to avoid it at all cost. But my schedule is all over the place since I am pushing each session to 3hrs and 45 minutes. I get up twice during the night and to pump and would love to drop one of those pumps. But my question is, is do you recommend leaving all my pumps at 3 hours 45 minutes and just focusing on adjusting my one night pump to drop or is it still productive to continue to space out all my pumps so eventually they overlap and I start reducing from 7ppd to none? Hope I explained it well, thanks again for any advice you have this process has been a lot of learning and trying to navigate it all.
Hi Victoria! I would start with the middle of the night pumps first, leave the daytime ones the same. Then once those are gone work on the day time ones. Hope that helps!
Hi Amanda! Thank you for all the amazing information you post here. I’ve been exclusively pumping for 3 months and a half and I’m ready to start weaning and dropping sessions. I do 7ppd (20 min each) every 3 hours except at night when I do it every 4-4.5 hrs. I’ve been trying to drop sessions for the past month but have had several clogs. A lactation consultant last week recommended I drop one session at a time cold turkey and then if I don’t get clogged ducts in a week, drop another one and so on. After dropping a session last week (from 8 to 7) I got a clog so had to go back to 8ppd for a day until the clog resolved. I’m now afraid I’m stuck and will get clogs and won’t ever be able to stop pumping. What would you advice? Should I start by dropping 5 minutes on the session I want to drop? How long should I wait to drop another 5 minutes and once I drop that particular session, how long until I can start dropping another one? Also, if I get a clog, how long do I need to wait to continue with the drops? And finally, will I need to arrange my schedule so the sessions are more evenly spaced or can I just have a break of 6 hours in between two sessions? Sorry I realize these are many questions but would love your advice. Thanks!!
Hi Lucia! I think dropping 5 minutes at a time is a good plan. I think dropping 5 minutes every day should work, but see how you feel. I would consider taking lecithin to avoid clogs and I would definitely rearrange your sessions. Hope that helps!
Thanks for your reply Amanda! I got your weaning ebook and after reading it, I decided it would be better to space out my sessions further apart so I can empty my breasts at every session. I’m so afraid of getting clogs that I’ll start moving sessions by 15 min, staying there 3 days and then moving on. Again, thank you so much for all the info, I wouldn’t know how to go about all this without it 🙂
My baby is 1 year old and I am currently pumping 3 times a day (7a, 2pm, 10pm). She has been weaning from the bottle herself. How can I safely move to 2ppd (7a, 7p)? I have had mastitis in the past. I have a small supply of frozen BM but feel with how much she is now eating, I will be okay dropping a pump.
Hi Carla! Are you taking lecithin at all? It might not be a bad idea to prevent clogs/mastitis. I would recommend dropping the 2pm gradually (reducing time or volume pumped). I hope that helps!
Hi there!
I dropped a few sessions slowly, went from 7 to now 4. At first production stayed about the same and increased a bit. Now it seems that my milk supply as dropped quite a bit. I would like to keep to 4-5 sessions to keep my sanity but not sure how to bring back up supply and maintain with only 4-5 pumps. Schedule is 8am, 1pm, 6pm, 12am (sometimes will pump at 4am). Would love your advice/ opinion. Thanks!
Hi Cam! How long are your pumping sessions now and how were long were they before? Also how old is your baby? Thanks!
Hi again, my pumping sessions were 15 mins and then 20 mins during less frequent pumping. Baby is 2.5 months but her adjusted age is 5 weeks (she’s a preemie).
Thanks!
Hi Amanda, my daughter is 7 months and I make more milk than needs. My milk has a high lipase level so I don’t freeze much. I current pump 4x per day when she sleeps at 9am, 2pm, 7pm & 3 am. I’d love to drop the middle of the night pump but I’m not sure how to space out the remainder of the pumps. Can you help?
Hi Lindsay! I would so something like 7am, 2pm, 10pm. OR if you wanted to keep 4 sessions, I would do something like 7am, 12pm, 5pm, 10pm. Hope that helps!
This is my 2nd time EPing, and I’m really struggling with dropping from 5ppd to 4ppd. I’m trying to go from a 3a/7a/12p/5p/10:30p schedule to 5a/11a/5p/11p one, but my first attempt was a disaster- my boobs woke me up at 3am and I could not go back to sleep. By 4:30am I felt nauseated, sick, and like I was going to explode! I also noticed that milk was barely flowing when I finally did give up and pump. I got 12.5oz in 45 minutes, but I’m certain my boobs weren’t empty and it took a ton of coaxing. I take lecithin and do hands on pumping, and I also checked out the post on how to pump faster. What can I do? I’m terrified I’m going to get mastitis, and I feel like I have milk up to my eyeballs as I approach 5 hrs between pumps. The 1st time I EPed, I broke all the rules on when to drop pumps because I was losing my mind. I came down to 4ppd from 5wpp-8mpp with ~27opd, 3ppd from 8mpp-11mpp, and 2ppd from 11mpp until weaning at 1 year. Supply was consistent throughout that time. This time I wanted more of an opd cushion and I’ve been on 5ppd since 3wpp (now 8wpp) with ~45opd. Did I screw myself over by pushing supply and can I not drop pumps now? I’m really worried as I’m going back to work in a few weeks, and it seems like I either need to keep the MOTN pump (boo!) or somehow find a way to get an unreasonably long pump break to empty completely. What would you do?
Btw- love this site. It was a lifesaver when I was EPing the 1st time, and I still come back to it!
Hi Michelle! Congrats on EPing for your second baby! Are you trying to switch schedules cold turkey? We might have to do more of a gradual switch to train your body to adjust to the new schedule. Let me know where you’re at now and I’ll see if I can help!
There’s no “reply” link under your note, so I’m replying here! I stretched to 5.5 hrs between a lot of my pumps, then attempted to switch to the 4ppd schedule. I ended up with mastitis symptoms earlier this week pretty much immediately as soon as I tried the 11p to 5a stretch for the first time. That next day’s pumps were all the outputs I expected, but then overnight my supply tanked down to about half of what I normally would expect. It’s such a mind game to go from too much of a supply and engorgement to now, where there’s nowhere near where it should be. I have a toddler and the 8wk old, and I’m really questioning whether this is worth it to do a second time. I’m not sure how many times to pump now that supply looks like it’s bottoming out given that 12 hours ago it was overkill. 2020 really is the worst year ever. 🙁
Hmm. Maybe you could try doing 5 sessions, but during the day so you can sleep? Did you increase the length of the remaining sessions so that your total pumping time in the day stayed the same?
Hi Amanda and fellow pumpers! I have an 7.5 month old baby and recently dropped to 4 ppd. My previous schedule was 7 am, 10:30 am, 2:30 pm, 6 pm, and 10:30 pm for about 35 min each. With my schedule change, I have been pumping at 7 am, 12 pm, 5 pm, and 10:30 pm. I’ve noticed I need to pump much longer (think 45-55 min) to feel empty. I’m also thinking that I am currently coming down with mastitis again. For reference, I no longer track but would estimate I made about 35 oz per day at 5 ppd and more like 30 oz now. I am most concerned about coming up with a schedule that is more sustainable and staying mastitis free. Do your think I might be better served by sticking with 5 ppd but maybe gradually reducing my pump time to more like 20 min?
Hi Jenny! I would see if there is a way we can speed up your pumping sessions. Have you tried any of these ideas?
https://exclusivepumping.com/pump-breast-milk-faster/
Hi Amanda, I couldn’t figure out how to reply to you directly. I have used that post quite a bit and it was a huge help to me. The things that have been most helpful are compressions followed be lecithin and heat/vibration.
Hello my baby is 5 weeks old I go back to work in 2 weeks I currently pump 7 times a day for 30-40 minutes and make a little over 4 ounces at each session my pumping schedule is 1:30 am 7:30 am 10:30 am 1:30 pm 4:30 pm 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm how can I rearrange my schedule without risking a decrease in my supply I would like to change it to 6am so I pump right before work and then work from there and maybe drop another session so I don’t pump that many times while at work I work from 8:15-5pm
I mistakenly am pumping 4 hrs a day, i know exhausting…my baby is 14 weeks already…im pumping 8x a day 30 mins…I used to pump 20 mins, and was trying to build supply by power pumping and increasing pump time to signal my body to make more…now, everytime the 20 minute hits there’s more let down so i continue til empty…i am super ready to sleep more…i make 50 oz a day and am scared it will reduce to half if i pump 2 hrs a day total…
Question:
1. Should i decrease the minutes first of my pumping sessions before dropping a pump?
2. Should i just try dropping a pump which method would work best you think? Should u keep the 4 hr a day? Huhu im exhausted to say the least…
Hi Christine! I would slowly reduce the length of your sessions a bit. So cut 5 minutes off one session and see how it goes, then after a few days, repeat with another, and so on. I talk more about this here, hope it’s helpful!
https://exclusivepumping.com/120-minute-rule/
I want to drop my middle of the night pump and go down to 4 per day, but that would mean I’d go about 8-9 hours without pumping. Would that be ok? I’ve only gotten one clog but I don’t want to get more!
Hi Stephanie! How old is your baby?
Hi Amanda, thank you so much for creating this guide it truly helped me as a FTM of twins. They’re approaching their 4 month birthday and I would like to start dropping sessions. I’m currently following your 10ppd schedule (12 am, 3am, 6am, 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 7pm, 10pm) and pumping at 25mins per session. Not really particular on which ones I drop but I want to start getting into the routine of dropping. I honestly don’t mind taking it slow, I’m just not sure on where to start. I’m concern about supply dipping but I’ll power pump if it gets too the point where I’m not producing enough. My overall goal is to spend more time with my twins as they’re growing and of course more sleep. Thank you in advance for your suggestions!
Hi Jacqueline! Congrats on your sweet twins! I would start with either the 12am or 3am – whichever is more annoying to you. I would follow the steps in this post for dropping middle of the night sessions. Good luck!
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/
How often do you think is safe to drop sessions? Just dropped from 8 to 7 a week ago with no change in supply (thank goodness !) but going back to work in 3 weeks and would ideally like to be @ 5 or 6 ppd. Thanks so much for the wealth of knowledge !!!
Hi Gladys! Ideally I would wait 3 weeks before dropping another session. Sounds like that will work for you!
Thank you so much for this helpful resource!!! My baby is 9mo and I’m currently pumping 4x (120 min) getting about 40-48oz.. my baby only takes about 24oz. Do you think I could try to drop to 3 sessions of 40 min? I haven’t started my period back and I know there’s a natural decrease that happens with that, but I’ve also heard dropping to 3 can be a supply killer. Would love some advice!
Hi Allison! I think it depends on how long you want to pump (I’m guessing a year?), your risk tolerance (how would you feel if your supply crashed?) and how much you want to drop to 3 sessions (are you losing your mind?)
My guess is that it would be okay, you’d see a drop but still have enough for baby. But it’s impossible to tell until you try it. I wish I could give you a more clear answer!
Hi Allison 🙂
I’ll share my experience. My baby is 8mo. I dropped from 4 to 3 ppd a month ago and haven’t had any change in supply, even though my period returned 8 days after the drop. I was pumping 35-38 oz/day and still am.
I pump 40 min/session to total 120 min. I also take 3600 mg lecithin/day because I’m very prone to plugged ducts and had just recovered from mastitis before dropping the 4th session.
You might have a drop in supply, but I don’t believe it will be drastic. If your goal is 1 yr, you should be fine. My goal is 18 mo, but if my supply drops drastically after 1 yr, I won’t be too upset because baby’s breastmilk intake typically drops after turning 1 anyway.
Hope you find this helpful and things go well for you and baby 🙂
Maryam
Hi! I’m currently just under 2 weeks postpartum. I think I produce a lot of milk..about 4 ounces every 3 hours. My baby takes anywhere from 1-2 ounces a feed. We have a little stash going in our fridge but I’m worried that it’ll go bad before we get to some of it. So I’m wondering if it’s a good idea to reduce my pumping schedule at this time. Ideally I don’t want to start a freezer stash just yet and would love to get more sleep time. I basically just pump whenever she feeds.
Your website is amazing! But I just couldn’t find anything to help me with this specific question. Thanks so much!!
Hi Heidi, I wouldn’t reduce too much as it’s likely your supply hasn’t regulated yet. I wasn’t pumping as much as I should have been when mine did and I saw a pretty significant drop (though that won’t happen for everyone, it’s just why I’m cautious). I would maybe not pump at one of baby’s feedings at night so you can get more sleep but make sure your total pumping time per day is 120 minutes or so. Also I would freeze the extra milk. Congrats on your 2 week old!
What do you mean by regulate? And when does that typically occur? I’ve heard other moms mention this as well
Hi Heidi! Here is more info:
https://exclusivepumping.com/when-is-milk-supply-established/
Let me know if you have any questions!
Hello!
I was wondering how soon after dropping a pump I would notice a decrease in my supply. My 8, almost 9 week old has slowly been sleeping longer at night, so my pumps have gotten more spaced out over the last 2 weeks. I haven’t noticed a change in my supply yet.
Thanks!
Hi Liz! Usually within 2-3 weeks!
Hi Amanda,
My Daughter it’s almost 4 months and I recently dropped a pumping session. I went from 6 to 5. I have added the pumping time from the dropped pump to my existing pumps. Since going to 5 pumps my supply has dropped quite a bit as a result approximately 1-2 ounces per session. Will my supply continue to drop? Will I need to pump 6 times a day again to bring it back up ?
Thank you!
Hi Lindsay! So sorry you’re dealing with this, so stressful! I think I would add the session back and see what happens. That, or try making one of your sessions into a power pumping session. Good luck!
Thank you so much for creating such an informative site!! It’s been so helpful since the little one was born this Feb. I’m not a huge producer so building and maintaining supply was rough in the beginning! I have a few questions that I hope don’t seem like a silly (maybe I’m just overthinking the process):
1. If we add the dropped session times to the rest of our pumps, does that mean we continue to add on in the future (not killing supply, maintaining but sleeping for sanity)? For example, I’m currently pumping 8 times a day for 20 mins. Does that mean by the time I change to pump 3 times a day, I’ll be pumping for 50ish minutes per session (if that’s the case, will that be a problem since I keep seeing here and there that pumping sessions shouldn’t go longer than 30 mins)?
2. My current 8 pump schedule is 12a, 4a, 7a, 10a, 12a, 3p, 6p, 9p. I want to drop one of the late night ones (either 12a or 4a) but since the gap is a bit big, I’m not sure how to adjust the schedule into a 7 pump. What would you suggest the schedule to look like?
3. Not a question but thank you for recommending the lactation massager!!
Hi Katie! Thank you so much!
For #1 – yes, UNTIL you start weaning and aren’t concerned with maintaining your milk supply. So if that’s too long (I can understand how it would be!) I wouldn’t drop to 3 sessions until you’re ready to start weaning.
For #2 – I think I would drop the 4 and move the 7am up to 6am or the 12am back to 1am – whichever is easier for your schedule. Then you can test putting it back where it was after a few days if everything’s going well!
#3 – so glad you like it!
Hi Amanda,
I read your blog when I had my first baby and was exclusively pumping, and again now that I’ve had my second and exclusively pumping again. I’m an oversupplier (I get about 65-70 ounces a day), so I’m building a freezer stash for the little one, in hopes of getting him to a year on breast milk and being able to stop pumping in a few months. Here’s my question- I’m currently pumping 4 times a day (4:30, 10:30, 4:30, and 10:30), but would like to work on dropping my pumps. What would you suggest in going from 4 pumps a day to 3 (since I’m an oversupplier and I’ve had a bout with mastisis)? Ideally, I would like to be at 2 pumps a day by August (if that gives you a time frame that I’m looking at).
Thanks in advance!
Hi Andrea! Quick question – when you drop from 4 to 3, will you be trying to maintain your supply or starting to wean? Also, how did weaning go the last time? Did your supply drop suddenly at any point? Thanks!
I’m planning on weaning. When I dropped from 5 pumps to 4 pumps, I added extra time on to my 4 pumps per day, so there really wasn’t a supply drop. The only supply drop that I’ve experienced was from mastitis.
Again, thanks in advance.
Okay cool! I think I would try to get to 3 sessions about 8 hours apart. So maybe like 10:30, plus the 4:30 back to 6:30, and then a 2:30. Or whatever you think, that’s just an example. Are you taking lecithin at all?
Hi! I’m currently pumping every 4 hours or less. My baby is approaching 12 weeks old & my milk supply is double what she eats per pump (around 8-10 oz per pump). I’ve had mastitis repeatedly. I’d love to drop a session during the middle of the night to get decent sleep, but am fearful mastitis will set in again. Any tips? Thanks so much!
Hi Abby! If you’re not taking lecithin already, I would consider it. I’ll put a link on tips for slowly dropping the MOTN session below!
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/
I cannot recommend lecithin enough, as Amanda said. I also produced more milk (yay for freezer storage for milk after I weaned off pumping) and I guess somewhat fattier milk because I had tons of clogged ducts. I started lecithin multiple times per day, plus some Vitamin C and it completely changed my clogs. When I got clogs (usually from missing Lecithin) they were smaller and easier to clear out because of the Lecithin.
Hey Amanda! I currently have a 6 week old, I’m about to go back to work. My pumping schuedule is 6am 9am 12pm 3pm 6pm and 12am… I already dropped the 3am but I was wondering if I could drop the 12am session. I do want to get more sleep before I go back to work I already have a hard time with my newborn not sleeping at night. Please I need your help lol
Hi Nadia! Do you have a 9pm session? If so, I think that’s probably fine. 🙂 There is always a risk but sleep is important when you’re going back to work.
Hi Amanda – Your blog has been amazing throughout my EP journey, thank you so much for the wealth of information! I have a specific question I was hoping you could answer – I am trying to drop my 3 am pumping session now that my baby is sleeping through the night and I am heading back to work soon. My new schedule will be 6 am, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm, 10 pm.
At my 3 am session, I typically get another letdown around the 20-22 minute mark, therefore have been pumping anywhere from 25-30 minutes until I see that the letdown has ended. I am very prone to clogged ducts/mastitis so I am worried to start reducing time which would result in me ending the session during the middle of my last letdown. Do you have any recommendations for this? Thank you!
Hi Eileen! Congrats on your baby! Are you taking lecithin at all for the clogs? You might want to drop it by pushing it back rather than reducing time. I have a post that describes better how to do it, I’ll link to it. 😊
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/
Hi! I am one of your Instagram followers and I can say that between a couple different EP accounts (Sandy and pump momma pump) I found soooo much support that I absolutely needed through my EP experience. I’m a FTM and quickly decided to exclusively pump in the hospital due. I had no idea how limited the resources were but really actually feel very supported. So thank you!!
My comment/question is..do you know if this increase in supply from 5 to 4 pumps is a thing?! I’m experiencing it too! Granted, I’m on day 3 of a cold turkey drop so idk if I should expect it to regulate to less in a couple weeks but before I was producing close to 30 everyday and now I’ve hit 35 all three days! I’m just so surprised. That’s what brought me here. My LO will be six months here shortly and the 5 pumps was just getting too much for me. The relief of the dropping of just that one pump has made me feel so much better day to day. I feel proud I made it as far as I did with the 5! I plan on staying with 4 for awhile now.
Thanks again for all the support!
Hi Sam! Oh that’s so funny! I think maybe it has to be with being more relaxed and less stressed? I don’t think it happens for everyone, but I’m glad it happened for you too!!
Hi Amanda!
Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of information on pumping ; it’s an invaluabe resource! I am a FTM & I EP because of nursing issues and having to take a bottle so early due to jaundice and lethargy. I went down to 4 ppd 5 days ago & haven’t noticed a change in output yet, but now I am wondering if I should go back up to 5 and wait a little longer to drop the 5th. My baby is 11 weeks & I plan to EP till he is 18 months. I’ve been pumping 35-42 oz for the past 25 days & freezing an average of 10 oz per day. Baby never takes 30 oz and is gaining well. I am worried about maintaining supply till 18 months, especially since I can get pregnant when he is 15 months. What do you recommend?
Thanks in advance!
Maryam
Hi Maryam! Congrats on your sweet baby! I think I would stay at 5 ppd until 6 months with a goal of 18 months. It will just have a better chance of protecting supply long term. 😊
Thank you, Amanda! I will certainly go back to 5 ppd and stay that way! It seems that my right breast can’t handle consistently pumping only 4 times/day at my current output. After a week of 4 ppd, it developed a large milk blister & multiple plugged ducts, which was agonizing 🙁 My new schedule is 7 am, 12 pm, 5 pm, 10 pm, 2-3 am (depending on when my baby wakes up).
Maryam
Oh no! That sounds terrible. 5ppd sounds like a good plan then!
Hi Amanda,
Your website is SO helpful and practical and saving my sanity knowing there is light at the end of the pumping tunnel – thanks! My question: How do I approach sequencing if I have a two-prong goal to 1) pump less frequently during the day and 2) drop MOTN pump?
I’m 8 weeks pp and currently pump 7 sessions, 10 min each, at 3 hours apart: 6a, 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, and MOTN 2a. My longest stretch between pumps has been 4.5 hours. I originally had 8 sessions with 2 in the MOTN and it took me about a month: 2 bouts mastitis/clogged ducts, to drop it Using a reduction in time method by 1 min/day since I’m already at only 10 min. For context I have a serious oversupply (I pump about 60-70 oz/day and enough freezer stash to feed the UN. So I’m not worried about a reduction in supply – only about clogged ducts/mastitis.
I don’t see spacing out all sessions as an option anywhere – is this because it’s too drastic? For example moving a schedule from every 3 hours to every 4 hours and staying there until clogged ducts don’t seem to be an issue. (6a, 10, 2, 6p, 10p, 2a) and then once “in the clear” work on dropping the 2a pump. I like this in theory because it pushes the last pump of the day From 9p to 10p – closer to 2a. Or should the sequence be drop MOTN pump and then try to space out the day later?
Thanks so much!
Hi Daniece! Congrats on your baby!
I think that is a good plan – spacing to every four hours and then once you feel comfortable, dropping the 2am. I think that should work well! When you drop the 2am, I might drop that by pushing it back to 6am to kind of train your body to go longer.
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/
I hope this helps! Good luck!
Hi Inga,
I’ve successfully dropped to 2 pumping sessions. 9am and 8pm. 1 to 1.5hr for each session. My baby have 2 feeding of powered milk between 11pm to 6am. Not sure if I can pump 2-3hrs to reduce to 1 session to sustain the milk supply. Do you think so?
Hi I would like to drop pumping to 1 session a day.. preferably between 5-6am. Is that possible? I’m currently on 3pm, 7pm, 12am, 4am (I tend to skip this session and ended up having clogged duct), 10am.
Hi Faith! You can slowly drop sessions to get there, yes. My only concern is that I found one pumping session per day to be a supply killer for me.
Hello, I currently pump 6 times a day (6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm, 2am) for 20 minutes a session. I would like to drop 2am session but do no think my breasts can handle such a long window. I currenly like my schedule because it nicely fit my work but could shift it. I only require to pump 6am which is right before I leave for work. What would be a best way to skip 2am session? My tired brain do not caclculate right lol 🙂
Hi Inga,
I would slowly push it back until you get close enough to 6am that you can drop it. Here is more info 🙂
https://exclusivepumping.com/drop-middle-of-the-night-pumping-sessions/