We use the Motif Medical Luna. And, yes!

Our insurance plan had a shortlist of breast pumps that they would cover the full cost of, and after researching each option, my husband and I decided on the Luna!

Like their tagline and most reviewers claim, I would agree that the Luna gives us “More Milk in Less Time®.” This factor was especially important to me, since I knew I would be returning to work.

Other features that I love: it is fairly quiet! And, it has an ambient light option for those late-night pumping sessions.

Right now, our answer is: three times.

I pump at 6:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. The twelve-hour stretch overnight seems daunting, but it is actually rather manageable!

Prior to this schedule, at the beginning of our journey, I was pumping up to ten times per day to build my supply. I was able to gradually cut down on the number of sessions (slightly decreasing my daily output each time), and am currently planning out how I can get us down to two sessions.

As expected, it was difficult. We knew from day one that I would be going back to work, and with that knowledge we had a list of “musts:”

1. Pumping is a priority, no matter what. I would honor my pumping schedule and make sure that I took those breaks during the work day.

2. Photos of our baby girl—both displayed in my office and sent via text from daycare—throughout the day were a necessity. (Being away from our little one is hard, but knowing that she is in the best hands and having fun is the reassurance and motivation we need to get through the work week).

3. If it became too difficult—either mentally or physically—we could stop and transition to formula. After all, fed is best!

Yes and no! We keep a daily journal of how much our daughter eats on a daily basis, and we’ve noticed that—even though she is eating three fruit/veggie/grain/meat meals per day—she is still consuming about the same amount of mama’s milk each day! We were not expecting that, but we are glad to see it. For us, at ten months, the demand has yet to be affected.

As for the supply—there are a lot of factors affecting us. Being back to work full time, pumping less frequently, and the return of my menstrual cycle have caused a slight dip in supply compared to what I was producing while I was on maternity leave and our daughter was nursing. Whenever we encounter a day where our daughter is drinking the milk faster than I can make it, we are thankful for the stash of frozen milk we were able to tuck away during those months of oversupply!