Will this hurt my milk supply?

I'm going to be going back to work soon so I need to start pumping.
The problem? I only seem to get an oz or 2 each time I pump at night.
So I was wondering if I only let my son nurse from one breast during the night then pump from the other when its full, would this hurt my supply any?
I would switch breast. So if one night he nursed from the left and I pumped from the right the night time I would nurse him from the right and pump on the left.
Can I do this without hurting my supply any?
Thanks.

If you don't get much milk when you pump, try pumping from one breast as you feed your baby from the other - that always worked for me. This won't hurt your supply, it will increase it.

Also, you could try squeezing an extra feed or two in each day, before you return to work - for example - instead of feeding your child every 4 hours, pick him up and feed him every 3 hours for the next few days, plus give him a dream feed (without waking him up) just before you go to bed at night.

This way, you are getting one or two extra feeds in a day and your milk supply will increase.

Pumping should be easier, you'll have more milk - there will be more pumped milk for when you can't be there to feed your baby yourself.

I think that would work just fine. It won't hurt your supply. Remember that your breasts produce on a supply and demand basis. The more breast milk that comes out, either by the baby or pumping, the more that will be made. If you did not pump at all during the day, now that would hurt your supply. Your breasts will think, "Hey we don't need to be making any more milk. It's not being used." content from pregnancy question and answersRenting&RealEstate

I had major issues with my supply after I returned to work. I pumped twice a day and nursed on my lunch break. I could only get 3 oz out of BOTH at a time. My daughter had to be given formula at daycare after the milk I brought ran out.

1 or 2 ounces is great! NO supply problem there! Most moms feel like they get more milk if they pump on one side while feeding on the other.

you should pump the other side while your son is eating. each breast needs to be emptied 8 times per 24 hours and if you let it go all night, your supply will suffer.

you need to keep nursing your baby on both sides. a pump doesnt get out as much as the baby can so the amount your pumping can be deceiving so dont go by that. breastmilk is supply and demand. the more you nurse the msre youll make. just nurse him and pump like an hr later and then your body will make more thinking it needs to make cuz your baby is requiring it. so then you can freeze that milk that you just pumped and then your body will make more by the time your baby wants to eat again. you can always supplement a little formula if you dont have enough stored that your baby can eat while your working. as long as you dont supplement a feeding from you when your with your baby and that you still pump while at work then your milk supply wont go down. its also a difference with different babies. your body makes what that specific baby requires. with my 1st baby i went back to work when she was 8wks old and when id pump id only get like 1-2 oz on each side as well. even if i waited 4 hrs to pump. so i had to have formula for her when i worked but NEVER gave it to her when i was with her. my son on the other hand, id pump and get 4 oz on each side! he was 2 lbs bigger at birth than her and simply required more. GL and get a hold of a lactation consultant if you have more questions.

breastfed 3 babies over a yr.