Do you still pump for your toddler?

[tny915]

We still nurse on demand when I'm home (morning, before each nap and bedtime) but I've been very slowly cutting out the bottles of milk for dd on the days I work. We're down to 1 4 ounce bottle a day when I work, so I'm still pumping. My plan was to cut out that last bottle when she started drinking more cow's milk or soy milk, but apparently she only likes milk from the boob.

Lately I've gotten a lot of "you're still doing that?" comments at work. So just wondering if anyone out there is still pumping?

[hez]

I might be wrong, but Shannon (sntm) might still be...

I pretty much stopped (sort of by accident) before the holidays. DS's taking between a 25/75 to 50/50 mix of EBM/cow's milk at the sitter's (in a sippy now-- yay!), so I'm just using up my freezer stash, and letting him nurse on demand on the weekends and evenings/overnight. So far, so good.

Good job on pumping so long-- it's kind of a neat feeling to look back at what you've been able to accomplish!!!

[tny915]

Hey Heather,
Did you ds take to the BM/cow's milk mix right away? I was considering doing a mix to make the cow's milk more appetizing to my dd, but I'd hate to waste the BM if she doesn't like it...

[sntm]

I pumped until 18 1/2 months, and mostly stopped just because he doesn't drink much milk at daycare (prefers water) and I still had a freezer stash. In fact, I sent my third-to-last frozen bag today.

I still keep my pump at work as a just-in-case, and will almost certainly have it around when I go back into the hospital in July, since my hours may keep me from him.

I've gotten a couple of questions, too, but they were mostly innocent. I just smile, say "yup", and if they ask more questions, remind them that the American Association (Academy? can't remember) of Family Practioners and the WHO recommend a minimum of 2 years of breastfeeding. You can also remind them of that slow tapering is preferable to prevent the risk of mastitis. I also answer any specific questions they have -- yes, he's had cow's milk. Yes, he still nurses also.
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shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03
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Breastfeeding 19 months and count

[hez]

We started with a 75/25 mix of EBM/cow's milk. It took a few tries. Start with small amounts at home-- maybe an ounce total, and then you won't feel like you're wasting it. Once he was willing to take the small amounts, we sent one of his bottles to the sitter's set up that way, and have gradually been working it to the higher ratio of cow's milk. We try 100% cow's milk at home occasionally, but it doesn't yet get the response the mix does!

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I pumped until she was 14 months and had enough freezer stash to go another month. By then she was able to tolerate cow's milk, so that is what she gets during the day. She still nurses in the morning, after work, and before bed.

It's funny. I look back now and think "she was still just a baby at 14 months!" but at the time she seemed like such a big girl to me. :)

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
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[tny915]

Wow, I'm impressed by the volume of freezer stash you've all been able to keep. I was good with replenishing my stash when dd was younger, but then I got lazy with that extra pump-for-the-stash session before bed in favor of getting more sleep. I'm down to my last 2 bags now and they've each got a measly 3 ounces in them.

Thanks all for the responses!

[HallsofVA]

My son's now 12 1/2 months old, and I've been trying to get him converted over to whole milk during the day so I can stop pumping. For the past 2-3 weeks, he's been getting 2 4oz bottles that are 1/2 BM & 1/2 Whole milk, and 4oz of whole milk in a sippy cup (though he may not drink it all) during the day while I'm at work. We haven't had any problems with him drinking the milk combination, but he's a bit more hesistant with the straight milk, especially when it's cold and in a sippy cup. (Too many differences at once, I think). Warmed or in a bottle works much better.

When I can pump, I still try (though output is frustratingly disappointing), but no longer stress out if I can't get it in, or can only pump once vs. twice. He's shown that he will drink straight whole milk when needed. I still have some bags in the freezer and have started to alternate them with whatever I've pumped in the prior days. Hopefully I'll be done pumping in the coming weeks.

Regarding the comments, I've been getting those since my son was 6 months old (since none of my friends or neighbors seemed to stick w/BF'ing) so I just smile and say "Yep!"

[mudder17]

Well, DD's not quite a toddler yet--only 11.5 months old. But I'm still pumping, and in fact, rented a hospital pump last month for 6 weeks so that I could increase my supply. Sometimes the pump in style is frustrating because I can only pump about 4 oz a day (vs. 8-10 with the hospital pump), and I want to go back to the hospital pump. I use the 4 oz for making cereal and she nurses the rest of the time. I am thinking that I will start making her cereal with BM/whole milk mixtures initially, until I'm able to make the cereal completely with whole milk (I'll keep on trying to pump 4 oz a/day). I'm not really all that anxious for her to convert, beause I'm afraid the more whole milk she drinks, the less she will nurse and my supply will go back down. I do have a freezer stash of several days worth (I severely depleted my stock during my illness), so I want to continue pumping. Right now, if DD wakes up in the middle of the night hungry, DH will give her a sippy of 4 oz of soy milk, which she seems to like. That's the only time I don't pump or nurse because I don't want my boobs to get used to producing in the night (since most nights she sleeps straight through).

And while I've gotten the "you're still doing that?" comments, my hospital LC congratulated me because I was renting a pump at 10 months, and she said only 10% of the people who start out nursing in their hospital are still nursing at 12 months. Most quit after 6 months, 3 months, or 8 weeks. It was nice to hear a "You go girl!" :)


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 11 months and counting

[lmintzer]

Joshua is also a Nov. 2003 baby, and I still pump 1x/day on the 3 days that I work. I thought about stopping since he takes soy milk from a bottle without the slightest problem (he has a milk protein allergy, so that's why we do soy). For a boy who initially hated bm in a bottle, I was surprised how easily he took to the soy. We had dh try a bottle when I was home (just soy without bm mixed in--I didn't want to run the risk of wasting bm because we had no spare!), and he just took it. Joshua was 11 1/2 months at the time. I had completely run out of freezer stash and I could no longer keep up with him at this point. So we had to do something. So, now, pumping is much less stressful, because it doesn't really matter how much I produce. The main reason I'm keeping it up is because I've always had a somewhat low supply, and I don't want to run the risk of losing my milk entirely.

Joshua may be in the early stages of weaning, but I want weaning to be driven by him and not by my low supply. To be honest, I probably would have stopped pumping if it wasn't for supply issues. It's a real hassle for me (finding a private space).

Right now, I'm only able to get 4 oz during my work pump (down from a high of 7). I worry that he may not be getting enough when nursing, but I try to remind myself that he probably gets more than I can pump when nursing (he is exhibiting some strange nursing behavior, though--pulling off after just a minute until I switch sides--my little hot potato).

Sorry to ramble. Just wanted to say that you aren't alone. I have a few colleagues who (I think) think it's a little strange that I still pump, but frankly, I don't care. Joshua is a still a baby to me (he was born a month early and still is a little guy with a peach head and big baby eyes). : )

[sntm]

Lisa, I think the strange nursing behavior is just toddler nursing behavior! Jack always has definite preferences about "that side" and "other side".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]
Breastfeeding 19 months and count