Should I stop pumping at this point?

[PGTB]

DS is 10 months and I've been BFing him without needing to supplement so far (with the exception of the 1st month of his life).

Since solids introduction at 6.5 months DS has been weaning from the bottle of EBM. He started taking EBM mixed with oatmeal really well for 2 months, but then he stopped eating cereal and taking any EBM. He can sometimes drink up to 4 oz per day on a good day, but usually it's an ounce here and there if that. Basically, he is taking all his BM with mommy - reverse cycling - nursing morning/evening/every 2 hours at night and sometimes a bit during the day if I am home.

I used to pump 2 times a day to provide enough BM for DS for his cereal - about 12-15oz a day. Lately, I have dropped my night time session since DS nurses all night. I still kept my lunch time session in case he needs EBM... I am still pumping around 4-7 oz during this session (depending on how much DS drains me during the morning), but lately, all of this milk has been going into the freezer.

Should I stop at this point? I feel like I am pumping for nothing, I don't know what to do with my freezer stash and whether DS would ever drink EBM again or eat cereal Since he is feeding at night, I am not worried about the supply as much as before, but if I don't pump at midday, I will be uncomfortable by the time I come back from work. I am really waiting to get rid of the pumping ritual and all the heating/storing of milk (I have lipase issue and must scald BM before storage).

Is there any downside to me stopping? Is there any hope DS would ever revert back to drinking/eating BM this late in the game? How do I make it so that I don't develop plugged ducts and other problems?

I don't want to continue doing something that would go to waste. I don't think I will have enough for the human milk bank to donate anyway.

P.S. DS is also underweight according to the Ped, he is due for a special weigh in and we are concerned. that is another reservation I have about quitting pumpting altogether in case DS starts needing it.

TIA!!

[MoJo]

My first thought, absent the weight-gain issue, is drop the pumping. It sounds like your DC is nursing more than my 8 1/2 month old, who nurses more than the ped generally recommends at this age. It might be uncomfortable for a few days, but wouldn't be any different than your child sleeping through the night, which lots of moms do at that stage with no issues.

With the weight gain issue, I'd try some other ways of getting BM into him. Let him try drinking from a sippy cup. . . or even an open cup. . . or mix it in something such as sweet potato. FWIW, my DD doesn't like cereal, but she willingly eats it if it's mixed with applesauce or something. She also stopped drinking EBM from a bottle at about 7 months.

The ped thought her getting her cereal was about the most important thing I could be doing for her besides BM nutritionally. And if none of that works, then I'd drop the pumping. But if it does work, then you have to evaluate if doing so is helping him enough to be worth the pumping. My uneducated guess is that at 10 months, they'd be more interested in increasing solids rather than increasing BM, especially since he already nurses so often.

to you and him.

[PGTB]

Originally Posted by MoJo

My uneducated guess is that at 10 months, they'd be more interested in increasing solids rather than increasing BM, especially since he already nurses so often.

to you and him.

Thank you

I actually was thinking down the same lines, that DS will be a year old in 2 months and will start drinking cow's milk and eat eggs - additional sources of protein and nutrients and hopefully increasing his overall intake of solids. I don't know exactly though how much BFed one year olds take from nursing vs solid food. Seems like reading other threads in this forum, toddlers nurse around 2 times a day.. and those like mine who reverse cycle still tend to wake up to nurse every 2-3 hours in the night, but then don't take any BM in the day time, right?

I am just getting exhausted of having to BF all night my reverse cycled DS *PLUS* have to pump during the day and worry about scalding and storing the milk that might be thrown away. I don't actually have space in the fridge for any more frozen milk

On the weekends I don't pump anymore, but I nurse once or twice before noon, so I am not uncomfortable. I cannot do this during the weekday, unless I work from home or have time to drop by for lunch, so I pump. I am thinking next week I will not pump and see what happens. If DS shows interest in EBM I will start using my frozen stash while I re-introduce the pumping midday session to boost my supply again.

[mominthecity]

I am back to work now 3 days a week and I don't pump. I was thinking whether I should start pumping, but decided not to, my baby is 9 months and eats solids well. He nurses when I am home 4 days a week, but on days I am away he just eats more solids, especially yogurt and drinks water. I get full during the day and rush home after work to nurse. Usually, it is not a problem, since DS is very hungry for milk at that time and would drain both breasts before going to bed.

I probably would try to go a day without pumping and see how you feel, it might be a few hard days, but then it should get better. If your baby eats so much at night, I don't see a danger of discontinuing pumping especially if all that you pump is going into the freezer anyway. Is there a concern with your baby not eating enough solids?