Weaning off pump

[alleycat]

I have enough in my freezer to last until DD#2 turns one. I pump about 8-9 oz from one side in the morning (I feed DD on the other side). I pump twice at work. 10 minutes, both sides, at 11am and 3pm. I can't remember how I did it with DD #1 and back then I pumped 3 times at work, in the morning and before bed. I don't pump before bed this time.

So, do I cut down to one session during work, continuing with 10 minutes? Or do I cut down the number of minutes and still pump twice? What about eliminating the morning pump session? Ideally, I'd like to stop pumping right before Christmas. We're going to visit the IL's so I'll be with DD all week. I figure during that week my body will adjust to the amount she eats rather than the pumping amount plus eating.

Also, I'm going on a business trip in January. I'll be away for 3 days. Would I have to pump every three hours or can I get away with just pumping in the morning and before bed?

TIA.

[Momit]

I was advised by our pediatrician to cut out one feeding/pumping at a time every few days. I did the daytime ones first, then the night and then the morning last. It's kind of uncomfortable as you adjust to making less milk but overall it went better for me than what I expected.

[wendibird22]

I think you could do either way...shortening the length of time or cutting a session. I chose to cut a session. What worked for me was to gradually move one session, say the 10am session later and later (I have this flexibility at work, you may not). So, I moved the 10am to 10:30am for a few days, then 11am for a few days, and so on until that session was close to the next session and then eliminated it. I found this kept me from getting engorged. When I was down to just 1 session at work and wanted to drop that I just gradually shortened the time I pumped.

As for the trip, I guess it depends on if you are looking to maintain your supply while away. If so, I would suggest pumping as often as your LO would nurse plus perhaps an extra session just because exclusive pumping can drop your supply. So if you are nursing just am and pm and your LO is taking the stash during the day and assuming you've pump weaned all the daytime sessions, then yes, you could probably just pump in the am and pm, but I'd probably throw in one extra session just to be safe.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I would not count on your baby being ready for cow's milk right at age 1. I kept pumping at work until I was sure she was okay with cow's milk and I am glad I did since she couldn't tolerate it until she was 15 months old. If I had planned on my freezer stash getting us to one year, I would have had to use formula for three months after that.

[jennilynn]

It took me about 3 months to wean from the pump completely (from two daily sessions to none.) When I started I was pumping at like 11 and 3, then moved each one back about 30 minutes for a few days until I got adjusted. Eventually, the second session was so close to the end of the day I could skip it. Then I pumped once a day and gradually moved that session later and later as well. I still keep my pump in the trunk of my car just in case. But it really depends on your DDs schedule, because the way I look at it, you should pump every time the baby has a bottle of milk. If she's drinking two bottles a day, you should still pump twice. If she only needs one, you can pump once.

[purpleeyes]

I exclusively pumped with DD in the beginning, so I was pumping LOTS. I had a lots of milk and weaning was very difficult...I found it easier to cut a few minutes off each session rather than cut a whole sesion.

GL!

[wimama]

I used to pump three times at work. Two shorter sessions and one longer one at lunch. I also started cutting back pumping when my son hit close to a year old. If you are only pumping twice at work, I would cut down to just one longer session at work and then a few days later drop the morning session while nursing and drop the last work session last. You can just switch sides when nursing in the morning.

We had a big freezer stockpile of BM, my DS started drinking less BM at daycare, when he got close to a year old. I had enough of a freezer stash that I sent BM to daycare until he was like 14 months old. I think he held out for the before and after work nursing sessions. I didn't miss my pump when I finally put it away, but I really enjoyed nursing him the rest of the day. We keep nursing in the morning, after work, and before bed. It worked out great like that for several months, until he took the lead on weaning. I was really amazed on how easily my body adapted, when I stopped pumping. He still got plenty of milk when he nursed. A woman's body is truely amazing in what it is capable of.