When did you stop pumping at work?

[veedeepee]

Hi folks: My LO is 10 months old. I'm planning to nurse him for a long time yet (at least 18 months...maybe longer if he's cool with that). I seem to recall one or two people I know telling me that they nursed into toddler-hood, but at some point they stopped pumping at work and just nursed their LO before and after work, at night, etc.

I know that DS should be getting all of his nutrition from my milk up until he's 12 months old (and he's not SUPER into solid foods yet, anyway). At some point, I imagine he'll be eating more food an nursing a bit less. So, what are your thoughts or experiences regarding when you know you can stop pumping at work?

I don't have any problems pumping at work (in fact, it's kind of a nice relaxing break most of the time), but I like to think these things out well in advance.

[hotharmony]

I weaned off of the pump when he was 11 months it took the full month and between the time it took to wean off and the milk we had in the freezer he had milk during the day until last week.

Just remember to go slow and drop one pumping session per week and sometimes it takes even longer than that.

[CherryBombMama]

i havent completely stopped pumping at work, but for me, since it has been getting more and more stressful, i am down to one pumping and i hardly get anything out of that one, so i bet i only have a week or two more to go ...

but if its a nice relaxing break for you, why stop?

[pacificbliss]

I stopped pumping around a year and DS nursed until he was 19 months or so.

[EmilyG]

I stopped pumping at 12 months and DD nursed until 18 months. I had enough of a freezer stash left over that she continued to get a little breastmilk each day until almost her second birthday.
I'd base it on how frequently your little guy is nursing though, My DD was only nursing at naptime and bedtime for the most part when I stopped pumping, so it wasn't a big change for my body and didn't seem to affect my supply at all.

[Mosaic]

I pumped until about 13 months, and then nursed until she kinda gave it up at 20 months, but I had crazy amounts frozen so that she still got at least 5 oz of frozen BM (while nursing and afterwards) until her 2nd b-day.

Maybe if I'd pumped longer she might have nursed longer; but I WOHM full-time, hated pumping (and had to make up the time), and was pretty much ready to move on at that point. So you may want to keep that in mind while making your decision.

[jecombs]

I pumped until just after DD's first birthday. I continued to BF her in the morning, evening, and weekends until she was 26 mo. It was so liberating to give up pumping and made me enjoy BFing a lot more!

[justKate]

Originally Posted by jecombs

I pumped until just after DD's first birthday. I continued to BF her in the morning, evening, and weekends until she was 26 mo. It was so liberating to give up pumping and made me enjoy BFing a lot more!

I hope this will be my experience. I'm so sick of pumping at work I can hardly stand it. I dread lunch time. I pump once a day--about 8 oz. I'm trying to reduce the amount I pump each day to avoid engorgement when I quit (hopefully when DD is 1, which is Valentine's Day).

For me, the one year mark is light at the end of a tunnel. Of course I'll still let DD nurse as she likes, but I really am tired of the pump!

[EmmaJane]

I pumped until DD1 was 15 months... she never did really even drink the bottles, but I was so paranoid about keeping my supply up and keeping her nursing... which contunied through 22 months, in the end, I have several friends IRL who also work and who weaned, not especially voluntarily, at 10 months, and I really didn't want to be one of them... also didn't want to ever give DD1 formula.

Now I'm starting back to work with DD2 being 8 months, and already eating a fair quantity of solids (e.g. poop has converted). Pumping is annoying! Much harder than it was a few months ago. I'm gonna keep it up through the spring semester, and then we'll see about the summer... this baby does actually drink the bottles, at least, so that's a lot more motivating.