s/o: HOW do you stop pumping at work?

[Rivka5]

My son is 12 months old and has pretty much stopped being willing to take bottles from his nanny. He eats solids very well and we've also just introduced cow's milk in a cup. He still nurses a lot when I'm home. (One weekday + weekends, evenings, overnight.)

If he were drinking the milk, I'd be willing to keep it up, but it's annoying to come home and see the bags just sitting there in the fridge. I think it's time to wean off pumping. But how do I do that safely? I've just recently gotten over a case of mastitis, so I'm nervous about getting overly engorged.

I currently pump twice a day, at around 11 and 3, for 15-20 minutes each time. Should I shorten the sessions? Or try to stretch the time between pumping longer and longer?

[CarrieMF]

I'd start by shortening the sessions. One week go down to 10-15 minutes, the next week 5-10, then down to once at work for 5minutes & then stop the next week. If you notice any problem starting then you may need to take it even slower, but for 4 days a week this should work.

[justKate]

I just weaned off the pump last week, and it is WONDERFUL. DD was 1 on V-Day.

Here's what I did. I was pumping once a day 'till empty. I started timing how long I was pumping, and just reduced by a minute or so every 3 days. Obviously some days were better than others. Once I was down to a few minutes each day, I waited until I had a short week and didn't do it. Yay!

For me, it has been a big relief. Although it's weird coming home without any milk every day.

ETA: I guess I would do both: shorten the sessions gradually, go down to one a day, then shorten that one in to nonexistence. Good luck!

[MacKinnon]

I dropped one session just stopped, I found I could go without it, then I shortened the other one. I skipped some days, but was full enough I still had to on others. It was a haphazard thing for me, but man was I glad to be done!! DS was about 13 months when I was totally done pumping during the day.

[Skippy918]

I went from 2x at work to 1x at work and then I gradually reduced the pumping time of that session. I was still pumping in the morning before work. I was also still nursing him at night when I got home and before bed. Once my body started adjusting to just a morning and night feeding, I was able to reduce the morning pump time. Eventually I stopped feeling like a was ready to explode in the morning and finally I was done with the pump by his first birthday. It felt so freeing! He nursed at night for the next 4 months and then he stopped.

[3tammuz]

I also had problems with mastitis, so I hear your concerns. I have oversupply too: I gradually decreased one session until it was gone and then did the same with the second one. I never had a problem with supply in the evenings or weekends by the way.

[blizzard_babe]

I decreased the duration of my sessions to start with, then cut out the one that was closest, time-wise, to a nursing or another pumping (my pumping break schedule wasn't perfectly symmetrical).

[Rani]

I did pretty much the same as the PP's mention. One suggestion though, take the milk you are still pumping until you stop and have the nanny use it in your child's foods. That way, still gets the nutrition from it and its not wasted. Anywhere you would use milk like oatmeal or rice cereal or whatever...Also, my daughter pretty quickly refused to take a bottle from anyone, but would easily take the milk in a sippy cup. So while you are weaning yourself off pumping, try that.

[rozziemama]

I just posted something very similar in a different pumping @ work thread...
But I pumped from three months (when I went back to work) to 12 months. On DS's 1st birthday I totally quit.
I think of it as though I quit cold turkey but I really did cut back over the 9 month period:
3-7 months I pumped 15+ oz a day (3 times usually)
8-10 months I pumped twice a day, 10 oz total (two bottles. this was when he started to eat solids and was having yogurt every day)
11 - 12 months, once a day, 5 oz total. He was now eating quite a bit of food.

I never had mastitis but I did have a voracious milk supply, I think in many ways due to pumping... Once I stopped @ 12 months, I was sort of engorged during the day, but I would BF right away when I got home and it never became a real concern, more like an aesthetic embarrassment -- especially because towards the end (and still!) my Left boob was really producing more than my right, so that would be the only side engorged! WTF.

Anyway, the super engorged period only lasted a day or two - and then my body sort of figured it out. I'd rather take the engorgement than the pumping. Couldn't stand pumping, though I will totally do it again if there's ever a #2! Felt so good to keep him on breastmilk only for so long!

[4Jet]

It's been too long for me to remember the number of times I decreased my pumping sessions but I followed the advice from www.kellymom.com for weaning from the pump. It was very gradual over a few weeks.

[savithny]

With #1, I was already having increasing trouble responding to the pump and was having to pump longer and longer to get enough for the next day (I worked PT so I only pumped 1x at work). So it wasn't a problem at all (but then, I was only ever dropping one breast-emptying session).

Both times, I started cutting my pumping sessions shorter, so less was being tapped off, sending my body the message that I didn't need to produce so much at that time of day anymore. I didn't have to taper off too slowly, because of the aforementioned PT work.

[DangerMom]

Originally Posted by rozziemama

I just posted something very similar in a different pumping @ work thread...
But I pumped from three months (when I went back to work) to 12 months. On DS's 1st birthday I totally quit.
I think of it as though I quit cold turkey but I really did cut back over the 9 month period:
3-7 months I pumped 15+ oz a day (3 times usually)
8-10 months I pumped twice a day, 10 oz total (two bottles. this was when he started to eat solids and was having yogurt every day)
11 - 12 months, once a day, 5 oz total. He was now eating quite a bit of food.

I never had mastitis but I did have a voracious milk supply, I think in many ways due to pumping... Once I stopped @ 12 months, I was sort of engorged during the day, but I would BF right away when I got home and it never became a real concern, more like an aesthetic embarrassment -- especially because towards the end (and still!) my Left boob was really producing more than my right, so that would be the only side engorged! WTF.

Anyway, the super engorged period only lasted a day or two - and then my body sort of figured it out. I'd rather take the engorgement than the pumping. Couldn't stand pumping, though I will totally do it again if there's ever a #2! Felt so good to keep him on breastmilk only for so long!

This is what I did. I just dropped my last pump last week. It was really hard for me emotionally, even though we are still BFing at home (he's 13 months). I feel selfish and sad that I'm not bringing milk home for him just because pumping was getting to be a PITA. Like another poster said, it feels really weird to come home without bringing milk with me. Every day I feel like I'm forgetting something.

The thing is, DS wasn't really even taking a bottle during the day because he was so caught up in play and solid food. So the guilt is all put on me by me.

So, while you've gotten great practical tips that should truly help, don't be surprised if some emotional stuff happens when you stop pumping, too. I'm not saying you will feel that way, but if you do, be gentle to yourself and let yourself feel the loss.

[rozziemama]

YES re: emotional stuff. And also -DangerMom - our DSs sound very similar re: not really taking the bottle/cup of milk during the day because of solid food and play...
I actually have been reflecting on this emotional piece a lot, and what I am thinking is that when I stopped pumping during the day, my hormones really fluctuated as milk production adjusted. I actually was really emotional, and though I think it was certainly a reaction to the transition - DS is getting older, pumping (while I hated it) was part of the routine around his babyhood, end of an era type of feeling.... But like PMS, I think my emotions were heightened b/c of some serious hormonal activity.

[JHopesMomma]

Sorry, I don't have anything to contribute to this, but along the same lines, for all those that stopped pumping at about a year, how much longer did your LO continue to night/weekend nurse (I know someone said 4 months...)? My daughter just turned 1, and I'm still pumping 2x a day, and HATE pumping, but really don't want to give up nursing her when I'm with her. Thanks!!

[Skippy918]

I'm the one who said 4 months. You don't have to give up nursing even though you stopped pumping.

[rozziemama]

you totally do not have to give up nursing when you stop pumping! your body will still produce the milk it needs... I'm still bf-ing twice a day - now into the 5th month since stopping.
the reason it was easy to stop @ 12 months for me was that at that point DS was very clearly getting much nutrition from solid food and could drink cow's milk or fortified soy milk as well...
he doesn't really drink that much milk in general - occasional sips here and there. he eats a lot of yogurt though, and drinks healthy juices and water. So anyway, point is that stopping pumping is liberating once you have the reassurance that your LO is getting the nutrients s/he needs from food, and you still can breastfeed as long as you want!

[justKate]

Originally Posted by JHopesMomma

Sorry, I don't have anything to contribute to this, but along the same lines, for all those that stopped pumping at about a year, how much longer did your LO continue to night/weekend nurse (I know someone said 4 months...)? My daughter just turned 1, and I'm still pumping 2x a day, and HATE pumping, but really don't want to give up nursing her when I'm with her. Thanks!!

I stopped pumping at a year because I couldn't take it another day. DD hasn't noticed. Although it's only been a month, I don't see her need/desire to nurse wanning.

[feminist~mama]

Originally Posted by JHopesMomma

Sorry, I don't have anything to contribute to this, but along the same lines, for all those that stopped pumping at about a year, how much longer did your LO continue to night/weekend nurse (I know someone said 4 months...)? My daughter just turned 1, and I'm still pumping 2x a day, and HATE pumping, but really don't want to give up nursing her when I'm with her. Thanks!!

I stopped pumping at some point, although I really don't remember when... My DD nursed until she was 4!

[Skippy918]

So anyway, point is that stopping pumping is liberating once you have the reassurance that your LO is getting the nutrients s/he needs from food, and you still can breastfeed as long as you want!

My DS was very much into food when he turned one. He loves to eat and eats everything especially if you're eating it. After he turned 1, if he wanted to nurse he would yank on my shirt. Towards the end I would offer before bed and he would take a couple of sucks, but after a few times of that, he stopped on his own. Now I don't know if it was because of my milk supply or because he wasn't interested anymore. Now I just rock him before bed so at least I still get some cuddle time with him.

[Phoenix~Mama]

For those of you who stopped pumping at a year... what did your DC drink during the day?

My pedi just told me DD should be drinking at least 16 oz of some kind of milk during the day.

I'm so tired of pumping. But DD vomits if she drinks straight whole milk, it has to be cut with breastmilk and she is fine.

But back to... I'm so tired of pumping...

Any advice?