Q for EP Ladies

atc282

Those of you who exclusively pump, how long did you do it for?? I am almost at the 7 wk mark with my DDs, and thought I wouldn't last this long...

Torn about deciding to continue or start weaning and going to FF...How is the weaning process? My boobs tighten up painfully just thinking about it (eeks!)

Thanks

meldoo2002

I pumped for 6 months.  The boys were getting formula too for awhile once they started taking larger amounts.  I didn't make enough BM to give them that alone.  Weaning was ok for me.. I just did it really slowly.  I cut out my night time pump when they were about 4 months and then when they hit 5 months I started weaning my day time pumps.  I think because I did it really slowly it was ok.  I did get 1 clogged duct, but I was able to massage it out in the shower.  Goodluck!

HisLobster

I'm still going strong EPing and the girls are 6 months and 10 days old. I make enough for them and I'm also amassing a freezer stash (over 1200 oz so far). I want them to have BM only until they're a year old. So, whenever my stash will accomplish that, I'll quit.

 When I quit with Anakin, I went from 4 pumps a day to 2 pumps to 1 to none. It wasn't bad at all although the circumstances may have had something to do with it. I don't know. 

lgurian

i am pumping as i type. i do have to sup with F cause i dont make enough for them to eat. so they get about half and half. i would like to make it to 6 mo. i am jealous of those that make enough its such a part of my routine now, but every day i think about quitting. oh well, we shall see.....

trr8203

I pumped for a year and 9 days.  My girls always had a bottle of formula before bed, and sometimes one other time during the day depending on my milk stash.  It wasn't always fun, but I'm really glad I made it that long pumping.  They started on formula in the hospital before my milk came in, so we kept them on that one bottle because we wanted to make sure they wouldn't refuse formula if I needed to stop pumping or my supply tanked.  I debated stopping many times, but I'm stubborn and wouldn't do it.  I wanted to make it to a year and then I decided at that point to pump until the 1 year anniversary of the day they came home from the NICU and that day I did my last pump.  Just set short goals for yourself and then go from there.  Start with 2 months, then reevaluate if you want to keep going.  It's up to you and your babies will do fine if you decide to formula feed.  I had a lot of help in the beginning and if I hadn't had that help, I'm not sure I could have stuck with pumping for so long.

It's a tough decision to make.  Good luck!

MoMandA

I EP for my twins. They get formula very rarely. It is really time consuming, especially after I returned to work, but I am accustomed to the routine by now. I occasionally have supply problems that seem to last for 3 days where I am pumping constantly and not getting enough and then magically my supply increases.

I am keeping up with it until the end of flu season and will start weaning. The lactation consultants at my hospital said that they would give me weaning advice, so I plan to call them.