How to wean from pumping?

pixiexkp

I'm planning on pumping to my son's first birthday which is 3 weeks from now. Right now I'm pumping once a day for 15 minutes making 6 oz enough for 2 bottles. I was thinking of pumping 15 minutes for the rest of this week, 10 minutes next week and 5 minutes the week after. Could I still breast feed on weekends without being engorged during the week? I have enough milk in the freezer to last about a month so I could stop breastfeeding during the day on weekends. I want to continue to nurse in the am and bedtime.

SnoopyLuv

Instead of lessening your pumping time, I would try to pump later in the day. Lessening your pumping time still opens you up to clogged ducts because your body will begin to make milk, but it won't have anywhere to go since you're not pumping it out.

You want to still drain your breasts when you do pump, but you'll want to increase the length of time before you pump. You might be surprised to find that you can go a whole day (or close to it) without pumping. Eventually you won't feel the need to pump during the day because your body will stop making the milk for that pump session.

You should still be able to nurse AM and evenings, but on the weekends you'll probably have to bottle feed during the day or else you'll be at square one.

JDoe11111

I'm in the middle of this process right now too - I was down to 2 pumps a day (before bed, and when I woke up) and doing ok, then tried to just drop the before bed one...did ok for a couple days...not sure how to get rid of this last one though. Tried to just go as long as I could, and ended up pumping a tiny bit this morning just for comfort. 

Everything I read advocates cutting down pumping time - which makes sense, if it's all supply and demand, and you start demanding less and less, they should stop producing.

 I don't quite understand the advice to still empty your breasts, that would never dry you out...maybe I'm missing something...