Quitting Pumping?

erless22

So my daughter is 9.5 months and I have more than enough frozen breast milk to get her to a year. I've exclusively pumped since she's been born, so I don't have an actual attachment to nursing, as she's always taken a bottle.

 I'm still a little sad to give it up though. But I know it's time and I'm looking forward to not being tethered to my pump anymore.

 Any suggestions on the best way to do this? I can handle engorgement for a week or so. I'm more concerned with hormone levels getting really screwed up if I quit cold turkey. Does anyone have experience with weaning cold turkey? I'd prefer not to wean....

 Thanks so much!

SnoopyLuv

Drop one session a week. Try to drop the middle one first, or the one closest to when you can BF.

NSL

Like the PP said, start dropping sessions one at a time, and let your body tell you when you can drop additional sessions. The goal should be to avoid engorgement, since that can lead to clogged ducts and mastitis.

MnM217

erless22:

So my daughter is 9.5 months and I have more than enough frozen breast milk to get her to a year. I've exclusively pumped since she's been born, so I don't have an actual attachment to nursing, as she's always taken a bottle.

 I'm still a little sad to give it up though. But I know it's time and I'm looking forward to not being tethered to my pump anymore.

 Any suggestions on the best way to do this? I can handle engorgement for a week or so. I'm more concerned with hormone levels getting really screwed up if I quit cold turkey. Does anyone have experience with weaning cold turkey? I'd prefer not to wean....

 Thanks so much!

 First of all CONGRATS!!!!  EPing is hard and the fact that you have done it this long is amazing!!!  You should be really proud of yourself.  I EP and I am starting to slow down.  I cut down to 4 pumps a day this week and I have a large freezer supply.  We are going to keep this up as long as I have frozen milk but then we are done.  I have heard to slowly cut out pumps, maybe drop a pump a day for a week then keep going down.  I have also heard to start decreasing the time you pump each session.  Good luck, and congrats again!

MnM217

Duh you asked for advice on weaning cold turkey.  Sorry!  Brain fart.  I don't have experience with it but I have heard that taking cold meds helps dry you out and that placing cold cabbage leaves to your breasts helps with the pain.  Also that if you start to feel to engorged to just pump to take the edge off and then stop. 

JDoe11111

Tomorrow will be one week since I last pumped. I EP'd also, and was down to 2X a day, just morning and night once I reached my 6 month goal. For a couple days I just waited till I was in pain and then pumped only enough for relief, like 5 minutes, and then I just stopped altogether. I still felt full, but not engorged. I've had some soreness and some hard spots, but nothing like the occasional clogged duct I got while pumping. I did try green cabbage leaves for relief, not sure if they did much but they do feel nice and cool, and I used some freezable gel pads as well. Be sure NOT to soak in a hot tub or let hot shower run over your chest, that will fill you back up again. I'm also avoiding all "nipple stimulation" and since I'm not all that comfortable, it is hardly a sacrifice

I also looked into the cold medicine - the recommendation is sudafed style, the old fashioned meth-making kind you get behind the pharmacy counter, 120mg every 12 hours, so I've been doing that most of the week too. Again, not sure if it is helping, but research has shown it can decrease milk by 24%, so worth a try.

I'm feeling a little better each day, and not overly uncomfortable except sleeping (I'm a stomach sleeper, that's not going well)