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EPers-a question about weening

sweetpea18sweetpea18 member
in Preemies

I'm going to stop pumping soon.  I have a huge freezer stash and I will be able to give Reese breastmilk until she's a year old.  (I might even have enough to make it to one year, adjusted-I haven't done a milk inventory lately!)  I want to hang up the horns before we travel for Christmas.  For those of you who have weened from the pump, did you do it gradually or just stop cold turkey? 

At first, I thought that I would just stop cold turkey, take a few sudafed and hope to be dried up in a couple of days.  But, even though I have developed a hate/hate relationship with the pump,  I'm thinking it will be better to ween gradually.  I get clogged ducts pretty easily and I don't want to have the girls be a giant mass of clogs!  Plus, I've avoided mastitis and don't want to chance getting it!  All I do know, is that I'm so ready to have my boobs back to myself! lol!

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Re: EPers-a question about weening

  • lemen99lemen99 member

    I'll be interested to read responses.

    I pump 4x/day now and I'm going to drop to 3x/day at Christmas time and then drop to 2x/day in Feb if I can maintain enough supply to give him 1 bottle per day until the end of RSV season.  :)

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  • TriciaJoyTriciaJoy member

    I weaned down gradually. I went to 4/day probably 2 months before I stopped, then the last month, I went to 3 for a week, 2 for a week, 1 for a week, then that last week, I think I pumped once after 2 days, just to relieve the pressure. Then I was done. I was still pretty uncomfortable for about 2 days and had tingling for about a week. Then I felt nothing. They weren't completely dry, I could still squeeze and get some, but for all intents and purposes, I was dry. That least week pumping once/day, I was getting maybe 2oz total. 

    And honestly, I could probably still squeeze and get a drop or two, but they're pretty much back to normal now.

     

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  • AFwife1106AFwife1106
    I gradually weened.. over about a week.  LO came home and I didn't really have the time to keep pumping so I would try to pump when I could but it got down to once a day and only a few ounces so it was just pointless.  I wouldn't stop cold turkey if you don't have to.. I would think it'd be pretty painful.  GL!
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  • gymratgymrat
    I weaned gradually and dropped a session at a time and extended time in-between sessions. I had a few uncomfortable days but I think it's much easier to go gradually. I was down to only getting 6 oz a day in the end and I was still pretty sore. I don't know what would have happened if I'd stopped cold-turkey. Yikes!
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  • jdiaz79jdiaz79
    Due to constant bouts of mastitis, I was forced to stop pumping already. I did it somewhat gradually. I was, however, on antibiotics for the mastitis and the OB wanted me stopped before the meds were done, so I was on a 7 day time limit. Each day, I stretched the time in between sessions a few hours. I went from 4 hours, to 6, to 8 and so on. I also started BC, so that was a huge help. It was really, really uncomfortable for me though (I had an oversupply issue). I wore cabbage leaves in my bra all day as well. By day 6, I was totally pump free; by day 8, I no longer felt the urge to pump at all and my breasts were no longer feeling full.
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  • meldoo2002meldoo2002 member
    I weaned over the course of about  a week and 1/2.  I slowly cut out a pump here and there... the night time one went first.  Then when I was down to 4 pumps I started making them shorter in length like from 20 min. to 18 min. the next day, then I went to 15 min., etc.  It worked really well ... I still got a couple plugged ducts and really had to work them out in the shower, but there there is no way I could have gone cold turkey.  Weaning was bad enough.  I did take sudafed and drank "no more milk" tea to help dry me up.

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  • cjb62803cjb62803 member
    I tried stopping when I was having doubts due to lack of time and somewhat of a dwindling supply.  I tried cold turkey and will never do it again. I bound myself and did not pump for two days, not even to relieve the pressure.  OUCH!!! I then decided I really wasn't ready to give it up and started pumping again. I only pump 4/day and am much happier with the decision.  Next time though, I will wean down for sure!
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