Working moms: how long did you make it pumping?

Slobina · March 2011

So, I've been back at work for about 7 weeks now. I'm doing pretty well at pumping - well, at least getting it done, even though I have supply issues. I'm curious though, for you working moms on the board, how long were you able to pump at work? Did you stop because you were ready, or your child was ready to wean, or because your job was too busy/stressful? I've already set a goal of 1 year, but if I do decide to stop earlier, I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

Amy

jml5q · March 2011

I pumped until dd was 11 months. But i had super ideal pumping conditions - my own office, fridge in my office, could close my door anytime and pump when i wanted, etc. i stopped because i was ready and my supply was tanking.

next time my goal is 6 months. even with ideal pumping conditions i was super hard on myself and stressing myself out over pumping enough. i'm not going to do that next time. plus, i'm hoping to have a different position at my job which would make my pumping conditions not so ideal.

smb29 · March 2011

I'd planned for a year, but at 9 months I was ready to let go. I reduced my pumping sessions down to zero by 10 months (was still bfing at home) and he weaned at 11 months.

Temp13436125005166 · March 2011

With Megan I pumped until just past 13 months but that last month I dropped to pumping x2 a day and then x1 a day. Megan weaned at 14 months. I was ready to wean, I was pg with Ryan and had bad m/s. Megan did great with the weaning though, she just seemed ready for it.

With Ryan I did something similar, I pumped until 13 months and then gradually slowed my pumping, but he had no interest in weaning ;-) So here we are at 17 months and I haven't pumped in 4 months and he's still nursing 2-3/day.

michelleaxo · March 2011

7 months but I had a sucktastic supply and it just stopped being worth it pumping 4-5 times for just a few ounces a day.

balihaigirl · March 2011

i stopped pumping at 10 mos. my boss pretty much flat out told me to quit pumping (a*****). fortunately i had a pretty good freezer stash and my son was able to use that milk for a few more mos. i continued to bf in the am/pm until he was 14m with great success.

GL!

Abrooks · March 2011

With A, I pumped until she was 11.5 months (weaned her to whole milk then). With Baby N - she's almost 9 months and I'm planning on doing the same as I did with A. It was important to me to be able to bf/pump up until a year with both girls. At 9 months with A, I had to supplement. After our recent hospital stay and subsequent stomach flu, it's looking like I might have to supplement with Baby N here soon. But I'll keep pumping until I'm ready to wean - even if I still have to supplement, I like that she still gets as much BM as I'm able to produce.

atlantic · March 2011

I made it 13 months. I thought it was going to be REALLY hard because I have lots of meetings everyday and often just run like a chicken with my head cut off from the time i come in to the time i leave. But I blocked it out on my calendar and just protected that time (best i could, sometimes i had to move it by an hour or so). I don't know why but even though going into it, breastfeeding wasn't that important to me, once I had trouble in the beginning it stirred up the fight in me and i was DETERMINED to make it to a year. There were a number of times when i thought i wouldn't, but i did!

erincutts · March 2011

When I was working, I made it to 12 months. My supply really started to taper off at 10 months and I had to supplement a couple of bottles here and there.

rssnlvr · March 2011

I stopped at 1 year exactly.

Taytee · March 2011

About 8 months each time. I stopped with Abby because when she stopped nursing, I stopped being able to produce. With Emily, my body just couldn't handle it anymore and I was finding it too stressful to keep up with all the supplements etc too. Each time I felt like I gave it all I had without going stark raving mad.

bluestreet · March 2011

As soon as I started pumping at 3 months my supply tanked (and I got my menstrual cycle back). I continued to pump and bf my LO mornings and evenings until 7 months, at which point the few ounces I got compared to the effort just didn't make it worthwhile, then bf-ed morning and night for another month.

kpowersw · March 2011

I pumped through 11 months with DS#1 and 13 months with DS#2. Each of them were ready to wean when we stopped...but I was ready too. Smile

Definitely don't feel bad if you don't make it a year...but know that it does get easier after baby starts solids.

ACR · March 2011

I pumped until 13 mo. From about 9 1/2 mo & on, I exclusively pumped b/c DS was ready to be done nursing.

However, I generally work from home, so it was super convenient to whip it all out here. When I was in the company office, it generally was fine there too (save for the few times we had multiple people working in the floater office & I had to go to the server room to pump).

TXAggieBride06 · March 2011

It is tough! I hated hated pumping and never had a fantastic supply. I had to take MMP off and on but somehow I made it through and stopped pumping at work when she turned 1. I'd say the roughest point was the 9 mo mark. I was SO sick of pumping by then and thought I'd never last another 3 mos! The thought was honestly a little nauseating. But I did it and am pretty darn proud of myself. It is the most selfless thing I have ever done. We are now just nursing before bed and she gets whole milk during the day. I would do a morning nursing session but I finally can afford to diet and exercise and lose the last pg pounds without worrying about the effects on my supply. So I just don't have enough of a supply to nurse in the morning also. I plan to keep up the bedtime session until she self-weans or 15 mos, whichever comes first.

PMBridetobe · March 2011

I hope to make it to a year. 2 more months. It is tough but I am not ready and neither are they to stop.

mrs.wildman · March 2011

I'm in the process of weaning from pumping, but still at it. I started with 3x a day and when DD was 6 mos (I was back to work 3 mos) I went down to 2x a day (perhaps why my supply tanked) as it was too stressful on my schedule. I did that until about 2 weeks ago when I started introducing cow's milk to DD and eliminated a pump session at work. I've since eliminated 2 other sessions that I did at home - (am/pm) and this will be the last I cut out by the middle of next week. DD is a champ and will drink cow milk now, but I'm still mixing some BM in as I can't bear to throw it out!

I recently posted about my difficulties as of late and don't know that I'll attempt the 1-yr next time if I'm still working full time. This last year was really stressful on me in regards to BFing and I have pretty much come to hate pumping. I can't imagine doing it for another full year, no matter how much time has passed.

All that said, I think the key to success is setting short term goals then checking in with yourself when you meet those. I just simply made the assumption that I'd do it a year, and put too much pressure on myself. If it all works out, GREAT. If not, don't beat yourself up over it. Your DD will still be healthy and happy

JenniferL923 · March 2011

I pumped until 10.5 months and quit because my supply tanked due to being pg again. However, I had built up a large enough stash to make it to a year and then some. DD will be a year tomorrow and we've still got ~100 oz left. Go me! ;-)

Jen1007 · March 2011

Unfortunately my supply TANKED once I got back to work. I recently (within the last few weeks) had to stop because I was only getting 2-3 ounces a day!!! It sucked that I had to stop but I feel good that I gave her almost 5 months

Good Luck and don't be so hard on yourself, you are doing everything you can!

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