working moms who pump and nurse...weaning ?s

close2it · April 2011

I'm still nursing about 3-4x a day. During the daytime, DD gets bottles of pumped BM approximately 2x a day.

I'd like to start weaning her from the daytime feedings and only have the bedtime and wake up feeding remaining.

Any suggestions on how to go about doing this correctly? Should I start with the bottle feedings first and then move to the nursing session right when I pick her up from the sitter or vice versa?

Also, my friend and many on here say to gradually go to WCM. So, start 1oz WCM and the rest BM, increasing/decreasing gradually. Can I do this with both of her bottles at the same time or do one bottle and then when she's used to it do the second bottle?

Thanks!

JhawkCE · April 2011

I haven't started this yet, but I would def start with the bottle feedings. I guess the next to go would depend on how much pain you're in after not pumping all day and if you would rather continue nursing before bed or when you get home.

As for the mixing. I would probably do it in both bottles, but again I think it's a personal preference thing. If you want to make the change slower then just start with one.

I don't think you can go wrong, you just have to do what works for you and the baby. Good Luck. We're getting close and thinking about it makes me a little sad....until he bites me.

close2it · April 2011

JhawkCE:

I haven't started this yet, but I would def start with the bottle feedings. I guess the next to go would depend on how much pain you're in after not pumping all day and if you would rather continue nursing before bed or when you get home.

As for the mixing. I would probably do it in both bottles, but again I think it's a personal preference thing. If you want to make the change slower then just start with one.

I don't think you can go wrong, you just have to do what works for you and the baby. Good Luck. We're getting close and thinking about it makes me a little sad....until he bites me.

Oh yes, this reminds me....another ? How do I wean myself from pumping. Lol!

I thought I was ready to start weaning, especially with the biting. However, now all of the sudden when my DD knows she's about to nurse she starts giggling and bouncing up and down to show her happiness. That makes me sad to have it overwith. Sigh! It's like she knows and is trying to suck me in.

fussbucket · April 2011

I've reached the same point -- he's lost interest in BFing and my supply has plummeted, and this after we've been together most of the week when daycare was on vacation. I'm totally happy to be moving to our next stage and getting my freedom back, but at the same time, I know I'll miss it and for the first time I've thought about when I'll be BFing my next. Zip it!

Starting on Friday I knocked down my at-work pumping from my usual 3x to 2x. Like you I'm going to stick with the morning and bedtime feedings for now. My goal has just been to eliminate the daytime feedings first and pump if needed during the day just to relieve any discomfort -- today I made it till 4pm before needing to pump just a bit. I've just mixed formula with BM in decreasing amounts until late today I was able to give him a whole bottle of just formula and he was fine with that.

We just started introducing a pre-bedtime storytime cuddle before the nursing as part of his bedtime routine, so eventually I plan for the storytime cuddle to replace the nursing session altogether.

Good luck.

JhawkCE · April 2011

Like PP said, just start cutting back on the number or pump sessions. For me I'll start cutting out the later pump sessions since they are the ones I get the least amount of milk from.

Yeah, I'm going to miss his excited, spastic flailing when this is done. It's the only time he lets me cuddle him. I told my husband the other day that I was sad our baby has never been a cuddler, but I also recognize that's also probably the trade off for him being so easy to put to bed.

Sniff..sniff.

MWoodside · May 2011

I am going to do what others have mentioned. She gets 3 bottles in the daytime so I'll approach those first & use the method of gradually adding more WCM every few days. In terms of the nursing sessions bedtime will be the last to go. I nurse her to sleep still and we both love that cuddle time. I'm not sure if I should drop the am nursing session or the after work one first. I am not in a huge hurry & she certainly isn't either so I'm just going to not rush it.

In terms of pumping at work, I make a lot of milk so most days now I am only doing one session. I only ever did 2 so to cut the first one out I pumped less & less for a few days (time-wise). I will gradually phase out the 1 remaining pumping session once the daytime bottles are not pumped milk anymore.

Also, I think we are going to transition to sippys instead of bottles for the daytime sessions right around age 1.

JhawkCE · May 2011

MWoodside:
I am going to do what others have mentioned. She gets 3 bottles in the daytime so I'll approach those first & use the method of gradually adding more WCM every few days. In terms of the nursing sessions bedtime will be the last to go. I nurse her to sleep still and we both love that cuddle time. I'm not sure if I should drop the am nursing session or the after work one first. I am not in a huge hurry & she certainly isn't either so I'm just going to not rush it.
In terms of pumping at work, I make a lot of milk so most days now I am only doing one session. I only ever did 2 so to cut the first one out I pumped less & less for a few days (time-wise). I will gradually phase out the 1 remaining pumping session once the daytime bottles are not pumped milk anymore.
Also, I think we are going to transition to sippys instead of bottles for the daytime sessions right around age 1.

So jealous. I pump 4 times at work and once at night.

working moms who pump and nurse...weaning ?s

Re: working moms who pump and nurse...weaning ?s

Choose Another Board

Search Boards