Quitting pumping- did you keep breastfeeding?

SecondTimeinMSU · March 2012

So to give you my full run down I am planning on stopping pumping at work at the end of this week when DS turns one. My supply is terrible so pretty much the fact that I wouldn't give up on my one year goal is all that kept me going at this point.

So my question is if you stopped pumping at work did you also wean from breastfeeding? I just feel like my supply is so low once I quit pumping it will probably drop to him barely getting anything. DS has always been ambivalent towards nursing so I think I could just stop offering and he wouldn't even protest...... or should I keep offering and just let him self wean when there is nothing there?

Steph_NJ · March 2012

I did. I stopped pumping at 15 months and am still BFing at 25 months. My daytime supply was going down before I stopped pumping, but I was weaning from pumping so that makes sense. Sometimes I won't have enough milk for her on the weekend, but for the most part my supply has held up. My DD is very attached to nursing -- I don't offer, she demands it!

If you'd like to continue, you can try it and see how it goes. You've been nursing for a while so your supply probably is pretty well established.

Cooper81 · March 2012

I did, I nursed morning and evenings for about a month after I stopped pumping. DS was a year old at that time. I have no idea how much he was getting at that point, but he would nurse for 10-15 minutes so it had to be something. It can't hurt to try if you want to.

peekaboo716 · March 2012

I stopped pumping at work with both of my kids at 12 months. I BF'd DS for two more months. He was just ready to be done, so we stopped, and I do think my supply was just about nothing. I BF'd DD for 6 more months just before bed and first thing in the morning. DD was much more attached to nursing, which is why we went longer.

Just do what feels right to you.

shannm · March 2012

I BF only nights and weekends for four months starting after six months of pumping. He did fine with it.

My guess, is that you will still make milk until he stops nursing all together. Do what you want to do at this point.

SilliRy · March 2012

I stopped pumping a couple days before DD turned one but we're still nursing. She's only (almost) 13 months now, but I don't think my supply has been affected too much. She doesn't nurse as much now as she used to, but we still nurse on demand and I don't think that will stop in the near future.

SecondTimeinMSU · March 2012

I tend to overthink things and I am probably overthinking this. I guess I will have to see how it goes and just play it by ear rather than making a decision one way or the other at this point.

AdaraMarie · March 2012

I went down to pumping once a day between 12-15 months, then I stopped pumping. DD has been nursing just morning and evening for about 5 months now and doesn't seem to want to stop anytime soon. She is almost 20 months old.

Mrs.Handy · March 2012

I stopped pumping around 14 months. I'm basically following the old weaning adage. Don't offer, don't refuse. He still demands to nurse whenever we're around each other with the longest sessions in the morning and evening. He's 20 months.

kpowersw · March 2012

Cooper81:
I did, I nursed morning and evenings for about a month after I stopped pumping. DS was a year old at that time. I have no idea how much he was getting at that point, but he would nurse for 10-15 minutes so it had to be something. It can't hurt to try if you want to.

I did this too.

animalcrckr · March 2012

I would continue to offer and let your DS self wean if you are still wanting to breastfeed. If he refuses, at least you know you offered as opposed to cutting him off.

I quit pumping at 13 months and pretty sure I am making little to no milk. However, DS continues to nurse before bed and in the morning if times allows.

JG362009 · March 2012

I pumped for exactly a year and nursed for one month and 5 days after that. My son was NEVER into nursing that much and he must not have been getting anything during our morning/night sessions because I just stopped one day and gave him a sippy cup instead of nursing. He took the sippy cup so easily it was like we had never nursed at all. I also never had any engorgment or leaking after I stopped.

Mrs.Greeko · March 2012

I weaned from pumping at work on each child's first birthday and then continued nursing on demand when I was with them until they self weaned. DD1 was 15 months, DD2 was 22.5 months. Totally doable.

alwaysduke00 · March 2012

As soon as I cut down to 1 pumping session per day (9 mths old), my supply dried up. DD refused to nurse within 2 days of trying to go down to 1 pumping session. I was OK with it. I had to pump 3-4 times/day to maintain my supply (and only got 2 oz. per session) and it just wasn't worth it. I'm not even going to try to go 9 mths this time around.

trinny · March 2012

My DS was like yours-- pretty ambivalent. I planned to keep nursing after I stopped pumping, but he kept pulling off and making a mess when I would try to feed him before work and in the evenings he just seemed too hungry for what I had left, so I just gave up on it. I felt like I was forcing it on him, and I'd met my goal, so no regrets!

Congrats on making it this far!

schenkertobe · March 2012

I will. DS is starting daycare next week when I go back to work, so i wont be pumping or BFing during that day. I will nurse morning and night though, but he really likes nursing at night.

Angela814 · March 2012

It's completely up to you. I stopped pumping at 1 year with both girls. DD1 was weaned at 3y2m (and I had to lead the weaning; she would have nursed longer if I'd left it up to her). DD2 is nursing before bed, a couple times at night, and in the morning now at 20 months. She's pretty much refused to nurse during the day for the last 5 months. My goal is 2 years, and then we'll see what happens after that. I have a feeling that DD2 might wean completely after I night wean her.

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