Is anyone still pumping?

jlsimon56 · June 2012

I am torn with how to deal with pumping and BFing past 1.

On the one hand, I love BFing LO and I'd love to continue.

On the other hand, I am SO READY to be done with pumping.

I am scared my supply will drop and LO won't want to nurse anymore.

I leave for work before she wakes up so I'd only be nursing her in the afternoon and before bed. I can't find anyone who has done this, to know if I could be successful. I've been trying to do a dreamfeed in the AM but she's too sleepy.

For those of you who are continuing to BF, when will you stop pumping? Or did you already? Or ss - you never pumped. :-) Gotta have the ss.

AmandaP678 · June 2012

I still bf and only pump as needed now and plan on bf past 1. It is possible. I haven't noticed a drop in my supply really either.

awisern · June 2012

I am still pumping at work (3 days a week), but will stop pumping at a year. At that time I will nurse first thing in the am and before bed.

LnR70707 · June 2012

I dropped my last pumping session a little over a week ago and nursed 1x a day for a few days after that before starting BCPs. For all my supply issues in the beginning, I can tell you it has been almost a week since my last nursing session and I could probably pick up right where I left off....weaning is a sloooooowww process.

There are several moms in my local group who have nursed once or twice a day since about 6 months and are fine.

jesstellina · June 2012

I haven't pumped in about 6 weeks, because I've been on vacation for most of that time. I've been nursing about 5 times a day. I went back to work Monday, and I decided that when I went back I wouldn't pump. It's worked ok so far because I've been able to nurse in the morning before I leave, but as of July 2 I'll be starting at 5:30 AM and working 12+ hour shifts 6 days a week. I'm not sure what I'll do then. At this point I feel like I NEED to keep my supply up so that i can nurse after work - DD won't drink milk any other way than from the boob. [I complained about this the other day... still haven't figured anything out.

]

Firefly9 · June 2012

I am still pumping (I EP), but I'm on day 2 of my 2 week weaning plan. Part of me doesn't want to stop--there are lots of things I like about it (good for him, bigger boobs, burning more calories...), but at the same time, I'm ready for the TIME and my boobs back. We made it to a year. He seems like he's doing much better with dairy, so giving him formula or cow's milk isn't an issue anymore.

katie4253 · June 2012

Lots of moms BF only morning and night or just at night and don't have an issue. I think the thing you need to remember is that it isn't all or nothing.

How many times a day are you pumping? You could just drop a couple of pumps.

Teresa1896 · June 2012

I had been working 40 hrs/wk but am down to 30 hrs/wk during the summer, and I work MTW 6-4:30ish. I pump around 10,1, and 4. In the next week or so, I'll probably stretch those sessions and drop one, so maybe pump around 10 and then 2. Then the next week, drop another and only pump around noon. Then drop that one.

I still plan on BFing DD whenever we're together. I don't know if my somewhat wonky schedule now will keep my supply up enough to do that...I'm thinking that since she'll be home with me more days than not, that it will be easier to keep my supply up for her. As it is, she's losing interest in nursing and is a great solid food eater, so I guess we'll see how it goes.

yeladim · June 2012

I am starting to work in July, when DS turns 1. I'm planning on introducing WCM this week and am PRAYING that he takes to it. He absolutely will not touch formula, and recently has stopped taking EBM from a bottle as well. My supply has dropped in the past month or two, so when I go to work, I'm gonna bring a pump just in case, but probably wont need it at all. I'll continue morning and evening BF as long as DS wants to continue.

jlsimon56 · June 2012

katie4253:

Lots of moms BF only morning and night or just at night and don't have an issue. I think the thing you need to remember is that it isn't all or nothing.

How many times a day are you pumping? You could just drop a couple of pumps.

I'm pumping twice a day now. I only BF in the afternoons and at night, not in the AM (she's sleeping when I leave for work). I am not sure if my supply will maintain itself if I only nurse at 4pm and 8pm, you know? So it MIGHT be all or nothing? I don't know, haha - I've never done this! :-) I haven't found anyone who said BFing at night only has worked for them long term.

katie4253 · June 2012

jlsimon56:
katie4253:

Lots of moms BF only morning and night or just at night and don't have an issue. I think the thing you need to remember is that it isn't all or nothing.

How many times a day are you pumping? You could just drop a couple of pumps.

I'm pumping twice a day now. I only BF in the afternoons and at night, not in the AM (she's sleeping when I leave for work). I am not sure if my supply will maintain itself if I only nurse at 4pm and 8pm, you know? So it MIGHT be all or nothing? I don't know, haha - I've never done this! :-) I haven't found anyone who said BFing at night only has worked for them long term.
So just pump in the morning (once) and see how it goes. You can always pump twice a day again if it doesn't work.

indika236 · June 2012

jlsimon56:
katie4253:

Lots of moms BF only morning and night or just at night and don't have an issue. I think the thing you need to remember is that it isn't all or nothing.

How many times a day are you pumping? You could just drop a couple of pumps.

I'm pumping twice a day now. I only BF in the afternoons and at night, not in the AM (she's sleeping when I leave for work). I am not sure if my supply will maintain itself if I only nurse at 4pm and 8pm, you know? So it MIGHT be all or nothing? I don't know, haha - I've never done this! :-) I haven't found anyone who said BFing at night only has worked for them long term.

I know a lot of people that just nurse in the morning and at night. I did it for about a month when we were weaning. I have several friends BF'ing their 2, 3, 4 year olds and they only nurse before bed or at naptime...I guess eventually (like years down the road) you might dry up, but generally speaking you will continue to produce milk as long as you are nursing.

That being said, if you drop all of your pumping sessions and go down to just morning and night during the week, don't expect to be able to nurse 10 times on the weekends. Your supply will adjust according to the frequency of nursing. You could always try and find a La Leche League in your area...The leaders are usually pretty helpful

jlsimon56 · June 2012

Thanks, that's a good idea! LLL meets 2 towns from here, I plan to attend their August meeting (July meeting is LO's bday!).

I would be ok with pumping 1x in the AM and then nursing in the PM, if that means I can nurse on weekends.... I want to make it through another winter. LO had RSV and Bronchiolitis this winter and it was no fun.

I also know a lot of people who nurse in the AM and at night. I am also considering changing my work schedule and going into work later so I can see LO in the AM. The things we do for our babies. :-)

LyndseyLC · June 2012

I have just been pumping when I work and am able to like on my break at my one job. and sometimes when I feel full and she doesnt want to nurse. She has been pushing me away when I try nursing her all day today which makes me a little sad..

ksulli · June 2012

I quit pumping last week but still nurse wake up & bedtime. I have enough of a stash to make it a week or two past her birthday, so we can mix BM with WCM for a bit. The twice a day nursing is holding up just fine, and I'm even back on BCP to manage another health issue (went over it with my dr about 14 times that I am still nursing and that's okay).

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