Working/Pumping & Self Weaning

Toni79 · June 2013

As I get closer and closer to DD's 1st birthday, I'm really starting to worry about what my BF and pumping "plan" is?

In an ideal world I'd be a SAHM EBF mom who didn't have to worry about this. I would just let DD self wean at her pace and that would be that! But unfortunially I work. I really really hate pumping, but I am not ready to stop BFing. I've read some posts where people sucessfully wean from the pump but still BF when they are with their LOs. But is it still possible to let DD self wean? How will replacing bottles of BM with WCM affect her to self wean?

Also wondering if (after a year) I should start mixing BM with WCM? I have a very small freezer stash. Hopefully I'll have enough to get me through "short" days in the next few weeks.

Once I've completly weaned from the pump, and DD gets only WCM during the day will i still have bm at other times?

For all you working/pumping moms out there ... or even EP moms, what are your pumping/BFing plans after LO turns one?

TIA

Andreabks · June 2013

i'm probably in a different situation than most ppl. I'm a sahm right now, but trying to find a job as I got laid off a week after DD came. I also EP since DD wouldn't latch.

that all being said, I'm still working on my plan for weaning. I want to make it to a year (2 more months) but i'm not sure i'll be able to. i'm on my 5th round of mastitis and i'm tired of being sick every other month and my OB says there is no good reason for the mastitis, i'm just prone to it.

so i'm going to keep pumping 6 times a day until this clears up, then play it by ear. I have way over supply the first 6 months so I kept giving away my stash (easily 1k plus ounces) so my current stash is about 70 ounces.

I want to try to stretch out my pumping, from every 3-4 hours during the day to 4-5, then slowly add to that over the next while. also at the same time i'll take away a minute or so every week. I do 20 now.

avasmummy · June 2013

Yes, I think you will still have milk if you get into the routine of nursing morning and night and on demand on the weekends.

With DD, I stopped giving her a bottle at 12 months, switched to a sippy cup of WCM at daycare. My plan was to keep nursing when we were together. Well, once she started having milk from a cup she looked at me like I was crazy and cut me off cold turkey.

With DS, I had the same plan and nursed him til he was 16 months. Sippy cups of WCM at daycare but whenever he saw the boppy he would demand bm!

Not sure what DS2 will do. But I think I'm going to do the same thing and leave it up to him. I guess it just depends on the baby...

Toni79 · June 2013

avasmummy:

Yes, I think you will still have milk if you get into the routine of nursing morning and night and on demand on the weekends.

With DD, I stopped giving her a bottle at 12 months, switched to a sippy cup of WCM at daycare. My plan was to keep nursing when we were together. Well, once she started having milk from a cup she looked at me like I was crazy and cut me off cold turkey.

With DS, I had the same plan and nursed him til he was 16 months. Sippy cups of WCM at daycare but whenever he saw the boppy he would demand bm!

Not sure what DS2 will do. But I think I'm going to do the same thing and leave it up to him. I guess it just depends on the baby...

Thanks! I guess every baby is differant. I'm fairly confident I can make my goal of a year! I just have to make sure I always get in 3 pump sessions at work each day! And I'm fairly confident I'll have milk available when DD and I are together mornings, evenings, MOTN, and weekends.

I guess I'm just trying to get comfortable with replacing some BM with WCM. I've heard some people don;t like to put WCM in a bottle becasue they want the baby to associate sucking (bottle and boob) with BM, and sipping with other beverages (WCM, juice, etc). She does water out of a sippy at mealtime, but she usually only takes about 1 oz. So I'm worried about giving WCM in a sippy and expecting her to drink a couple of oz at once.

It's just a new stage for mommy too, and I'm a worry-wort!

I'm curious how others have made the trasition. Replace 1 bottle a day with WCM? Mix BM and WCM 50/50? How many weeks before you increase the WCM and decrease the BM?

I admit, I have some more research to do. Maybe I'll check the breastfeeding board to see if they have any experiences there.

missjul61 · June 2013

I also can't wait to quit pumping but still continue to BF when with LO. My plan is to drop my one and only pump session once LO turns one next month and nurse only in the mornings before daycare and in the evenings, in the MOTN and weekends. LO only takes one bottle during the day anyway as he reverse cycles so hopefully dropping the one pump won't impact my supply too much and the tramsition to WCM won't be so bad. I do worry aout his water intake though as it gets hotter because he's not great with sippies.

avasmummy · June 2013

I think if daycare is willing to hold the sippy for LO at first like a bottle that will help, also they will be thirsty and will learn to drink from it.

latnprincess · June 2013

Well my plan is to stop pumping at 1 year. I'll wean from that of course, but to start stopping at 1 year. I think (I hope!) that our bodies will adjust kinda like they did overnight. It will slow production down to probably just morning and night, but it won't completely dry up. For sure it will be less than what is needed during the day. But I plan on switching to WCM at 1 anyway and just nurse in the morning and at night. Ahhh... I makes me sad to think about.

Toni79 · June 2013

latnprincess:
Well my plan is to stop pumping at 1 year. I'll wean from that of course, but to start stopping at 1 year. I think (I hope!) that our bodies will adjust kinda like they did overnight. It will slow production down to probably just morning and night, but it won't completely dry up. For sure it will be less than what is needed during the day. But I plan on switching to WCM at 1 anyway and just nurse in the morning and at night. Ahhh... I makes me sad to think about.

I think I'm going to start weaning from the pump at a year.

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