Starting to eliminate pumping...also, spacing out nursing?

OntheWater · May 2014

It's been a while since I've been on....but I wanted to touch base with a couple of questions! LO will be 10 months in 2 weeks. Since 6 months, when I returned to work, I have pumped 2 times a day at work. I get between12-14 oz. She takes anywhere from 8-13 while i am gone. (Often times she skips her 3rd bottle). I have an ENORMOUS stash and could wean now and still get her to a year, but I have no interest in doing that. At 10 months though, I would like to reduce my pumping to once a day and at 11 months, stop pumping at work altogether. I am fine relying on my stash from there. I am concerned about the days I am home though - I know someone just asked a similar question about this for a younger baby and it seems all agreed it would be fine. My goal is to get her to a year and start daytime weaning (keeping bedtime session, any necessary overnight sessions and possible morning session for a bit). Does anyone see any problems with me ending my work pumps so early? I just worry about her getting what she needs on the 3 days I am home.

Also - lately, she seems very uninterested in some of her feedings. I always offer, etc. but she doesn't nurse well. I am wondering if I should space out her feedings a bit with the idea that I am offering before she's actually hungry....typical day is nurse 1st thing in the a.m. (7-7:30), then before a.m. nap (9:30ish- eats well as she's half asleep), around noon before some solids (doesn't do well for this one), then before afternoon nap (1:30,2) (nurses well as she's half asleep), around 5:30-6 (doesn't nurse well), then before bed. 1-2 times overnight. I'm wondering if I should try cutting out the noon session and move the naptime one up a bit? It does mean though that I am giving her solids at lunch without first offering nursing. I know she's getting older and maybe getting into her own groove, but just curious on thoughts.....thanks in advance!

CLLDLL · May 2014

I think dropping a pumping session should be fine. Like my LC told me when I dropped from two to one, you can always go back to two if you find your supply drops drastically. As far as nursing on days when you don't work, stick with what baby wants. You might be a bit engorged that first day back to work after a couple days home, but I find it's really not that big of a deal for me.

Right around the 10.5 months mark is when my DS started changing up his eating/nursing routine. I just kind of followed his lead, just like in the NB days. You still want to make sure that BM is their primary source of nutrition, aiming for 24-30oz each day, until a year or later. So if she seems less interested in that noon nursing session, you can try dropping it and see how she does with a 1 pm session. You can always go back to what you are currently doing if that doesn't work.

OntheWater · May 2014

Thanks for the input - it seems like common sense and I would recommend it for others, certainly. My LO just rarely seeks to nurse on her own - it's almost always me offering. At certain times of the day, she will get very excited as we are approaching her glider, but if we weren't approaching it, she wouldn't care! I just get nervous that she won't get enough. I love working with other moms and giving them bf'ing confidence, but I can't ever seem trust myself! LOL!

OntheWater · May 2014

casey78 said:

I'm having similar questions, although I'll be tied to the pump a bit longer. I think you'd be fine to drop a pump.

Just in the last week or so, my LO (10.5m) started leaving more in her dc bottles and taking more volume. Dc says they rarely see her show signs of being hungry, so we agreed to start pushing first bottle back a bit and seeing if she might go for 2@5 oz rather than 3@4.5 (and wasting). If we get her to a newish schedule, I'll drop one of my 3 pumps.

When we are together, she doesn't really do full nursing sessions except morning and bed. Rather, she crawls by, latches on for a few minutes, does her thing, and then stops by again on her way to something else.

That's hysterical - pit stops! that is EXACTLY what my DD would do if given the opportunity. However, I have an older DD and typically we are out and about running errands or doing her activities, etc. So, we tend to be on more of a schedule (I know most think feedings shouldn't be scheduled, but with her not really "asking" to feed, I do tend to just watch the clock. If, of course, I sense that she's looking, I certainly follow her lead).

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