Need some advice from working moms. For those of you that breastfed through infancy, when did you begin weaning from the pump and how long did it take? I'm getting so fed up with pumping! I just want to hang up my horns, but I know I want to stick with it. I pump twice a day at 10 and 2.
Weaning from the pump
- Thread starter evgreen
- Start date
I can't remember exactly, but I think at around 9 months I dropped the pumping to once per day at lunch time and then at about a year I stopped pumping all together and just breastfed in the morning and in the evening. Throughout I just supplemented with formula as needed (ie, if not enough expressed BM). LO was getting quite bored of breastfeeding and was fully weaned by 15 months without much effort.
Gataloca
Registered User
I don't remember exactly either, but I think I did the same as Portia... at around 9 months dropped to 1 pumping per day from 2, and then at around 12 months, I stopped pumping and only breastfed when I was at home (morning, night and midnight, and afternoon on weekends).
nicolejoy
Registered User
I wasn't working, but I pumped for medical reasons and when I wanted to quit, there were two things I did...
1) pump less frequently, and
2) reduce pumping time.
I think that going from 2 to 1 was the most awkward - so that was when I really started timing it - for example, if I used to pump both times for 40min (I got multiple letdowns so would pump longer because of that), I deliberately stared pumping for only 35min for a few days. Once I was comfortable with that, I'd go down to 30 min etc... Once I was down to about 20 min, THEN I dropped down to one pump a day, but instead I would pump for longer until I felt empty.
Once I was fine with that, I reduced the length of that session. I think I got down to 10min once a day when I quit completely. I had a little engorgement on about day 6 or so, but it was minor and went away after a day or two. The key to painless weaning is to make gradual changes. Quitting cold turkey leads to engorgement and possible infection.
1) pump less frequently, and
2) reduce pumping time.
I think that going from 2 to 1 was the most awkward - so that was when I really started timing it - for example, if I used to pump both times for 40min (I got multiple letdowns so would pump longer because of that), I deliberately stared pumping for only 35min for a few days. Once I was comfortable with that, I'd go down to 30 min etc... Once I was down to about 20 min, THEN I dropped down to one pump a day, but instead I would pump for longer until I felt empty.
Once I was fine with that, I reduced the length of that session. I think I got down to 10min once a day when I quit completely. I had a little engorgement on about day 6 or so, but it was minor and went away after a day or two. The key to painless weaning is to make gradual changes. Quitting cold turkey leads to engorgement and possible infection.