Weaning from the pump

K

karhu

Registered User
Planning to start weaning from the pump... This is my schedule now:
~6 direct feed
11 pump at work
4 pump at work
7 direct feed
9 nurse to sleep

Want to start to pump once a day at work then no pumping at work and just direct feed at home...

Any suggestion? Am thinking to move the 11 pump session an hour later a few days till I pump at 2, and just drop the 4 o'clock session.... Would that work?

Would this affect my direct feeding at home morning and night?

Thanks do much for your help and suggestions!!!
 
What I did when I was trying to cut out a pumping session (I was exclusively pumping) was to do like you mentioned, move (for example) the 11am pump a little later, plus pump a little bit shorter as well (so for example, 15 min instead of 20). Do gradual changes, making sure that your body is ok with them. You want to avoid engorgement. You can also move the 4pm a little earlier as well and meet in the middle (so perhaps 1-2pm). The key is making gradual changes and being comfortable with them :)
 
Thanks Nicolejoy....

And to drop the last pump I would just push it later till 4,5,6? That would affect my 7 feeding... Maybe easier to drop the 7 feeding otherwise there won't be enough milk to feed my LO if I pump at 5,6....

Possible to continue direct feeding morning and night?

I never knew breastfeeding is so technical!!!

Thankssss
 
Don't worry breastfeeding isn't really that technical. Once your milk is well establish around the six weeks mark it is actually quite difficult to loose your milk.

The main principle you need to remember is one of replacement. Your body will replace whatever milk you take out (either by the baby or by the pump). So if you pump while at work your body will make milk to replace the amount you took out. And if you don't pump at work your body won't make any because there is no need to replace any.

So the more important factor is that you are comfortable. If your breasts get too full, and especially if they get painful, you need to do something about it. If this happens then don't take a full feed out but do remove some and slowly you will be able to last longer between feeds without being uncomfortable.

Once back at home the baby will remove the milk and your body will start to replace it again. I've known many, many mothers who have managed to continue breastfeeding for years by only feeding a few times a day.

The main thing is to just do it and not think or worry about it. If you just assume the milk will be there it will. If you worry about it there is a much greater chance that you will have a problem.

A mother whose milk supply is already well established doesn't have to worry about her milk supply in the same way that a new mother whose baby isn't feeding well does.

Best wishes,
SARAH

Sarah Hung IBCLC
www.lotuslactation.com
 
Hi Sarah,

Ok thanks.... I guess I'm trying to find a "method" to wean from the pump.... And worry that it will affect my 7 and 9 feeding which are very close together (but I assume the body adjusts to it as well) ... Will try to be more relax about it....

Many thanks

K
 
What your "aim" is, is to combine the 11am and 4pm pump into ONE session rather than two at first - so I wouldn't push them both later, I would push the 11am later and the 4pm earlier (eg, pump at 12 and 3) - your body will naturally adjust to that, and then can pump say for 10 min at 12:30 and then a full pump at 2... then can just pump once at 1.

I don't know if that makes sense - but when I was going from 5 pumps to 4, that is how I would drop one of them. I would always try to drop the one that I was pumping the least volume because I found that it was easier that way... but always ended up pumping in between the two times in the end...
 
I would try pushing the 11am feed to 12pm and dropping the 4pm feed all together. If you feel really full at around 4 or 5pm then I would express just enough to relieve the pressure. 2-3 minutes at the pump should do the trick. Continue to nurse at home as usual. You may feel more full for a couple days but your body will quickly adjust.
 
Thanks so much for all the advice!

I was looking forward to weaning off the pump when I started pumping at work but now that the time has come, I feel like I don't want to let go..... :)
 
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