Looking for Your Experiences with Weaning the Pump, but Not the Baby!

This is what I did when my son turned one, and I had the same concerns. It sounds like he had the same nursing pattern as your son. I had regularly pumped 2x a day at work, and then I dropped it to once a day for about 2 weeks and then I just stopped. I might suggest dropping one a day rather one a week? My supply ended up being fine. I did, however, get a case of mastitis when I went to once a day. But my supply was just fine. Good luck!

What you want to do is entirely possible, especially if your milk supply has been good up until this point.

Around 15 mos, my little one started daycare. Before that he had been cared for by a series of babysitters who came for a couple hours between his 2 naps and I would take breaks to nurse (my studio is in the house). He was nursing AM, before his afternoon nap, after the nap, and before bed. Once he started daycare, weekdays I nursed him in the AM and sometimes after school, and again before bed. I had no problems maintaining milk supply. Around 20 mos he stopped wanting to nurse in the AM but still wanted bed time nursing and some afternoons.

He is now nearly 22 mos, and sometimes forgets to ask for bedtime nursing. My milk supply is definitely less, but enough for his needs and I don't usually get engorged at all. About a month ago, we went for 3 days with no nursing. I thought we were done, but on the third night he asked and I said, "I thought you were a big boy." He said, "NO. Baby." I still had milk (after 3 days I was feeling a little engorged--like I used to after 3 hrs when he was tiny). I'm following his lead for now, and hoping/dreading that he will be ready soon.

My daughter is 18 months and still very happily nursing several times a day. I stopped pumping when she was 14 months, and dropped to once a day (from 2-3 times) at a year.

She doesn't tolerate milk, so she drinks oat or hemp milk when I'm at work (and water) and nurses at least 4 times during the day and at least 2-3 at night still. She is clearly getting milk when she nurses, but I never feel engorged anymore. I haven't had any issues when she nurses more during the weekend.

I think it's totally fine to stop pumping at that age and just nurse when you are together. My goal is for my little one to nurse until she's at least 2 and I don't see having any issues getting there.

Good lucky - and congrats on pumping and nursing so long!

Our bodies are wonderful machines. I have 2 boys that I nursed for a long time. I also work full time. I pumped for at least 7 months, then eventually just nursed 3 times a day during the week, and around the clock on the weekends. Your body will know when to have milk ready. I do recommend you reducing your pumping sessions one at a time, not cold turkey.

Best wishes.

I stopped pumping at a year cold turkey and kept nursing for another year. It was fine. I always had milk for my son, he would still be nursing if it was up to him lol! :)

Hi N.

MY twins are now 14 month and I slowly stopped them on breast milk during the day. I am still nursing in the morning after they wake up and before they go to sleep at night.
After they turned 11 month old I reduced my pumping from 2 times a day to 1 time a day and used some frozen breastmilk to supplement for day care. When they turned 1 I stopped pumping all together. For 2-3 weekends I would still nurse them once a day. and give them regular milk for other needs and during lunch snack and dinner. No I give them regular milk during the day even on the weekend and nurse only first thing in the morning and once before bed time.
Your body will always produce milk for a long time even if you do not do it every day.

At this point the nursing is more for your and the babie's enjoyment and connection and not necessarily the only food source so just take it as it comes. At this age they will let you know if they want milk from you.

Good Luck.

Hi N.,

I actually logged in today to find similar info! My little guy just turned 9 months and I am deciding if I should stop pumping at work. I usually nurse right after work (around 5:15), again right before he goes to bed (7-7:30). And 2-3 times during the night, the last time being somewhere close to 4 or 5 am. I pump only twice during the week now and when the pumped milk runs out he has formula in addition to his cereal, veggies, fruits etc. On weekends I nurse only.

I started out pumping several times night and day, then went to only pumping twice a day at work and not at home, then went to once a day, now I am doing it 1-2 times a week. My milk supply hasn't changed and I have only pumped once a week for the last month.

I feel really guilty about it sometimes because I know breastmilk is better for him. I want to continue to give him breastmilk until at least his 1 year birthday but all this hooking to the moo-machine is draining. So I nurse when I am with him and when I am not, sometimes he has formula.

I'm in the same boat and looking forward to the responses. My daughter is 10.5 months and I'm wanting to stop pumping at work when she turns 1. She started late eating solids so I'm not sure how it's all going to pan out by her first b-day.

Cassie

Your milk production will slow, and eventually stop. There is no way around it if you stop pumping. Your boby produces what you use and no more than that. The less you use, the less and less you produce.

i think you just need to think about how your body is. mine is very forgiving with pumping. i worked up to 11 hour days with my first son and could do just one pumping and my supply was always strong. my friend has to nurse/pump very regularly or she notices changes in her supply. for me, anything goes. so if nursing and supply has always been good, you are probably fine. there are plenty of people who nurse only 2 times a day or sometimes even every other day and their supply is fine. i also think that your body will go the extra mile for the kid. i can pump and pump and will only get a certain amount and then my kid will nurse and it will dribble out of his mouth. seems like there is always something in there for them. good luck!