Maintaing Milk Supply...

I stopped pumping (went from 2 to 1 midday work pumping) and was able to successfully continue to nurse my son even on weekends with that missed pump. After a month or so I completely stopped pumping and was able to continue to nurse while at home and after my freezer supply ran dry we supplemented with formula while I was at work, but when I was home I continued to breastfeed. It seemed to work well for us, and I didn't have any problems with my supply. On the weekends by that time he was eating a lot of solids, so I would nurse in conjunction with meals and we didn't seem to have a problem. There were a couple of times before I weaned that I would follow a nursing session with a bottle of formula if I felt he hadn't gotten enough, but he would only drink an oz or 2 max if even that. So for me, I was able to stop daytime pumping and continue nursing (I did this for about 4 months before he weaned himself). Now, I know of other people who haven't had the same experiences. When they cut off pumping, they dried up quite quickly, and had to work hard to get their supply back. I don't think you really know how your body will handle it until you try. I was one of those people who had a very large supply, I think I could have fed the whole neighborhood, so that may have had something to do with it. At your daughter's age she isn't really nursing for the nourishment at this point, it has more to do with comfort, so if your supply dwindles a little I am sure it wouldn't be too bad. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I had a really hard time weaning my daughter. I tried to let her lead the process, but she really wasn't interested in weaning and my body was taking a beating after 15 months of every 2 hours during the day, so I had to cut back for her and those last few feedings were hard to eliminate. You just need to do whatever you are comfortable with. I wasn't pumping at all with her since I was home, so I was at her beck and call and always on duty, and it seemed she wanted to nurse more often instead of less.

I know a lot of moms who stopped pumping when their babies were around age one. If you are working only part time, so you don't go more than 6 or 7 hours without seeing your daughter, and you haven't had supply issues to date, I would guess that your body would adjust and provide the milk she needs at the time she needs it. Breastfeeding is amazing; the body really does adjust! By the time my son was 18 months old I could be gone all day, 10-12 hours at a stretch, for work and nurse him whenever I was home; he was fine on solid food while I was gone and I never ran out of milk. We nursed until he was almost 3 1/2 this way! The only thing is you might have to watch for things like plugged ducts or other engorgement issues as your body adjusts, so pay careful attention to any soreness or lumps. Kellymom.com has plenty of info on what to do about those. Congratulations and good luck!

With a 16-month-old, I would not bother pumping anymore. Let your daughter nurse what you have. Your breast milk is hardly her major source of sustenance anymore.

Put the pump away. You won't miss it. Your boobs will generate some milk as long as she's still nursing. Even at one nursing a day, your body should put out a little something. At your daughter's age, nursing is mostly just to get some yummies and snuggles.

Hi A.,
Good for you! I too, am still nursing my 1 yr. old and have gone through the same process. Until she was 9 months, I was feeding throughout the night during her night wakings. When we sleep trained and I completely stopped 5-6 feedings w' no pumping at night, I was completely engorged in the morning. She'd never drink it all when she woke up so I'd still be engorged in the late morning. My body adjusted just fine in a few days.

But for whatever reason, it was a different story when I stopped pumping at work. I work 43 hrs/wk and pumping at work just isn't conducive with my schedule. I stopped one of the 2 pumps (the late one) and it actually dropped my milk supply for the entire day. I was at half of what I was producing and my let down was extremely slow. She had to feed 3x to get what she needed at night. It took forever and I had to drink more than 30 oz of water to produce it. It was daunting. This lasted a couple of weeks, then all went back to normal.

So, you're body somehow figures out that it needs to produce a certain amount at a certain time, and none at the time when you don't need it. It may take a while to adjust but don't feel discouraged. And if you do fear that it may go down for a while longer, try supplements like fenugreek pills (with no liquid 20 min before and 20 min after you take it) about an hr before nursing.

Hope this helps.

well i have a 7 week little girl and i will be having to get a surgery done in a month and i have no place of stopping when it comes to giving her breast milk. so i needed to get my flow up so i can have a little saved up for the little bit i will not be able to feed her myself. i was told of Fenugreek and to take 3 pills 3 times a day after the 3erd day i got extreamly full so i have to pump or be in pain. so should your suply get down and drinking and pumping more dont work try the Fenugreek it worked for me

First let me congratulate you on your two children. I breastfed all my children and for the most part I followed a child led weaning practice. But one of my doctors made a good point, for the best experience for both of you, both of your needs have to taken in to account. Lets face it, your baby doesn't 'need' breast milk anymore but its still better for them than the alternatives and the time together is irreplacable. My children were a little over 2 when they finally weaned and toward the end stopping some feedings were his or her choice, some were mine and that's okay. If you don't want to pump in the after noon when you're away, don't. Frustration and breast feeding don't go together. When you're with the baby, still nurse her. Eventually,your mid day supply will dwindle, at this point the baby will decided she'd rather have something else and she will stop that feeding, or you can encourage her in that direction. Either way, you still have that special time in the morning and night. Keep in mind, she will wean completely at some point, this does seem like a natural small step.

Good luck.

Good job for the extended nursing! Its so important and I disagree with some of the posts on this issue. There is NO need to wean your child until you or the child make that decision. My son is 3 1/2 and still nurses at night. We have to grow up so fast in this world and so many people are in an even bigger rush to make that happen. The time spent with your child is invaluable and priceless. The emotional health of an extended nursed child is so much stronger and healthier and they still receive immunities from your milk. Before my son was born I was unsure if I even wanted to breastfeed and now here I am! We are the only nation that seems to think that 12 months is the expration date on breastfeeding. Is so very sad! My job made it impossible for me to pump so I had to stop pumping after a week back at work. I was able to continue to nurse him morning, noon and night and gradually dropped one feeding at a time until the nighttime one. When he decides he is ready then that will end too. Sorry this is so long but your supply will keep up to what your baby needs!

Good for you A..

I nursed my son until he was 21 months (and told me that they were his boobies and that I couldn't tell him no... I had to wean him to set him straight) When he gave up is mid day bottle, I gave up my mid day pumping. While my breasts stopped getting full at lunch time, I still produced plenty of milk morning and evening nursing.

Yes, you will lose you mid-day supply (you can get it back by restarting pumping or nursing at that time) but you'll still be able to nurse him morning and night like you have been. Your body will just stop producing all that milk at your regular pumping time (be sure to wear nursing pads for acouple of days though).

HTH,
T.

I nursed my son for eight months. I only had two months off work, but I was able to nurse him for six months in the morning before I left for work, as soon as I got home in the afternoon, and before he went to bed. I did not pump at work as there was no good place to do so. Therefore, he had formula while he was at daycare. My body adjusted to not producing milk during the day. Of course, if I tried to run errands after work, I would end up leaking milk, so I usually just went straight to the day care to pick him up. I wouldn't have tried this, but a co-worker said that is what she did, and it worked for me, too. I did not wean him from nursing--he did that himself when he started biting (and he had lots of teeth!!). I think by that time, he could get more milk faster from a bottle than from me.

I second the suggestion to check out the Mothering forums. Everything I've read indicates that your body will produce enough milk for whatever nursings you continue to offer and that dropping the mid-day pumping is fine!

My daughter is 11 months and some after she's a year I plan to stop pumping (I pump twice a day now) and just nurse when she's with me.

I have read that the easiest way to drop the pumping without risking mastitis (and have a friend who did this, and what you are doing, with her now 19 month old who still nurses regularly - no supply issues) is to slowly cut back on the amount you pump. So, continue the pumping, but if you normally pump 5 ounces, pump only 4 ounces for a few days, then 3 ounces for a few days, etc. so that you don't get engorged.

Good luck! And yay for extended nursing!

At that age most babies are getting off the bottle and on to whole milk or at least 2% milk. I would begin the weaning process soon. I have a 16mo old grandson who is totally off the bottle and has been since he was 12mo. I understand breastfeeding is a true process that some mothers are torn ending at that age. When my oldest was one... the doctor said.. what are your plans this weekend? We said not much... he said good.. take her off the bottle. Soooo breast may be included. Surely she has a mouth full of teeth. She can eat finger foods now and a sippy cup. It's time. Sorry.

I think you might find some really supportive advice at the Child Led Weaning forum at mothering.com -
http://mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?s=&...

I am sure you know the benefits of CLW, but for any curious readers and for you to simply enjoy, here is a great thread where some mamas explain why they chose to CLW.
http://mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=596711

I practiced CLW with my second baby and am doing it again with my third. Nice to see another CLWing mom around!

I believe that you will maintain the supply necessary for however many feedings your little one takes during the time you are with her. Yes, if you stop pumping your body will stop making the amount of milk you pumped. If she nurses at mid day, your body will make enough for her to continue doing so.

During the process of natural weaning, when the times between nursings became longer and longer, my body still made enough for my baby. When weaning begins, you are always ahead of the baby because they stop taking what you are already making... if that makes sense. Even when my little one wasn't nursing every day anymore, I still had enough milk for the times he did nurse. Even when he only nursed two or three times a week, there was still milk.

So I say, at this point, breastfeeding is much more of a two way street than in the first year - your needs should not go unmet! If you are are ready to stop pumping, you can certainly look into ways of maintaining your supply without it if need be.

Keep in mind that if your little one is nursing four times a day, there is no need to give any other milk or milk substitute because with four nursings, they are getting adequate amounts of nutrients equivalent (and better quality) to cow's milk or formula. I encouraged my little one to maintain 4 nursing sessions a day til we reached the World Health Organization's minimum recommendation of two years for that reason. :)

I don't have any advice. Sorry. But I'm curious to know. I also will stop pumping at work.

Let me know is you get any response. Thanks

Go you! I'm really glad to see you're working hard to give your daughter the food she's supposed to have! :-)
AT this point in your nursing relationship, your milk supply is well established, and she is very very efficient at maintaining your supply on her own. The only reason to pump in the afternoons is to have a bottle for when she wants it, if you're not around.
The way your body makes milk now, is "on demand", so you only make it when it's called for (i.e. when you pump or she nurses) you don't "fill and store" the way you did when she was a newborn, so your body will continue to make as much as is called for, whether you pump or not.
Also, you're well established, so if you do notice a drop in supply it's very easy to bring it back up with more frequent nursing.

Whew! That's a lot to write! Let me know if that doesn't make sense!
-B. Sampey, CLC

I stopped pumping at work when my son was 13 months. He nurses in the morning, at night, and when I am home on the weekends, occasionally during the day. I think my supply did reduce slightly, but he adjusted, and so did I. Since he doesn't nurse for a meal, he doesn't seem to mind.

I have a 21 month old son and I am still nursing him also. He is my fourth child and the only one I have nursed this long. 18 months has been the longest before him. I only nurse a few times a day. (Bedtime, early morning and sometimes just before his nap...but we have missed the nap one several times) I do not pump AT ALL and I have not had any issues with losing my milk supply. As long as you are nursing EVERY day...even if it is only once or twice...your milk will stay. With my oldest, by the time he was 18 months he was only nursing 2-3 times a day when I cut him off cold turkey. My milk didn't even dry up for a year after that. I never got engorged or anything like that, but when I tried to manually extract maybe every few months (to see if it was still there) there was milk. Seriously, it took a year for it to go away. (Not to give you too much info...but I was single at the time and there was NO stimulation for that year either.) So...from my personal experience, I don't believe you have anything to worry about as long as she is nursing every day. I hope that helps!

i think as she get older she will require less feeding and as a result your milk supply will dwindel... the body does produce according to it use