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I went to 14 months and never supplemented. My supply would ebb and flow and my son's appetite did the same. Some weeks I didn't pump enough and would have to use some of my freezer stash and some weeks I pumped way more and got to freeze the rest. It all evened out.
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@yellowbird: Amazing!
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@avivoca: See, my supply has been going up and down, making me think my period is coming. But nothing yet. Interesting that your supply was so tied to that!
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@mediagirl: Thank you for the encouragement. I feel like I'm giving myself pumping pep talks every day! I feel so much pressure about it, and then I realize the pressure is coming from myself!
Definitely helps to take a step back and realize any of my options are great and healthy for my daughter.
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@psw27: That's awesome! Good for you for sticking with it even after you stopped nursing.
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@Anagram: What a big change! Can't believe you were able to keep it up after those illnesses. Mamas are superheroes.
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@jape14: This is so encouraging! I was wondering what would happen if I stopped pumping before a year--if I could keep enough milk for morning and evening. Good to know that it IS possible!
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@Chillybear: Love it. I love hearing about happy nursing/pumping/supplementing stories. Thanks for sharing!
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@mrsjyw: Oooh, interesting about the calc/mag. I took that combo for leg cramps during pregnancy--didn't know it could help with supply! How much did you take?
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@catlady: So awesome! Way to go, mama!
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@edelweiss: I'm in that exact time frame right now--she's 5.5 months! Thanks for sharing!!
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@nana87: @dillionlion: Thanks for sharing, y'all!
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@matador84: That's so awesome!
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@kayakgirl73: Wow, awesome job! Thanks for sharing.
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@MrsKoala: So glad to hear this. I'm HOPING this will happen with DD, too, but time will tell!
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Nursed and pumped until 9 months. My supply tanked and his weight dropped off so at his 9 month check up his doctor recommended supplementing with formula. Tried supplementing and after he had a bottle he rejected the slow flowing breast all together! Haha so we weaned cold turkey.
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@artsyfartsy: Haha! My DD is 5.5 months old and I refuse to switch her from the Medela slow-flow nipples. I know she COULD eat so much faster, but I don't want to get her used to that! LOL. Good for you for getting to 9 months!
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@mfa_lady: LO is 8 mos today, and we've been supplementing with formula since I went back to work at 12 weeks. It isn't possible for me to pump at my job, so LO gets formula during the day and nurses at home in the mornings and at night. We've been doing this schedule for 5 mos now, and it works wonderfully for us. No stress about output, but she still gets breastmilk daily. Supplementing does not have to mean the end of a great breastfeeding relationship!
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I made it to about a year with both of my children. I had to supplement my first at 6 mo and my second at 9 mo. I stopped at a year though partially because of supply and not having the will to keep on fighting! It is hard work!
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@Rocker2014: THANK YOU for sharing, and for saying that. I have just recently started really enjoying nursing, and I don't want to have to stop if pumping ends up not being worth it. We're nowhere close to that yet, but so great to know I can still keep it up.
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@Amelieisme: It is tough stuff, isn't it? I feel like pumping (and the setup + cleanup + washing + packing) is a second job! Which, I guess...it kind of is.
Good for you for making it so long!
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LO is 3 next week and still nursing. I pumped until 13 months and never had to supplement. I was very lucky to have great supply.
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@mfa_lady: you're welcome! And even though she gets plenty of formula, LO LOVES to nurse!
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I just weaned at 18 months!
Stopped pumping by 12 months, and had no supply issues. I did have an oversupply though, and lo stopped drinking the pumped milk so she started reverse cycling at 6 months. Which basically meant there was no reason to pump after 6 months but I did it once a day anyway.
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15.5 mo and I had to start supplementing at 6 months. It was a hard decision but ultimately best for us and I was so glad we were able to keep up nursing! I stopped pumping at a year.
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I WOH part-time, and nursed until 6 months. Until then, we didn't supplement. However, LO self-weaned at 6 months and frankly I was having a hard time pumping while at work due to a very unpredictable schedule, so I think it was perfect timing for him to self-wean. I didn't pump after he weaned for said erratic work schedule. No regrets whatsoever.
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@BabyBoecksMom: I love that advice about not hating the pump. It's so simple but it's like a light bulb went off for me. My baby is 6m and I just went back to work a few weeks ago. So far pumping is going great, especially because my output is still much higher than my silly bottle challenged baby can drink. I know it won't last, because as he gets older he'll nurse less as he eats maybe, plus bottles will probably click for him!
Anyways, I've been having that attitude like argh I hate pumping what a drag but I think it's just I feel like that's what everyone says! It truly isn't that bad and I get way more breaks in my busy shift than normally! Plus I feel amazing to be able to produce the bottles and see it so tangibly. It's like super powers!
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I nursed until 27 months and pumped until 16 months. But we dipped into the freezer stash pretty early and started supplementing with cow's milk around 12 months.
I took way more breaks at work back when I was pumping, so I never minded it much.
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I nursed until 10.5 months and then she weaned on her own. Pumped for about another month after that.
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@junebugsmama: That's awesome! Yes, I agree, it's so much better to see the actual output.
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@mamabolt: So amazing!
@Pirouette: OMG. I think I would lose it if my LO started reverse cycling!
@maybebaby: Love hearing this. Thanks for sharing!
@BabyTsMom: Way to go, mama!
@sometimesshesings: Awesome job. Thank you!
@NovBaby1112: That's awesome. Good for you!!
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Voted twice since different with each kid. DS1 - started supplementing at 6 months and made it 9 mos before totally switching to formula. DS2 - made it a year, didn't supplement, but started introducing WCM at 11 months. Wanted to keep nursing morning and night but after quitting pumping at one year I pretty much dried up.
I hated pumping so I never really pumped at home. When I cut back to pumping twice a day at work with DS1 that's when I needed to supplement. With DS2 I kept pumping 3x per day in order to keep up and thankfully was able to build a decent freezer stash early on that I could pull from starting at around 9 months.
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@sungirl: That's so awesome! Cool to hear that it was different for you with different kids (and, it sounds like, slightly different techniques). You guys are giving me hope that I CAN keep it up for longer, and reminding me that no matter what, it's going to be great for her.
Definitely helps to take a step back and realize any of my options are great and healthy for my daughter.
Stopped pumping by 12 months, and had no supply issues. I did have an oversupply though, and lo stopped drinking the pumped milk so she started reverse cycling at 6 months. Which basically meant there was no reason to pump after 6 months but I did it once a day anyway.
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