So Liv is going to be a year old on the 22nd (SOB...when did THAT happen?!?!) and Im kind of thinking it might be time to stop pumping at work and just nurse mornings and nights and maybe before naps (thats how she goes to sleep.) Shes not showing any signs of being ready to stop nursing, and to be honest, Im not ready yet either. But Im so over pumping, and she doesnt really NEED those bottles during the day. So why do I feel so guilty about stopping?! Im literally tearing up right now typing this and I dont know why. I thought that I would be thrilled to stop. Did anyone else feel like this when they stopped pumping? I mean, I think Ill keep it up for the next 2 weeks, but I dont see my feelings changing in that short time. Ugh. Why the mommy guilt?
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i think it's because you know you still have the milk to pump if you want to (typing this as i'm pumping right now!), so you feel guilty about stopping. i'm sure i would feel the same way -- completely understandable!
you'll still be nursing and i guess they can't stay babies forever. i have no idea what i'm going to do when olive turns 1!
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@Mrs. Bee: That has to be it. I mean Im ok knowing that she will still nurse morning and night until one of us decides we are done. But I feel like Im taking something away from her. I thought I would see the day I was done pumping and throw my hands (and horns and medela bottles) victoriously into the air lol. Not cry!
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@LivsMama: you also worked so hard to build up your supply with supplements and pumping, that even if you are happy to quit, it's still bittersweet in a way.
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Pump weaning was scary and fantastic. I did it when my guy was 13 months old. I knew he could go 6 hours between feeds so that's what we did. We had been off the milk for the most part at daycare anyways. He nurses almost constantly when he is with me though.
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I eased myself into it rather than quitting cold turkey. Over about a one month period I would reduce the number of sessions I pumped each day. I stopped pumping at 13m but we continued to nurse first thing in morning and before bed until DD decided she was done at 14m.
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My LO is turning 1 next month (again, OMG, how did that happen). I am not ready to stop nursing and she doesn't show many signs either (although this weekend she did ask for it less).
I think at work I'm going to try to maybe just pump once for a month or so and see how that goes and then hopefully stop. I am ready to stop pumping because it really is a pain but I don't want it to force me to stop nursing mornings/nights.
Good luck~!
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@purrpletulips: @Thehistoryofus: good call, Im going to cut down on my sessions and then gradually stop. Thanks for that =o) I does make me happy that she still asks for it at home. I just feel bad she wont have those 12oz during the day anymore, not that theyre really NECESSARY at this point
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At 9 months I cut back to just 2 sessions because she is only taking 2 bottles at daycare now.
I'm worried about her transition to WCM too. I'm hoping to my one pumping session per day (usually get around 5 ounces) might be enough to give her a mix of BM/WCM until she can better transition.
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I totally struggled with this too... it was like, well if I can still make milk, and technically it's better for him than cow's milk, then why stop pumping!? But was I going to keep pumping forever? I felt guilty and then ridiculous about feeling guilty all at the same time. Eventually I decided to start weaning off the pumping sessions at 12 months and it took about a month to be done altogether. I had freezer milk to get to 14 months, so we introduced cows milk (first just a little, then 50/50, then all) about halfway through that month. I'm still nursing two or three times a day (at 15.5 months) and am so amazed that my body just kind of figured out when to make milk and when not to. Now the big question is when to wean more, but we're just going to keep taking it slowly. Good luck, and a huge congratulations on nursing/pumping for so long... it is not always easy!
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Don't rush yourself Momma! If your not ready, give it some time. I think eventually there will be a time when it feels right either with your little one or even when you are truly fed up with pumping at work (been there too- no fun, props to you for putting up with it at all!). No need to rush it and cause yourself guilt or anxiety. You are an amazing strong woman for BF and Pumping regardless of when you stop pumping/nursing etc.
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@LivsMama: Happy Birthday Liv!
I could totally have written this post! I think I've decided I'm not ready to put the pump down 100% yet, so I'm going to go to 1 pump per 10 hour day.
I read on KellyMom last night that toddlers need to nurse 3-4 times per day to get enough milk. I figure I will be nursing her twice plus giving other dairy and protein so I shouldn't have to worry too much about pushing WCM if she doesn't like it.
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