LO is 8 months old and I have been pumping 3x a day at work since my return when she was 3 months. Now that she is getting solids regularly, her milk intake at daycare has dropped a little.
I have been lucky enough to meet her needs with extra this whole time, but I would love to drop from 3 to 2 sessions a day. My main concern is being able to continue to produce enough through the 1-year mark.
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26 votes
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
Once she turns 8 months on the 27th, I'm dropping down to 2x a day.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
I only pump twice at work from the get-go. But I do pump in the morning before going to work, so I wasn't sure if that still counts as 3 sessions per work day.
grapefruit / 4120 posts
Not till the very end -- I was too concerned I wouldn't have enough. Maybe 2 weeks before he turned one, I started dropping sessions.
pear / 1698 posts
My LO is 8.5 months and is still taking 15 oz at daycare? How much solids are your LO's taking and how much milk are you sending? She nurses and then eats 1/4 cup baby fortified oatmeal for breakfast, a 4 oz squeeze pouch of baby food at daycare plus the three bottles equaling 15 oz, and then for dinner she gets whatever we are having (BLW) and she's a pretty good eater, right after dinner she nurses once more and goes to bed. I'd love to cut down on pumping, but it seems like she's still taking in the same amount before solids!
pear / 1992 posts
@LemonLong: She was drinking 12-16 oz a day before solids and since introducing them is down to 10-12 oz. Our loose daily schedule is:
6:30 nurse
8:30 2 oz yogurt
9:30 4 oz bottle
12:30 2-4 oz bottle followed by 4+ oz fruit/bm/grain puree
3:30 4 oz bottle
6:30 6+ oz veggie/bm/grain puree
7:00 nurse
12:00 nurse
3:00 nurse
Right now I can get 16-18 oz a day and am freezing the extra.
bananas / 9357 posts
@lindseykaye: You can try out just pumping twice for a couple of weeks and see what it does to your output. That's great you are able to freeze extra.
My situation is a little different, I've always only pumped twice. I worked half days until he was 7 months and would pump before work and once at work... eventually dropping the first pump at home and only pumping once. Now that I'm full time, I only pump twice 10 am and 2 pm. I get about 12 ounces + or - a few ounces. BUT DS has reversed cycled and nurses a lot during the night and drinks at most 8 ounces while I'm at work. DS is 9 months now.
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts
I dropped to twice a day at 8 months, and once a day at 9 months, and I have trying to drop this last session altogether but mah bewbs refoose to cooperate!?!
grapefruit / 4923 posts
when i went back to work at 3 months, i was pumping 2x per day at work. i then added a right-before-bed session in order to keep up with LO's demand. i also tried adding another pumping session at work, to make it 3x per workday, but after a week i wasn't seeing any increase so i went back to 2x per day and will probably keep it that way until we start weaning.
pear / 1570 posts
i said 10-12 but some days I still do three. depends on my schedule.
nectarine / 2054 posts
I only pump twice a day at work (always have since I went back at 6 months), but I also pump after his first feed in the morning and before I go to bed at night. The two at-home pumping sessions are key for me to have enough for his bottles the next day (usually with a little extra).
pear / 1992 posts
@mrskc: I think that is what I'm going to do - try it out for a few days/weeks and see how it goes. Might even start tomorrow so that if things take an immediate plunge I can try to recover over the weekend.
Thanks for your input ladies - I am nervous but will be really happy to cut out a session and eventually to cut out pumping altogether!
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@lindseykaye: My supply has stayed in tact going from 6 total sessions a day (mix of nursing and pumping) down to 5, and even down to 4 occasionally the last week or two. It seems like you are still in the 7-8x a day range, so I bet your supply will do just find dropping one of those! I can get by on 4!
kiwi / 541 posts
@lindseykaye: I just completed the weaning process this week. LO is 7mo. I did a lot of reading about how to wean. I decided to start with reducing the pumping sessions at work since that was the hardest time for me. I took away the middle session first and did this for two-three weeks. I would pump anytime I was in pain and just resumed the following day. Then I took away the last session before I went home. This is where it got tricky for me because sometimes the baby would be ready to eat when I got home and other times wasn't. So I ended up bringing the pump home everyday for a month. I think really there isn't a "correct" answer other than do what you feel is working for you. I worried/stressed over making sure I took away the right feedings/etc. And in the end... ended up doing my own thing. Good luck
pear / 1992 posts
Just wanted to say thanks for the replies and advice! I've been pumping 2x daily (around 10 and 3) for the last week and things are going well! I am producing a little less but still more than she needs each day for bottles. Hope I can keep it up!
On a sour note - AF returned today. I am inclinded to think that spacing out my daytime pumping was part of it but it had to happen eventually.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@lindseykaye: Just started today! So far so good. A little uncomfortable but what can ya do 
grapefruit / 4006 posts
i also pumped only 2x during the workday from the get go. every 4 hours. i also pump in the morning before work though, after she nurses.
pomelo / 5628 posts
I started 2x a day around 9 months (although it's only 6 adjusted since he's a preemie). My output dropped from 18oz 3x to about 10 2x which is a bit frustrating. So make sure you are ok with a decent sized drop if necessary.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
This past month! I only pump two three days a week, ds intake is going down, so I pump twice n get 10-13oz depending on yhe day
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