1 Year and Thank you!!

[TheAnalyticalMommy]

Hi everyone! My LO turned a year old and we're still going strong! I stopped pumping around 11 1/2 months and have almost depleted my frozen BM supply. He still asks to nurse often even if he's had a full meal and WCM to drink. I don't see him self weaning any time soon and I'm okay with that! I think I'd like to stop by 2 years but i'm happy to let him keep going until then if that's what he wants. I'd be heart broken if he decided to stop today - it's our special bonding time ! Luckily though he has no issues drinking WCM which will definitely help me gain back a little freedom and not have to dress specifically for nursing in public! 

Thank you to everyone on this board (and the former board) who helped me through my million questions and challenges! There were many times over the first few weeks and months that I wanted so badly to quit. After the regret i live with for quitting with my first, and with the help of everyone on this board, we got through it and I'm so glad we did!

[ellabee]

Welcome and congrats!! Sounds like you guys are doing awesome.

If you don't mind me asking...what was your plan for quitting the pump? My DDis 10.5 months and I just went down from 3x to 2x at work. I'm hoping in about 1.5 months I'll be able to share a post just like yours. Did you consolidate your sessions and then keep pushing the timing of that last session out based on comfort? Thanks!

[TheAnalyticalMommy]

Thanks Ellabee! I was pumping 3x a day for 20 minutes each and had started to find it hard to fit that third one in. Something always seemed to come up. So I estimated how long i could go if i cut down to twice a day to see if i'd have enough frozen milk. I assumed that if i went down to twice a day i'd be able to pump 8-10 ounces, and then assumed that if i went to once a day i'd be able to pump about 3-5 ounces and then figured out when i could do what so I'd have enough frozen milk. I don't recall exactly when i did what but I think I did twice a day for many a month and then once a day for probably another month and then dropped the one pump over a week. During my last week pumping I pumped 10 minutes the first two days, 5 minutes the next two days, and then didn't pump on Friday but i did pick LO up early and nursed him early afternoon (about 3 hours earlier than I'd normally nurse him at home). I still get a little engorged on one side if my LO doesn't nurse much before daycare but in general, it's not bad. I have noticed that LO needs to work a bit harder for the milk because it's not there waiting but he doesn't seem to mind most of the time. Good luck!

[TheAnalyticalMommy]

Oh! I also changed the times I pumped as i dropped pumps. I started with 9, 12, and 3 and then changed to 10 or 11 and 2 or 3 depending on my schedule at work and then did my last pump around 2 because I could go until then without feeling engorged. The last pump changed times during my last week so that it would get closer to my pickup time.

[ellabee]

Thanks TheAnalyticalMommy!

[mama2a]

Good job, congrats!

[catsinawindow]

Congratulations, what a great accomplishment!