Goodbye, ol' friend (my pump!)

Jennifer - posted on 01/16/2011

You ladies are impressive---yay for us for nursing so long! I love that this topic is still in discussion; my son is going to turn 3 next month! He was over one when I quit pumping, so after he used up the frozen supply he got cow's milk at daycare. We made it almost to 13 months nursing because he started biting and thinking it was hilarious, so I took the hint and we weaned completely. I am such a proud BFing mama who can say that neither of my kids ever had any formula at all. Nothing wrong with formula; I am just proud that I was able to work full time and keep up the nursing. Good for all of us!

Jill - posted on 01/16/2011

I should add, he still nurses when I am home, he only eats solids and has cow's milk at daycare, no formula.

Jill - posted on 01/16/2011

This was my first week not pumping. My son is moving into the toddler room in about a week, and I have been decreasing the number of bottles I send with him for awhile now. This week he didn't have any. He is fourteen and a half months old.

Ramona - posted on 12/30/2010

How old is he? Will he be on formula or cow's milk at daycare? I am just interested because I am starting my daughter at daycare in a couple weeks and am going back and forth between pumping a little and sending a little breastmilk and a little formula, or just going with formula while she's at daycare. (Either way, I will still be breastfeeding when she's with me.)

NK - posted on 12/30/2010

My son is almost 14 months and i am considering not pumping for the first time next week. I still have some stockpiled for him but after that, he's probably going to get formula during the day when i am at work and the nurse in the evening and morning wheni'm at home. The only thing i am worried about is losing supply and weaning before he is ready.

Nichole - posted on 06/15/2009

I just weaned my son off me and me off the pump. He will have enough frozen til he is 1. I took the opputunity to do so when my husband gave him some soy milk and he loved it. So he gets 6 oz of BM and the rest Soy. It is bittersweet and I miss it already I wasn't ready but he was. No more cuddling in the morning to eat. Now its jump on Mommy LOL.

Cheryl - posted on 06/02/2009

My son pretty much boycotted the bottle at around 9 months so I quit pumping but continued nursing whenever I am home. It is sooo much easier not having to carry it around but it's also nice still knowing that he is getting nutritional breastmilk a few times a day too. For me, the pump was easy to give up, now that he's a year and I'm realizing that our nursing days will be over soon I'm getting sad to think that he won't be needing the boob anymore and will be a big boy...I totally feel for you!

Alison - posted on 04/18/2009

My daughter is just about 11 months old and I am cutting down the pumpings and can't wait until I'm done with pumping. Its just so time consuming to pump and have to wash the parts. I'm down to 3-4 times a day and get just enough milk for her. For the last couple of weeks I've slowly been introducing cows milk, per my doctor's direction, and that makes up for any quantity that I'm missing from my decreased pumpings. She does not get any formula at all. My daughter weaned herself off breastfeeding at 10 months. Every time I tried she just wasn't interested, even at the night and morning feedings when she would nurse the most. She'd rather have a bottle, which is faster and where she can see the world instead of stuck looking at me. I was getting so disappointed and started feeling like a failure but then had to realize that I made it 10 months, which is so much longer than I could have imagined. I really do miss the bonding one-on-one time with nursing but can't wait until this pumping period is over. Another month or so to go!

Stephanie - posted on 03/18/2009

Hey Jennifer...I am new to circle of moms, but I just wanted to say you aren't alone! My son is about to turn one and i will be saying goodbye to the pump too! I don't know how long he will stay interested in the mornings and nights, but I hope it lasts at least a month...I am not ready to let that bond go just yet!

Andrea - posted on 03/13/2009

Congratulations, one year is a great accomplishment!

My daughter is 9 mo. old and I just stopped pumping at work. Keep thinking I forgot to do something. Nice not having to lug the pump around, wash the parts and get stares at work when I go to the "room."

Unfortunately my stash was recently depleted. Now I nurse my daughter in the morning and evening (she gets formula and solids at daycare). I would like to continue nursing until she is at least one year old. Sometimes I tear up thinking about the day we're done with this stage of her (our) life.

Carolina - posted on 03/07/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

Goodbye, ol' friend (my pump!)

Today was my first day of not pumping while I was away from my son. He turned one on Wednesday, and next week will consist of him using up my frozen "stash", then he'll be done with bottles at daycare. I plan on nursing him at home in the morning and at bedtime for as long as he's interested. I'm not sad to see my pump retired, but it is a little sad to lose that connection with him while I'm at work all day. Anyone else about finished?

My daughter Lianna turns 1 on April 10th, I will nurse her morning, after work (8hr shift) and bed time. I plan on stopping pumping by the end of March,  feeding her just before dropping her off at the babbysitter. It will be a little sad for me because I have been pumping for about 9 months... But in the other hand I will be able to eat and rest on my 1/2 hr break, haven't done this for a long time - it was eat fast, pump and get back to work... I will miss it though...

I breastfed my first daughter for about 18 months, I want to breastfeed the second one untill she's 2 (?)...!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rivka - posted on 03/02/2009

Yes!

For a while now my son (turning 1 tomorrow) has been eating mainly solids and using the bottles to help him when he was really cranky to help him nap. My husband (who stays home with him) is able to find other ways to help him calm down, though.

So for the last few weeks I noticed that Azi was often not drinking the bottle that I left for him during the day. Yesterday I went to work without the pump as there were 3 unused bottles in the fridge, which will last the rest of the week. When I got home we decided that I wouldn't pump anymore. He can use what is left in the fridge/freezer if he needs any milk.

I too, am continuing to nurse in the morning and at night.

Danielle - posted on 03/01/2009

Yay...congrats on making it one year.  I'm only 5 months in so I still have a bit to go.

Teri - posted on 02/28/2009

Way to go!  Making it a year with the pump is amazing!  Congrats on your new freedom from the milking machine.  I've still got a long way to go  :)