When to Stop Pumping?

I would say it is ok to stop pumping now. Now that he eats food he is nursing for comfort rather than nutrition. I would put cow's milk in a cup for him when he is away from you and then let him nurse as he wants.

I too am an AP parent and nursing a 22 month old toddler. Since you're getting so little milk at each pumping, your body may have simply adjusted to knowing when your son will eat and it has milk ready for him then, but not in between. As my daughter dropped feedings, I could always tell when she was eating at an off time since my breasts never felt full like they did when it was one of her normal times to nurse. She's never been on a schedule or anything like that, but she does have a pattern of when she normally eats and when she doesn't. Try going to pumping once a day and ask your son if the milk is still there. He's old enough he should be able to tell you if there are changes in the quantity or quality of the milk he's getting. If going to one pumping for a couple weeks doesn't make a difference for him, then try dropping your work pumpings all together. You can also check out a local le leche league meeting and ask about it there since the leaders (and moms) may have more input, insight and experience.

You son might also have some input on this too. Explain to him that it is hard for you to make milk while you are at work and ask if he is willing to try having cow milk, juice, water, etc. instead of your milk while you are gone. At the same time, explain that he can still continue to have your milk and snuggles when you are home. You also mentioned a bottle, but he's definately old enough for a cup or sippy of fluid instead of a bottle. Please don't take that as criticism but rather a suggestion for making the transitions easier. If he's as devoted to mama milk as it sounds like he is, then he won't wean until he's good and ready no matter what you do! Good luck!

I would stop pumping. Not only is your body trying to tell you something, at 3 your son is well past the point of being ready for other forms of dairy. I would guess he is nursing now for closeness rather then for nutrition, so maybe you could still spend all that nursing time together, but do it reading a story or playing with him.

Don't bother pumping while at work. Your son doesn't need to eat breastmilk during the day. Your breasts may continue to produce enough milk without pumping. After I stopped pumping while at work I still made lots of breast milk for my daughter at night and in the morning. Your body will adjust.

Your son is at the age where he should be drinking from a cup now (when not breastfeeding). So I wouldn't worry about bottles.

Congratulations for your wonderful extended nursing relationship. You can safely wean yourself from the pump and still have enough for your little guy when he wants it. My daughter is 18 months and I stopped pumping at 14, she nurses night/morning/afternoon when we get home. On the weekends she nurses more frequently and guess what - there's always milk for her.

Here is some more information on weaning from the pump:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning-from-pump.html

Good luck!
A.

Good for you to be able to keep up nursing for your baby, it is so important. I too nurse and co-sleep with my 17mnth old, and wouldn't have it any other way. I did stop pumping shortly after she turned a year old. My body just wasn't producing for the pump, (1oz tops). She has been 6month of nursing before bed, through the night, and first thing in the morning & I seem to produce just what she needs. In short, I think it would be fine for you to stop pumping. Your body will know what is needed for your little guy. :)

after all this time, whether you pump or not is probably not actually affecting your supply. Give yourself a break and quit it. Isn't that more natural, anyway? Most mothers around the world and throughout history have not used a pump to artificially stimulate supply. Your body might be smarter than your brain. You might "naturally" produce less milk because your "baby" doesn't need it anymore. (oops, not to imply your brain isn't smart! I'm just saying, let your body do its thing.)

At this point your son is nursing for comfort, not hydration or nutrition. At his age he's getting everything he needs from other sources, but if the sweet cuddle time is still working for both of you, keep it up!

I'd stop pumping, and stop giving him bottles. He probably should be learning to drink from a cup (or at least a sippy) by now anyway.

Good luck!

Stop pumping. Between your son and your body, the nursing is coming to an end. The nursing is more of a bonding, comfort time for the both of you right now. And that's wonderful. My youngest was almost 3 when he stopped completely, but he still snuggled up when I came home each evening. My oldest two nursed for extended times, but each subsequent pregnancy prevented anything longer for them. Make sure he's drinking from a cup for the majority of his liquid intake. He's probably eating more solids than liquids for his diet by now.
And the snuggling never ends... my youngest is 18 and graduating for high school in 6 weeks. His favorite place to be when he's had a tough day is to come sit by me on the love seat walker and have me hold him. Same with his older brother and sister. Enjoy your time with him.

My daughter is 15 months and I plan to nurse her as long as she wants, but we're down to just first thing in the morning and before bed (occasionally, like if she is sick or very upset, she gets to nurse during the day or night). I work 3 days a week and was having a similar situation with pumping - it was taking way too long and I was getting very little milk. She's happy as a clam on whole cows milk, so we switched to that during the day pretty much on demand (she differentiates between that and water, which is all she drinks). It meant I had to drop the afternoon nurse on my days off, but she naps well without it. My supply is lower with the AM/PM only nursing, but she eats and drinks plenty during the day so the nurse is pretty much comfort and cuddle time with a little boost of tummy filling to keep her happy through the night. It is SO nice to not have to pump at work anymore!!

Good luck!

Bless your heart for pumping all this time! I don't have any pumping experience (SAHM) but also believe in baby-led weaning and am now tandem nursing my 2 yr old and 3 month old girls.

Anyway, to answer your question, I'm sure your supply will adjust, and you'll have just enough milk for when your son nurses. So, stop pumping! I've heard other mama's talk at LLL meetings about how they can have a preschooler nurse sporadically; once a day, once a week, etc, and that their body adjusts accordingly. I don't think your working would affect this process, b/c it seems you can nurse him in the morning, when you get home, and before bed.

And even if your milk supply were to dwindle, he may want to keep on nursing. My oldest nursed throughout my pregnancy, even though I lost milk production very early on.

You could always call LLL for direct advice too, if that would help you in your decision.

Good luck mama, you're doing great!

That is great that you have been able to nurse him this long but your body is telling you that it is not producing enough and that he probably is not getting very much. If I were you I would stop pumping. I nursed all three of my boys while I worked and pumped at work for a long time. If you notice the signs your body put out then it is saying that maybe just at night is when he needs to be nursed.

Stop pumping. It sounds like he has reached the stage where he nurses for closeness rather breast milk. Let him be in control of the amount of nursing, rather that you be in control of pumping. At his age he is getting much of he sustenance from food and drink.

First of all I want to say congratulations on being able to breast feed for so long! The American Acadamy of Pediatrics recommends nursing AT LEAST until one year. The World Health Organization recomends for AT LEAST two years. Having said that, I think your body is ready to be done. Breast feeding is all about what is natural and wonderful. It is probably just a natural thing for your body to slowly wean your child. I know that you will miss breast feeding but you shouldn't have to pump to keep it up. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hello R.,

I haven't read the previous responses, so someone may have already said this. I think it's great that nursing is still working for the both of you and that you are waiting for your son's cues. I also think that if you are *done* pumping, that's really okay too. We don't have the same sort of relationship with the pump that we do with our kids, and it's a lot of extra work; not just to pump, but to make the extra milk in our bodies.

Consider this: your son is probably ready to have a non-mom source of milk while you are out of the home. You've given him the great antibodies to get through his first three years, and it sounds like he's old enough to take echinacea and other healing herbs that promote good health. It's likely your family is eating well. I don't want to go far out and suggest that children at this age don't receive health benefits from nursing, but simply that our kids do get to an age where we can supplement.

He's still going to get that closeness and connection with you, even if it's a few less swallows of milk. I am sure he relishes the chance to snuggle up with mama. I know my toddler son does!

If you feel like you are done pumping--no guilt--be done. Be at peace with your choice to have given him a great start. Feeding solid food is a true first step of weaning: not because we desire the child to necessarily nurse less, but it was because of what the child's body needed to thrive. There are adjustments we make that feel like "weaning" to us, but if a child wants to nurse and the mother allows them to, the choice of weaning is being handed back to the child.

I hope this helps you feel good about your decision, whatever you decide to do.