question for exclusively nursing mommas

did you pump in addition to nursing to build up a stash? if you did, did you also stop after awhile? i've been pumping all this time and donate bm but after 9.5 months now, i'm getting tired of all that pumping. i'm worried if i stop, supply will go down? any momma can share their experience? TIA!

Re: question for exclusively nursing mommas

I pumped early on to have a stash. I used some of it and some of it was lost when we were without power during Irene. I stopped when DD was around 6 months, I hated it! Didn't effect my supply, nursed till she was 14 months, but since I stopped pumping DD stopped taking a bottle. Since I didn't push the bottle she refused them, Even if I pumped a little to leave her, she would just refuse until I came home. So that was sort of a pain.

question for exclusively nursing mommas

DD is almost 8 months. I pumped sporadically starting at around 6 weeks. Never more than once a day a few times a week. Sometimes I go 2-3 weeks without pumping at all. I probably would get more if I did it consistently, but I still get about 3-4 ounces when I do. I usually have a few bags in the freezer (maybe 20-30 ounces) but I rarely give DD a bottle and when I do I try to pump the day before and day of so it's fresh anyway. If you want to stop, I'd say go for it! If you want to pump in the future for one reason or another, the milk will be there. DD had two bottles last week, and before that it had been 2 months since she'd had one. She had no issue taking one from me at all. I say, relax and enjoy the extra free time!

Re: question for exclusively nursing mommas

Thank you for sharing mommas!!

Re: question for exclusively nursing mommas

I pumped every day mostly in the am because I had to. I had a nice stash built but when sandy hit I was able to save my stash but didn't have power to pump. After 2 days of hand expressing milk in the shower to relieve the discomfort my body adjusted.

However after we got power back 2 weeks later I was never able to pump and make as much milk as I did prior.

Re: question for exclusively nursing mommas

I pumped in the beginning with my 3 year old and had a huge oversupply. I stopped and still had an abundant supply until I stopped nursing at two years. I have not pumped with my newest additions and I have a good supply. I am only 6 weeks in though.

It is supply and demand. If you are pumping it is telling your body to produce more milk for that time of day that u usually pump. If you stop that pumping session u will prob make less milk for that time of the day but still have the same amount for your LO.

question for exclusively nursing mommas

I tried to pump every night before going to bed. With my first, I was working more (had a church job on the weekends), so he needed to have several bottles of pumped milk per week. After I had my second, I quit the church job and only had my full time job, where he also goes to daycare, so I just nurse him there. So I didn't need nearly as much pumped milk for him and therefore didn't pump nearly as often. With my first, I stopped regularly pumping around 10 months or so I believe. With my second, it was around 9 months. No supply issues at all. They were still feeding at the same times, so at those times, my breasts still produced milk for them. They just "learned" to stop producing it at the the times I would pump.

Re: question for exclusively nursing mommas

I pumped in the beginning, but by 9.5 months I barely pumped. Only if I needed a bottle because I was going to be out. Shortly after, I stopped pumping. I hated pumping!!! and she really didnt like the bottle and would usually wait to nurse until i got home.

My supply didnt suffer because of not pumping. It's supply and demand so your body will produce however much you need for your nursing sessions.

I loved packing that pump up!!! Oh and that is amazing of you that you donated!!!!

Re: question for exclusively nursing mommas

I EBF (and I still nurse at 21 months). The only time I ever pumped was when DS was in the hospital with RSV at 2 weeks old. He was too sick to nurse so I pumped to keep my supply up. I never pumped again once he was able to nurse again.

Message edited 1/3/2013 11:47:24 PM.

Re: question for exclusively nursing mommas

I EBF my daughter for two years and I never pumped once.
I pumped with my son for 8 months and I vowed never to touch a breast pump again!