Pumping, How Long?

I am letting my kids wean themselves. My 4 year old is down to once every couple of days (I limit her to nursing right before bed for a couple of minutes, or unlimited when she is sick (rarely!)). My two year old is night-weaned, but still nurses during the day. I stopped pumping around a year. They didn't really like cow's milk until they were older.

I would say pump as long as she is getting bottles when you are gone.

Laura

Hi S., congratulations on nursing so long! I nursed my daughter until she was 20 months old and she weaned herself. You made it through that all important first year, and now the rest is up to you. As long as you're comfortable and she is happy I would do it until she tells you she's done. Good luck!

I pumped until my son was weaned (at 19 months) and with my infant twins (now 10 months) I'll probably pump until they wean, which I'm hoping I can do for longer than with my first one. I'm totally with you - my milk rocks for my kids! :)

S. i PURCHASED A LARGE AVEDA BREAST PUMP AND ALSO HAD A MEDULA THEY LOOK LIKE A BRIEFCASE, HOOK UP IN YOUR CAR OR WITH ANY ELECTRICAL OUTLET AND LET ME TELL YOU---- IN 10 MINUTES FLAT i WOULD HAVE TWO TO 3 BOTTLES DONE. WORTH THE MONEY ALL THE TIME YOU SAVE AND NO ARM ACHE.
R.

oKAY i LEFT THIS BECAUSE WELL iNEED TO LAUGH AT MYSELF YOU PROBABLY MENT HOW LOING AS IN MONTHS???? LOL

i PUMPED FOR THE FIRST YEAR WITHEACH OF MY 4 KIDS

I pumped for 7 months. My daughter is 5 now & doing wonderfully! :)

I think that's up to you at this point S., I did it for 13 mo. and after that decided that soy milk was the best option for my son, although he has no alergies.

You may also want to check La leche league for more information.

Good luck!

Actually, after a year your breast milk isn't really doing all that much for her. In truth, it's only really affective during the first 6 months, some doctors even say only 4 months.

My little one weaned herself at 5 months, so all I can offer is, if you are getting tired of pumping and your girl is no longer on the breast but on cups/bottles of breast milk, then you can stop any time you want.

My son nursed until he was 15 months old...and I worked during that time, so I pumped at work. My dd nursed until she was 21 months old, but I had already become a SAHM. However, if I had to, I would have pumped then too. Best of Luck in whatever you decide!

In my opinion, how long to breastfeed is a very personal decision. For what I've been told, most doctors are not really trained in breastfeeding. So, I did a little research for you.

Copied from Wikipedia:
The WHO recommends a minimum of two years of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends at least one year of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life "provides continuing protection against diarrhea and respiratory tract infection" that is more common in babies fed formula. [8] The WHO[9] and AAP[10] both stress the value of breastfeeding for mothers and children.

From La leche League International:
All the benefits of human milk—including nutritional and health—continue for as long as your baby receives your milk. In fact, as your baby takes less human milk, these advantages are condensed into what milk is produced. Many of the health benefits of human milk are dose related, that is, the longer the baby receives human milk, the greater are the benefits.

I found others, but these were from the PROFESSIONALS that know the facts.

On a more personal note, kuddos to you for pumping for a year. I, too, pumped and it was difficult and I'm a SAHM. So, doing it at work had to be harder.

BRAVO!!!

One year - she still refuses any type of milk: soy, cow, rice. She loves yogurts and smoothies, kefir yogurt and that type, so my doctor said that's ok instead of milk. She still nursed morning and right after work (never liked to nurse before bed). And now morning only (16 months).

Hope that helps! I was worried cuz she never liked milk, but really she's fine and getting enough whatever from yogurt.

First, HOORAY for your efforts!!!
So, it depends why you are pumping. If you are pumping to give her bottles or sippies of your milk, then you will have to pump as long as you want to do that. However, if you are only doing it to keep up your supply, you can stop. After 9 months to a year, your body regulates and will easily produce whatever you need to nurse without the extra pumping. So it's kinda up to you.

Just a note...your milk changs to match your baby's needs and will put all the antibodies needed in to 1 feeding if that's all you do or spread it over 10 feedings if that's how many you keep up. So, if you start another milk, cow, soy, rice - whatever, as long as you keep nursing, baby gets everything she needs from you no matter how many or how few nursing sessions you keep. That said, we are the only species that weans from our own milk to another species and all those animals live healthy lives, so as long as you are giving her other dairy products, you never have to give her milk at all if you don't want to:)

For the record, Dee's opinion is both uniformed and not scientifically based. The AAP says "At least 1 year and then however long is mutually desired by both baby and mother". The WHO and UNICEF say "At least 2 years". It had recently been proven that the longer a mother nurses, the less chance she has of getting ovarian, breast, and uterin cancer. So, I dont know where she got her information, but any doctor current on their breastfeeding science would say she's wrong and that babies need to be breastfed FAR psat the first few weeks.

Well, my dtr was breastfed exclusively for 6 mos & I pumped every 2 hrs then. She is still been breastfed, but now I pump once a day & don't get engorged anymore. She is now 9 1/2 mos still getting breast milk. My dr. told me to mix 3 ounces w/whatever milk she'll be getting @ 12 mos, since we drink only soy we mix 1 ounce of soy w/ 3 ounces of breast milk. At firs she hated it but after a mth she now drinks the mix combo. I still breastfeed b/c she demands it @ times by refusing the bottle. I try to breastfeed in the mornings & @ nights, sometimes midday if she demands it. I agree w/ you 100% that our milk is the best during these stages & I'll tell any mom if you can do it as long as possible.

S.;
There is nothing wrong with cows milk as long as you stay away from hormone treated cows.
Your BIG DAIRY conglomerates use steroid injections to increase milk production. Your BIG HATCHERIES also use steroids to increase egg production.
KROGER'S and (UDF) UNITED DAIRY FARMERS DO NOT BUY FROM Dairy's that inject their cows.
As far as mothers milk is concerned the first few weeks of her milk is the most important for our babies. You are really hurting yourself by nursing so long, unless you are maintaining a balanced diet for your own health and safety. Your baby will take everything she needs from you, and you may be neglecting your own needs because a mothers job is a 24/7 career.
Check with your doctor on what I've said.
Check on what the big businesses - Processing plants - Dairies - Hatcheries - what our employees - FDA and EPA allows big business to put into the foods we purchase and consume.
Check on what foods (besides water) that floride is used in and we eat. Also learn what natural chemical if mixed with floride becomes a deadly poison.
We really need to educate ourselves. We just might be tempted to go back to the tried and proven methods of raising and canning our own natural food for healths sake.
Sincerely:
D. Y.

S.,

You can pump as long as your daughter is continuing to take breastmilk other than from nursing. So, if she continues to drink it in a cup, then keep pumping. MANY breastfed babies never do cows milk (a whole other post imho:) ) She can drink yogurt milk or get calcium from many other sources. If you are ready to stop pumping then that's fine, but it's ok. I pumped for almost 2 years, but my girl would drink it in a cup and I continued to mix cereal with it etc. Great job!! Lots & Lots of benefits to your daughter to keep nursing...no matter what other people say. AND, You are not hurting yourself to keep nursing. Long term nursing is proven to reduce your risk of breast, cervical and other cancers. NURSE on Girl!! C., IBCLC and mom!

I'm not sure where Dana T got her info from, but your milk will always do good for your child! I nursed my first daughter exclusively. until she weaned herself within a week from her fist birthday. Obviously she was also eating food, but my milk was her main source of nutrition. According to my pediatrician, anywhere from 1-2 years is sufficient (sp). If I were you, I would introduce cow's milk (or whatever kind of milk you plan on giving her as a child) sometime soon, or she may not take to it too well. Good for you for pumping for so long! And good for your employer for providing a place and time for you to do so. Many companies are not so "mommy-friendly."