1st birthday is coming up

I am totally ready to stop pumping, but not ready to stop breastfeeding. When I am home on weekends and over this long break, I am breastfeeding the twins during the day. We just dropped a feeding, so I only nurse them twice a day, sometimes 3. They get bottles of pumped milk or formula at bedtime (so DH can have that cuddle time with them).

I would love to stop pumping any time, but am hesitant to do so because I'm worried my supply will drop too drastically. And if I stop pumping during the day, will I have enough milk to feed the twins over the weekend? Supply has been a problem for me (although fenugreek & Reglan made a big difference for me and would have allowed me to nurse a singleton without supplementing formula. I just haven't produced enough milk for twins).

And as for cow's milk, I would like to introduce it some, but do not want it to be the babies' sole source of milk (please no debate on the horrors of cow's milk). I would like my babies to continue to get breastmilk along with cow's milk. Would I just replace their nightime bottle with cow's milk? I've tried nursing them at night, but I think it's just too far out of the norm for us. On the nights when I tried to nurse them, they got very wired and went to bed 2 hours late, then were restless throughout the night. I am also gone 2 nights a week to class, so can't nurse them every night.

Anyway, I'm just looking for some thoughts/suggestions on how to proceed. I'd like to breastfeed as long as possible, but I just don't know what to do.

On a side note, because I work, I have kind of missed out on the nurturing aspect of breastfeeding. My babies take pacis, and they turn to them for comfort instead of my breasts. So, the only reason to continue breastfeeding for us would be the health benefits for the babies and that nurturing time we get each morning.

 

I was in a similar situation, with the only difference being I do nurse at bedtime. I stopped pumping at work and kept nursing twice a day. We also switched them to sippies after they turned 1, so I just introduced cows milk in the sippies and they got it at meals. When they were 14 months I started a job where I am gone at bedtime 2-3 days a week and as long as DH does the rest of the bedtime routine (brush teeth, stories, music) they don't care that they're not getting milk. So far, so good! My DD weaned herself at 15 m but DS is still going strong!

 

I wouldn't stress over the health benefits of breastfeeding. Your milk doesn't contain antibodies any more, and their digestive tract is mature and you'll be introducing cow's milk anyway. You did great to give breastmilk this long! If you stop pumping your supply will most likely drop, but you have to keep your sanity too. Don't beat your self up over your decision, you can only do the best you can!

 

I was in a similar situation, and I stopped pumping at work. I now nurse once in the morning and then pump once at night. I do think that my supply has gone down, but I'm trying not to stress about it. The babies still like to nurse in the morning, and I was able to nurse them more over the past few days (thank goodness, because both have been SO sick.) I'm just trying to have faith that my body will produce what they need. Let us know how it goes. It's been a bittersweet time because I am realizing how much my work has affected my nursing relationship with my babies. And I'm just not ready to wean!

 

i'm just curious where you heard this? i was under the opposite impression. from kellymom: "'Antibodies are abundant in human milk throughout lactation' (Nutrition During Lactation 1991; p. 134). In fact, some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration during the second year and also during the weaning process. (Goldman 1983, Goldman & Goldblum 1983, Institute of Medicine 1991)."

to the OP - my experience was almost exactly the same as slugrad's. i continued nursing the girls as normal at 12 months (which for us was 4x/day), but also introduced cow's milk in sippies with their meals/snacks. i was heading back to work when the girls were 14 months old, so i also gradually dropped the two mid-day nursing sessions & continued nursing first thing in the morning & just before bed. my job involved being away some of the time in the evenings so for the first while i nursed before bed when i was home, but when i wasn't, DH gave the girls a sippy of cow's milk while he read them their bedtime story. eventually we dropped the evening nursing session/sippy cup. i continued to nurse them in the mornings until just before their 2nd birthday (and not always every morning - once a week DH got up with the girls while i slept in :good.

your supply will regulate to their demand. if they're nursing 2x/day, you'll make enough milk for 2 nursing sessions a day, if they nurse 1x/day, you'll make enough milk for 1 nursing session a day, if you nurse once every other day, you'll make enough milk for one nursing session every other day, etc.

when you do wean from the pump though, follow the regular weaning guidelines (take your time & go slow) to avoid engorgement, plugged ducts, etc. GL!

 

I had pumped for extra milk every once in a while and quit at 12 months. basically we just continued our 3-4x a day. now at 2.5 yrs they nurse 2x a day unless I'm home... and then it seems like its back to 3 or 4 times a day... I don't think they get much, but they definitely still want it. I had to laugh, my new goal for weaning them is before they can spell "boobie"!

so are you able to nurse 2x a day all week? and then extra on the weekends? your body will adjust and produce what you need. good luck!

 

That's funny!!

I've been home with them for the last 2 weeks and nurse 2-3 times a day and pump once at night before I go to bed. This has been our routine on weekends all along. I've noticed a big increase in my supply now. That gives me encouragement that maybe my body does produce enough for twins. And when summer comes, if they're still nursing, I can give them as much milk as they want/need. Every little bit helps! The human body is an amazing thing.

Thanks for all of your input & support, ladies! I feel encouraged.

 

A few of the PPs gave you excellent insight, I also dropped the pump while working around 13 months and just kept nursing morning/night & weekends.
You said it yourself- the body is an amazing thing. Your babies will benefit from your milk no matter how small the quantity. there have been several other studies that indicate the concentration of antibodies & immunolgical factors GREATLY increases as the milk decreases in the natural weaning process to give the babies one last extra BOOST of health
If you're ready to stop pumping, pump wean slow and then nurse like the AAP says " for as long as mutually desired".
If your kids take a cup, I would really work on dropping any bottles and offering all other beverages in cups. They can bottle wean and you can pump wean

 

seems most women have found that their bodies adapt to whatever is needed. yes, if you stop pumping you'll probably produce less, but as far as weekends are concerned, your body will probably give you what you want...... just try to figure out what's best for everyone--not just the babies at this piont but you, too--and hopefully it'll all work out.

btw, i have no idea about that antibodies comment. i dont think that's true at all. momma's milk has amazing qualities for all age babies, including antibodies.

best of luck!
jl

 

My experience was very similar to slugrad's and Rachel's. I continued pumping when I went back to work when they were 9 months old and started gradually dropping the pumping sessions on my office days as well as an occasional bedtime nursing once they were 1 year old. I still had enough milk for the remaining nursing sessions both on my office days (morning and usually bedtime) and on my days at home (usually, morning, nap and bedtime).

We substituted ebm with formula mixed with cow's milk at first before moving on to cow's milk. They have milk or joghurt in their morning cereal and we only offer water or unweetened tea with meals and in between. We do not offer milk as a drink with meals but as a snack in their sippies.

My body and the babies adjusted well to the change, I just made sure to make the changes very gradual and to make sure I take enough time for cuddling to replace nursing cuddling.