Recently, a reader asked for practical tips on weaning from the pump while continuing to nurse their toddler. The New Beginnings community on Facebook has shared some great experiences over the years describing ways to gradually stop expressing and extend their breastfeeding relationship. In some situations, families find that setting boundaries with a nursing toddler helps them enjoy nursing longer. Reducing pumping time as their child ages gives more time to cuddle and nurse.
For support in your personal breastfeeding experience, please reach out to a La Leche League USA Leader near you or find support virtually. You can find an in-person or online Group meeting here.
Kate C. explained what weaning from the pump looked like for her andhow this adjustment helped her reach her goals. “I worked at a university when my oldest was nursing. I pumped until he was about 18-24 months due to the long hours I was away from him. The volume dwindled over time, and I eliminated pump sessions at work slowly, one at a time. He nursed well past that age. My kiddos weaned between four-and-a-half and five years. It was my goal to nurse until they were two years old, but they were just not ready to be done. While I gently encouraged the older ones to wean, my youngest self-weaned. He looked up at me one day and said, ‘the milk is all gone,’ with such sorrow in his voice. But that was the last time.”
Jaime K. recounted that she stopped using the pump and kept nursing on demand into toddlerhood. “I did (stop pumping but continued nursing) with both of my kids. I stopped pumping as soon as they reached one year. I continued to nurse on demand on the weekends and days off from work. I went on to nurse them for three years each.”
Laura P. described how pumping has had a role in her nursing journey and how she phased it out to suit her family’s needs. “I slowly weaned myself off the pump after a year. I continued to breastfeed through a pregnancy, restarted pumping for the newest babe, and then re-weaned from the pump at a year. My oldest stopped nursing at three-and-a-half years old, and my middle child weaned at two-and-a-half years old. I also tandem nursed for 18 months. With my third baby, I am now pumping once a day. I will probably wean off the pump at a year again and breastfeed until she decides she is done, like I have for my other two children.”
Sara S. also weaned from the pump when her children were about a year old. “I only pumped at work. As toddlers, they ate food while I was at work and nursed when I was home. It worked great! I pumped a couple of extra weeks for the second child just to keep up supply before the holidays.” Breastmilk certainly has amazing immune benefits that continue working well into toddlerhood.
As always, you know best what will work for your family and your nursling. Some parents feel ready to put down the pump as their baby moves into toddlerhood and continue nursing directly at the breast until it is time to wean. Others continue to pump for various reasons. We encourage you to find what feels right for your situation.
We’d love to share your parenting or human milk feeding story. Please reach out to Kylie at [email protected]
Supporting Breastfeeding Families–Today, Tomorrow, Always
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Your gift helps support this blog and the website!
Donations of any amount are gratefully accepted. Thank you!
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Posted: September 24, 2024 by Yael Breimer
Weaning from the Pump and Still Nursing My Toddler!
For support in your personal breastfeeding experience, please reach out to a La Leche League USA Leader near you or find support virtually. You can find an in-person or online Group meeting here.
Kate C. explained what weaning from the pump looked like for her andhow this adjustment helped her reach her goals. “I worked at a university when my oldest was nursing. I pumped until he was about 18-24 months due to the long hours I was away from him. The volume dwindled over time, and I eliminated pump sessions at work slowly, one at a time. He nursed well past that age. My kiddos weaned between four-and-a-half and five years. It was my goal to nurse until they were two years old, but they were just not ready to be done. While I gently encouraged the older ones to wean, my youngest self-weaned. He looked up at me one day and said, ‘the milk is all gone,’ with such sorrow in his voice. But that was the last time.”
Jaime K. recounted that she stopped using the pump and kept nursing on demand into toddlerhood. “I did (stop pumping but continued nursing) with both of my kids. I stopped pumping as soon as they reached one year. I continued to nurse on demand on the weekends and days off from work. I went on to nurse them for three years each.”
Laura P. described how pumping has had a role in her nursing journey and how she phased it out to suit her family’s needs. “I slowly weaned myself off the pump after a year. I continued to breastfeed through a pregnancy, restarted pumping for the newest babe, and then re-weaned from the pump at a year. My oldest stopped nursing at three-and-a-half years old, and my middle child weaned at two-and-a-half years old. I also tandem nursed for 18 months. With my third baby, I am now pumping once a day. I will probably wean off the pump at a year again and breastfeed until she decides she is done, like I have for my other two children.”
Sara S. also weaned from the pump when her children were about a year old. “I only pumped at work. As toddlers, they ate food while I was at work and nursed when I was home. It worked great! I pumped a couple of extra weeks for the second child just to keep up supply before the holidays.” Breastmilk certainly has amazing immune benefits that continue working well into toddlerhood.
As always, you know best what will work for your family and your nursling. Some parents feel ready to put down the pump as their baby moves into toddlerhood and continue nursing directly at the breast until it is time to wean. Others continue to pump for various reasons. We encourage you to find what feels right for your situation.
We’d love to share your parenting or human milk feeding story. Please reach out to Kylie at [email protected]
Supporting Breastfeeding Families–Today, Tomorrow, Always
Please consider donating to La Leche League USA.
Your gift helps support this blog and the website!
Donations of any amount are gratefully accepted. Thank you!
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Category: Breastfeeding Toddlers, Pumping
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