Pumping has been tough for me lately. I barely get anything from my morning pump, even if I do a power pumping session. He is eating down 1-3 bags from the freezer per week right now compared to what I pump. I am not sure if we should start introducing formula or just keep adding in solids. I have had a few weeks where we exclusively nurse (last week) and he seems to get enough food from me, I think this may be a pumping problem. Maybe this is just the normal way of weaning, he is eating a lot more solids now. He is almost 10 months old for reference.
If anyone has weaning stories and how you managed the mental switch that would be really helpful for me! I don’t know what is normal for my supply going down as he gets more calories from solid food versus what is a problem with my supply.
Pumping Details
Right now I am pumping every 3ish hours during the work day (used to be 2.5). I use a hakka when I do the evening feeds and he is too sleepy to do both sides (dream feed mostly). I try and do a power pump during the work day 2-4 times per week, especially when I got a really low output.
I also seem to have really low supply midmorning even though the internet says that should be a time when I have more milk.
I have loved nursing but the mental gymnastics of pumping and trying to have enough has been really hard.
Do you have much of a stash in the freezer? Around 10 months with both my kids I started winding down pumping and had enough in the freezer to get both to a year old in daycare. I kept nursing both when we were together until oldest was 27 months and youngest was a couple weeks shy of 2.
Its also 10000000000% ok to give formula until they are a year old too! No matter what you do they will be ok and will probably eat Cheerios from the folds of their car seat.
I would probably add formula as you get close to the end of the freezer (to give him time to get used to the taste). My kid wouldn’t touch my pumped milk so he went on solid, soy milk (dairy allergy) and did eating at night until 15mo.
I think our plan is this: keep doing what we are doing. Once we are down to 6 bags in the freezer and he is under 1yr old we will add in formula (probably like 2 weeks to ease him in). We have ~23 bags in the freezer now.
I think having a plan will help ease my mind so there are less decisions to make. I’ll reevaluate this plan if I still feel stressed about it in a couple weeks.
I would ask the person who diagnosed you with DR. I’ve heard anywhere from 6 weeks to a year suggested, though of course if it is a year, you’d have more regular check ins.
