Cutting back pumping at work while maintaining weekend breastfeeding supply?

[Rae050322]

Hi everyone, I'm full-time working and breastfeeding mum to my DS aged 17 months and I need some help working out how to maintain my supply for breastfeeding at the weekends. When I started back at work 5 months ago I would pump twice during the day and give the milk to his nursery but he's stopped having the expressed milk and he's happy to drink oat milk instead. Evenings and weekends are a completely different story though as he usually wants to breastfeed when he wakes up, before/after nap, at bedtime, during the night and sometimes seeks comfort in between so quite a lot! DS eats solids well so I know he's looking for comfort more than being actually hungry and I've read this can be a high nursing stage due to fast development. He doesn't seem ready to stop breastfeeding at all yet and for now I'm happy to continue feeding him on demand until he's ready to drop feeds
But now he doesn't need the milk at nursery, I'm wondering if I can cut back on pumping during the day at work? I'm lucky in that I don't get painfully engorged and can easily go the full day without pumping but I'm really worried about the potential impact on my supply and whether I'll still be able to keep up with DS's needs at the weekend? It's a mad rush during the day finding the time to pump twice so it would be great to cut back on pumping as long as I know it won't impact feeding at the weekends. I would love to hear it anyone else is in the same boat and how they manage to keep up supply for weekends while also pumping or not pumping during the week. Thanks so much in advance!

I didn't pump at work. Continued to bf normally at weekends.

I went back to work and DD to nursery when she was 13 months. I never pumped (tried when she was tiny and could never get anything out!). I had no problem with supply. She'd launch herself face first at my boobs after nursery for a while though! We carried on for years without an issue (I also retired one boob shortly after this so did it all with just one!).

At 17 months she would feed first thing, straight after nursery and then again at bedtime. At the weekend or on my day off she'd try it on for as often as I'd let her in the day to make up for it I think! 🤣

I didn't pump after 8 months and continued feeding til over 3 years old. You'll be fine.

By 17 months your supply should be really flexible. I'd say you certainly don't need to express twice, once in the day would be enough to reduce engorgement.

I stopped expressing at 18mo I think both times, still kept breastfeeding all weekend long. DS is 2 and still a feeding monster

You don’t need to pump. I breastfed my baby from 10 months old fine without pumping at work, part time. She fed loads on my non work days and at weekends, your supply adapts quickly.

Thanks for all the comments! None of my mum friends are feeding any more so I'm really grateful for all the advice 💛

I stopped pumping at work at 10.5 months (I had been back at work full time since baby was 6 months and he was EBF). He's 19, almost 20, months. So it's been more than 9 months of me only BF mornings, late afternoon/evening and weekends and my supply is totally fine. He breastfeeds loads at the weekend and on holiday and there is definitely milk there, I can hear gulps, see milk, sometimes it dribbles round his mouth lol.

Definitely stop pumping.

I recently went away for 3 nights and I did have to pump for my own comfort, morning and evening. I had forgotten what a pain in the arse it is 😂

As a complete aside, oat milk isn’t a great milk substitute for this age group as it doesn’t have much protein or fat. A small amount is fine, but multiple bottles a day can give them enough calories that they eat less other food but not much protein.

As the mother of a DS with a cow's allergy, I can tell you that oat milk is actually recommended by paedetricians. Soy tends to make them sick as the protein is too similar to dairy. Pea milk is not widely enough available in the UK. And almond/nut milks are too low in calories for toddlers.

It's unlikely nursery are actually giving bottles of the stuff, my son's nursery just give them little cups with their snacks.

(I assume OP's son is allergic to dairy, since going for veggie milks is a pain).

Haha my son and yours are on the exact same wavelength! He always makes up for it at the weekend and night too 😅

Yeah pumping can be such pain and then there's the cleaning and sterilising the parts too. I won't miss it!

Thanks again for sharing and the help!

That's right, I didn't mention before but my son is allergic to cows milk so we use oat milk for his cereal and now at nursery he gets one cup of a day. Oat milk is usually fortified with extra vitamins and calcium so hopefully between that, solids and breastmilk he's getting everything he needs 🤞fingers crossed we'll be able to get onto cows milk one day! I certainly miss dairy myself, especially cheese and chocolate 🤭

I didn't realise that about soy milk so good to know! Thanks for the advice!

I went back to work at 10 months and I never pumped, just fed before and after. Kept feeding on non-working days a few times until she was about 16 months. I don't think you need to pump, by 17 months your supply will be so established, and they don't take large quantities anymore anyway. Mine is 18 months now and I only feed at bedtime.