Back at work since he was seven months, three long days a week, pumping twice a day in a cupboard that also holds the printer paper. He's eleven months now, eats like a horse, and is having maybe 100 ml of the pumped milk across the whole nursery day.
I am SO tired of pumping. But I still love the morning and bedtime feeds and I don't want to stop those. If I drop the work pumps, will my milk just disappear completely? Or can you actually keep feeding at home only? And does he need formula or cow's milk at nursery instead from one?
I did exactly this. Went back at six months, pumped until about eleven months, then dropped the work pumps one at a time over a couple of weeks and fed morning, evening and weekends until thirteen months. Supply adjusted to the new pattern, it didn't vanish. Weekends were a bit full at first and then my body sort of learnt the schedule.
Drop one pump first, not both on the same day, or you'll be sitting in meetings with rocks.
On the nursery side, ours just gave water with meals and lunch at that age and he was fine. But I'd check with your health visitor about whether he needs any milk drink there, because I think that depends on how much he's eating and how much he's getting from you at home. I got different answers from three people and the health visitor was the only one who'd actually seen him.
Took your advice. Dropped the afternoon pump last week, the morning one this week. One slightly lumpy afternoon on day two, went away with a bit of hand expressing in the loo. Otherwise fine.
Morning and bedtime feeds feel exactly the same, if anything he's keener. Health visitor said with what he's eating and feeds at both ends of the day, water at nursery is fine for him. Gave the printer cupboard back to the printer paper. Felt incredible.
