Exclusive pumping can be more challenging than nursing in many ways. However, weaning from the pump is one area where it actually can be easier!
For one thing, the decision on when to do it is completely up to you – you don’t need to worry about your baby adjusting to no longer nursing. Additionally, there may be less of an emotional hurdle for you as the mother. Finally, you can completely control your pumping output and carefully decrease it, whereas if you were nursing, it’s difficult to know whether your baby is getting more or less than the day before.
When you have decided to stop pumping, you will need to “wean” from the pump just like a nursing mother would wean her baby. (I definitely don’t recommend weaning from pumping cold turkey!)
How Long Does It Take to Wean from Pumping?
Your goal is to slowly reduce the amount of milk that you’re producing in order to minimize discomfort and issues with clogged ducts, mastitis, and engorgement. In general, I would give yourself about a week for each session that you need to drop.
If you’ve had issues with clogged ducts and mastitis during your pumping “career,” it might take you a little longer. If not, you may be able to go more quickly.
(If you need to wean faster than this, I would recommend trying some of the methods for decreasing milk supply like taking Sudafed and using cabbage leaves, along with the steps below.)
Weaning from the Pump in Six Steps
Below is the process that I used, laid out in six steps. (If you’d like to read more about when/how/why I weaned from the pump with my first baby, I wrote a separate post about my experience here.)
Step 1: Drop Pumping Sessions Until You are Down to Two Pumping Sessions Per Day
If you are currently pumping three or more times per day, start by dropping down to just two sessions per day, preferably about 12 hours apart. (Obviously, you can skip this step if you are already at two pumping sessions per day.)
Here is some detailed information on how to drop pumping sessions, but the most common ways to do it are to reduce the amount of time that you pump at a given session (reduce by a few minutes each day) or the volume (reduce by an ounce or two each day) that you pump. I would recommend using volume if you are prone to clogged ducts or mastitis, or if you have oversupply, to make sure your breasts start to get the message that they should be making less milk.
After you drop one pumping session, it’s a good idea to wait a few days before dropping the next unless you need to wean quickly.
Step 2: Gradually Reduce the Length and/or Volume of One of the Remaining Pumping Sessions
Since they are about 12 hours apart, you can choose the one that you are most eager to get rid of. (For example, I was pumping at 7pm and 6am and decided to drop the morning one so I could sleep a little longer.)
Keep the one session you are not dropping the same length while gradually decreasing the length of time or amount of milk that you pump for the other one.
Step 3: Drop Down to One Pumping Session Per Day
When you are down to just a few minutes/a few ounces on the pumping session that you’re dropping, try skipping it completely and just doing the one longer pump per day.
If you feel uncomfortable, go ahead and pump, but just enough to relieve the pressure.
Step 4: Hang Tight for a Few Days
Let your body catch up with you.
Step 5: Gradually Reduce the Last Pumping Session
Gradually shorten your last pumping session (again, by time or volume, whatever has been working for you) until you’re getting only about 1 or 2 ounces from it.
Step 6: Stop Pumping!
Once you’re down to a few ounces, see if you can skip a day completely, then do one last pumping session 36-48 hours later.
Hopefully, after this, you should be all set to stop. However, if you feel uncomfortable a few days or a week later, you can pump again if you need to.
Bonus tip if you are already getting your period and experiencing a supply drop along with it: Try timing the weaning process to correspond with that drop in supply. Your body is already making less milk, so encourage it to continue to do so! You can drop a session at the beginning of your period and maybe another one at the end, if you think your body can handle it.
Weaning from the Pump: An Example
One of my readers sent me a visual she put together of how she planned to wean from the pump based on the above six steps. I think this is much more intuitive for visual learners, so I asked her permission to share it here.
Image courtesy Tiffany Lloyd
On the top in the “Current” column, she has outlined the six sessions that she has at the time she starts to wean from the pump. Each of them are 20 minutes long, so she’s pumping for a total of 120 minutes per day at the beginning.
Then, she has planned out the order in which she’s going to drop each session, with a red X signifying that she’s dropping it or has already dropped it. She will drop one session per week.
At the end of the chart, she ends up at the end of Step One above, with two sessions about 13 hours apart. She can pick whichever she’d like – the 8am or the 9pm – and drop that one, then repeat with the final session.
At the bottom she has outlined the number of minutes that she’ll pump at the session she’s dropping as the week goes on. On day one, she’ll pump for 15 minutes and then stop, and each day after that she’ll reduce the time by 5 minutes until she’s at zero. Then she gives her body a few days to catch up until the week is over.
A Few Final Thoughts on Weaning
One last thing: it’s normal to have mixed feelings about weaning. On one hand, you might feel a loss of connection with your little one – especially if you are weaning before you’d like to. It is also normal to undergo some hormonal changes.
On the other hand, your life is about to become so much easier – no more hauling a breast pump around, no more trying to wrangle a baby while pumping, no more pump parts to wash. Try to focus on the good work that you have done by pumping for your little one. Congratulations mama!
Worried about clogged ducts or mastitis when weaning? Check out my e-book on weaning from the pump here!
Thank you for your article, it’s been a great help.
My question is, how long will it take for Sudafed to decrease the supply?
And if I start taking the Sudafed can/should I still continue with the Lecithin?
I’m currently doing 3ppd trying to wean, but am afraid of getting another clogged duct.
I would like to be weaned by next week Wednesday if possible before going on a trip away from home.
Hi Suna! I think the Sudafed should work fairly quickly, within a day or two. It’s fine to continue with the lecithin (it’s a food additive that’s in a lot of stuff we eat). Good luck!
Hi!
This blog has been such a wonderful resource!
I fully weaned from the pump a little over a week ago but now think I have a clogged duct or ducts (painful lump). I’ve tried warm baths and showers and massages and self expressing a little. Should this go away or do I need to pump? I didn’t have any clogs while I was regularly pumping so this is new!
Any advice would be great, thank you!
Hi BB! Thank you so much! I think I would pump just the affected side to try to get the clog out. Try vibration (like an electric toothbrush) and see if that helps! Good luck!!!
Hi,
I’ve been trying to dry up for 2 weeks now. I’m currently pumping 5x a day and pumping out .5 oz-1 oz a session. I currently have a clogged duct and not sure how to go about getting rid of it. I’ve self expressed a couple of times, but it keeps coming back.
Thank you!
Hi Jessie,
Are you taking lecithin at all? I would also try vibration to get it out.
Are you trying to drop all of your sessions at once? I wouldn’t recommend doing that if you can avoid it.
I have been taking lecithin since starting to wean.
I am now down to 2 pumps a day starting yesterday morning. I pumped maybe a .25 of an oz this morning. I don’t feel engorged, just full throughout the day. No pain along with it. Wanting to know if the fullness will go away or should I keep up with the 2 pumps?
Thanks again!
I would drop one, wait a few days, then drop the other. Good luck!
Hi there! I am trying to wean. I THINK I just did my last pump. It has been over 48 hrs since the precious pump. I had been leaking a little for the past 2 days between pumps. Will the leaking continue? If it does, should I pump, or will it dry out eventually? Thank you!!
Hi Debra! It might continue for a little while, but if you don’t have any pain or feel overly full, I would just wear breast pads and wait it out. You could also try taking Sudafed and see if that helps at all? Congrats on weaning!
Hi Amanda,
Thank you so so much for all the amazing info. Because of this blog I was able to exclusively pump with succes and to reassure myself and others that pumping is great especially if the baby did not latch. Long story… he is 10 months and I have done a great job supplying, but now I am willing to stop. I managed to have one pump of 30 min per day and I now have just 100 ml. Yesterday I only had 70 ml and today I will skip the pump. Do you think that my hormones will go crazy? Do you think that I will be acting weird? Hugs, Ana
Hi Ana! I hope not! The only way to know is to see – but if things have been pretty normal so far, hopefully they will continue to be. Good luck and CONGRATS on weaning!
Hi Amanda,
I am reading and using your website for weaning off expressing.
My little one is almost six months old and due to attachment issues I have solely expressed from the beginning.
Unlike most people I was expressing each time for 30 mins 3-4 time a day and getting between 180ml to 250ml.
My little one has been sleeping through the night the last few months and with this I dropped the late night expressing so I could sleep too.
I’m now doing two expressing sessions a day but wondering how I drop the 30 min sessions?
I have been feeling a little engorged but nothing too unbearable and I haven’t had mastitis but I do suffer with cracked and split nipples. My supply has dropped, I expressed this morning for 20 mins but am feeling tingling sensations.
Any help will be appreciated.
Hi Jody, I would drop one of the two sessions first, then drop the other. You can slowly reduce the time or amount from the pumping session you are dropping, while leaving the other as it is. Hope that helps!
My baby is 6 weeks old and I exclusively pump. I did breastfeed for the first 3-4 weeks. I am wanting to stop pumping and switch to formula. Right now I for the most part pump every 2-3 hours and I express about 4 ounces each time. If I happen to go 4 hours when then I pump 8. I have had mastitis once and the redness and soreness went away with medication but the clogged duct is still there and I can’t seem to massage it out. Can I start weaning from pumping with a clogged duct? How do you recommend I do so if I can? If not what do I need to do?
Hi Victoria! I would try to clear it first before starting to wean. Here are some tips!
https://exclusivepumping.com/clogged-ducts/
Hello,
I am now only pumping twice a day – 8am and 8pm.
I am currently only expressing about 20ml at each pump session – how shall I continue to wean and when do I know to stop?
Thanks
Amy
Hi Amy, I think you can drop one of the two remaining sessions now. Then give it a few days and drop the other.
I have had it for 4-5 weeks and I have no been able to work it out. I am returning to work so I will be unable to empty myself more than every 4-5 hours.
Hi Amanda!
Thank you so much for these weaning tips! So far it’s been working for me to drop my ml every couple of days. I’ll be finishing by the end of this week and I was wondering how long the very last pump session (the one that’s 36-48 later) should be? I’ll be traveling and will only have my hand pump with me.
Thank you again.
Geraldine
Some people prefer to just pump to take off the pressure, others prefer to pump to mostly empty. Whatever you want to do is fine. Listen to you gut!
Awesome! Thank you!!!
Hello, I’m currently trying to wean from the pump, My daughter is almost 13 months. I am down to 2 pumps per day and trying to finish soon. How long Do I pump less time for one pump? A few Days? I’m currently pumping 5 minutes in the morning and my normal 10 in the evening. It obviously doesn’t empty me in the morning and there is some discomfort but nothing crazy. Thank you!!
Hi Suzanne! I would wait until most of the discomfort is gone and then stop pumping in the morning. You kind of have to listen to your body because everyone is different. Hope that helps!
I have been exclusively pumping for 10weeks. I am trying to go down to only pumping 4 times a day. I been spacing out my pumping every 4 hours (it took me a week) and i am in so much pain and my breasts are hard as rocks. Can I apply heat? Idk what I’m doing
Hi Jessica! I might try dropping the sessions one at a time instead. I’ll link to how to do that. In the meantime, both heat and cold are fine, you might want to apply cabbage leaves, and I think taking Sudafed would be a good idea too. Sorry you’re dealing with this!
https://exclusivepumping.com/dropping-pumps/
I realize this post is older but asking in case you are still reviewing! I need to wean from EBF due to a need to be on a chronic migraine prevention medication that is contraindicated. I decided to exclusively pump as I wean (rather than BF) so I know what my output is and can ensure baby is getting enough while my supply decreases.
Since I wasn’t pumping before, I started pumping mainly at intervals where I could gain some comfort. I’ve been doing this for two days:
9/19, 6:45 am – 5 oz, 15 min
9/19, 9:45 am – 4 oz, 15 min (was doing this frequency to start because I thought I would do 15 min every 3 hours, but was advised I don’t need to unless I am feeding super full and uncomfortable)
9/19, 7:30 pm – 4 oz, 7.5 min
9/19, 11:45 pm – 4 oz, 7.5 min
Total= 17 oz, 45 min
9/20, 5:30 am – 3 oz, 8 min
9/20, 11:30 am – 3 oz, 8 min
9/20, 2:30 pm – 1 oz, 3 min (right only)
9/20, 6:00 pm – 1 oz, 4 min
9/20, 11:55 pm – 2.5 oz, 6 min
Total= 10.5 oz, 29 min
I’m never pumping to empty. I am now aiming 4 times a day (12 am, 6 am, 12 pm, 6 pm). From here, I plan to begin reducing the volume output for one of the sessions only (noon or 6 pm) – dropping by 50% and then to zero. Then I would plan to spread out three pumps (8 am, 4 pm, 12 am) and again reduce volume for mid day pump only, before weaning to two pumps, etc.
Do I need to be concerned that I am never pumping to empty? I saw that noted in an earlier comment and am fearful that I’m going about this in a way that will lead to mastitis.
Starting 9/20, I began applying cabbage leaves, drinking “no more milk” tea 3-4x a day, and took one Sudafed.
I am uncomfortable and sore but not miserable. I have hard spots throughout both breasts and some areas are more painful than others if I touch them, but don’t believe they are clogged ducts. I’m having a hard time knowing as I don’t think I’ve had a clogged duct before (though I did have similar hard lumpy spots when my milk came in).
Please let me know if you have any guidance! Should I extend my pumping time and therefore volume on the sessions that I am not currently trying to wean from? Or am I safe to continue on as above?
Hi! I would suggest keeping the same time as you did on 9/19, but switching to dropping one session at a time from there. Does that make sense? You can keep going at a faster pace (like drop a sessions every 1-2 days), just don’t reduce the time on all the sessions at once. Hope that helps!
Hi! My son is 8 months old and I am 7 weeks pregnant with baby #2 🙂 I’ve been exclusively pumping since he was 5 months old but I’m considering weaning soon because I’m just so tired & nauseous with this new pregnancy. I suffer from Reynauds of the nipple, which makes breastfeeding/pumping really painful. My supply has never been great and I only get about 2-3 oz total per 30 minute pumping session, 5 times a day. I weaned the middle of the night pump about 2 months ago and now I go about 10 hours every night without pumping and I don’t even wake up feeling “full”. I get about 4-6 oz at that first morning pump. I guess I’m wondering how quickly I can try to wean? Everything I’m reading says to give a week between dropping a pumping session, but I feel like my body could do it much quicker than that. I’ve never had a clogged duct or mastitis. Any suggestions or words of encouragement? I’m torn with the idea of dropping because I feel selfish since nothing is really preventing me from continuing, other than exhaustion and pain :/
Congrats Mary Beth! I think you can do it faster since you’re pregnant (it’s not unusual for supply to drop anyway when you’re pregnant) and have never had a clogged duct. I would do one session at a time, possibly cold turkey, and just give yourself a day or two after dropping it and see how you feel. Listen to your body and gut as to when to keep going and drop the next one. Good luck!!
Hi!
I am exclusively pumping and am an over supplier. I was pumping approx. 7x’s a day and yielding a min. of 12 oz. per 30 min. session. I have now gone down to six 20 min. pumping sessions and still get about 10 oz. every session. I am working on dropping sessions as I prepare to head back to work, but I’m having a tough with my breasts getting the “message” that I need to make less milk. When I pump for fewer min. I still feel full when I’m done and waiting until the next session (now that I’m spreading them out) sometimes feels like torture. My breasts are super full. I bought cabbage today and I am going to see if that will help slow it down a bit, but are there any other suggestions you would make? I would like to get to where I am only pumping once a day by the beginning of Nov. I currently pump at the following times:
12:00 a.m.
5:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
(repeat)
Hi Shardee, instead of reducing the length of all sessions at once, try dropping one session at a time (either by reducing its time or volume). Reducing the length of all at once seems to result in issues for people because you never fully empty.
If you’re weaning you could also see if Sudafed helps.
I hope that helps! Good luck!
Hi, I have followed this completely and it’s been 48 hours since my last pump. I am not uncomfortable or engorged, I just feel small lumps(not sore). Do I need to pump that or will it go away?
Thank you
Hi Emily! It will probably just go away and your body will reabsorb it. If you want to pump or feel discomfort, go ahead, but otherwise you don’t need to do anything!
Hi my son is 5 weeks old & I’m exclusively pumping and been prone to clogged ducts and engorgement. I pump every 6.75-7hrs, at least 12oz of milk for every session. I would like to pump 2x a day in the morning and night. What are your recommendations to get down to 2x a day and avoid clogged ducts and engorgement?
Hi Michelle! I would try taking lecithin if you’re not already – that might help with the clogged ducts. The engorgement will probably get better on its own over the next few weeks as your supply regulates. I would try to stretch longer and longer between sessions to train your body to go longer. Hope that helps!
Hi again,
One more question… when I drop the 6pm pump, is it better to wait a couple of days at the new schedule before starting to reduce volume on the afternoon sssion? I appreciate its more art than science. 😊
Thanks again!
Yes, I would wait a few days! Good luck!
When you say you can pump 36-48 hours later do you mean empty the breasts and then it’s over? I have stopped for 48 hours and I’m in so much pain. Im afraid if I pump I’m starting back at square one but want my breasts empty. Im taking Sudafed, sage, using cabbage leaves, & my dr put me on estrogen bc.
Hi Tiffany! If you’re in pain I would pump again. I don’t think that after 48 hours of pumping it will put you back to square one – you might just need a little more time. Good luck!
Thank you so much for the reply. Yes, I’d like to move the 1pm to 3pm and drop the 6pm completely. I’m taking 4,800 mg of lecithin daily and I think it’s helping. Thanks also for the info on Sudafed, I’ll add that to my plan.
Hi Amanda,
Thank you so much for all the information on this blog. It’s the most helpful resource I’ve found so far.
My son is 8 weeks and I’ve been breastfeeding, pumping and supplementing with formula (no more than 4oz of formula a day). He happily takes a bottle. I want to wean completely and transition to formula and stop pumping. My priority is to stop pumping first.
Right now I pump 14 minutes a session at 7am, 1pm, 6pm and 10:30pm and produce a total of 17oz (average about 4oz per session, usually a little more at 7am). I’m prone to blocked ducts on the left side which I’ve been able to work out so far without mastitis. I’m drinking no more milk tea and using cabbage leaves.
To stop pumping I’d like to cut out the 6pm session first. My questions are:
Would you recommend decreasing by volume for the 6pm session first? Should I drop an ounce per day? Should I start moving up the time of the 1pm pump and if so by how much time?
Would you recommend taking Sudafed daily?
Thank you!
Hi Julie! Thanks so much!
Yes, I would decrease by volume and do an oz per day. Are you going to move the 1pm to 3pm? Maybe after a few days move it to 2pm, then when you’re ready to drop the 6pm completely move it to 3pm? This is an art, not a science, so do what feels right to you.
Yes on the Sudafed. Are you taking lecithin for the clogged ducts? I would consider that. Good luck!