Are you an exclusive pumper who is ready to stop pumping? Here’s what you need to know about weaning from the pump when you are exclusively pumping.
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Exclusive pumping can be more challenging than nursing in many ways. However, weaning from the pump is one area where it can actually be easier!
For one thing, there is less of an adjustment for your baby. You’re just changing what’s in her bottle, not how she’s eating in addition to what she’s eating.
You can also completely control your pumping output and carefully decrease it, whereas if you were nursing, it can be difficult to know whether your baby is getting more or less than the day before.
Can you stop pumping cold turkey?
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 – this can lead to a lot of discomfort, clogged ducts, and/or mastitis.
How long does it take to wean from pumping?
Your goal is to slowly reduce the amount of milk that you’re producing.
How long it will take to wean depends on how many pumping sessions you currently have each day, your milk supply, and whether or not you are prone to clogged ducts and mastitis.
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. I would give yourself a week and a half to two weeks per session.
On the other hand, if you’ve never had these issues, you might find that you are able to go more quickly.
What if you need to wean more quickly?
There are some methods to decrease milk supply that may help. Examples include:
- Drinking No More Milk Tea
- Using Cabo Creme or cabbage
- Taking an over-the-counter medication containing pseudoephedrine (such as Sudafed)
More on decreasing milk supply here.
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
There are a lot of different ways to drop pumping sessions. You can reduce the time until you feel comfortable dropping a session, move sessions further apart from each other, etc. Much more on how to drop pumping sessions here.
As you drop pumping sessions, rearrange your remaining sessions so that they are more evenly spaced.
For example, say you’re dropping from four sessions per day at 6am, 11am, 4pm, and 10pm. When you drop to three sessions per day, instead of having a long break from 6am to 4pm or 11am to 10pm, you may want to re-space the remaining times so your new schedule is something like 6am, 2pm, and 10pm.
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.
When you’re down to two sessions, you want them to be about 12 hours apart, or as close to that as you can get (for example, 6am and 6pm, or 7am and 8pm, whatever works for you).
Step 2: Gradually reduce the length and/or volume of one of the remaining pumping sessions
It doesn’t matter which session you drop first – you can choose the one that you are most eager to get rid of. (For example, I was pumping at 6am and 7pm 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 pumping session 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 total per breast.
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. It won’t suddenly spike your milk supply.
Do you have to do that last session (36-48 hours later)?
No. Weaning is different for everyone, and therefore it’s is more of an art than a science.
It’s okay to evaluate how you’re feeling and decide not to do it, or, on the other hand, decide to pump once every other day for a bit until you feel ready to stop.
Do you need to express every drop that you make to be done pumping?
No – this isn’t really possible. Your body will reabsorb any milk that you make and don’t express.
You don’t want to leave an uncomfortable amount in your breasts because of the risks of clogged ducts and mastitis, but you don’t need to get every last drop, either.
Timing the weaning process
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 could drop a session at the beginning of your period and maybe another one at the end, if you think your body can handle it.
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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.
- 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
You may leak for a few days after you finish 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! Do a photoshoot to celebrate, if you want!
Comments & Chitchat
Misha says
Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it. And the steps helped a lot. This made it easier to wean off excessively pumping. It been a hard road. Now that I haven’t pumped for 52 hours my breast ache is that normal? And how do I know if my milk is all gone? Sorry for all the questions.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Misha! What is the ache like? It is pain in a particular spot, or just generally? Don’t worry about the milk being gone, your body can handle getting rid of it. 🙂
Misha statham says
Hi to I only produce 1ozs of milk(my son is 15 months old) now and I’m at 24 hours a day. As of this morning 8am Washington state I’m at 40 hours, i don’t feel pressure in my breast should I still do the last pump or is it okay to just stop? (Sorry if it double post)
Amanda Glenn says
I think you can just stop!
Kaye says
Hi Amanda,
Firstly a question – I have followed your steps above and decreased my milk supply down from 70 oz per day, down to the point where two days ago I pumped just 6 oz. Yesterday I didn’t pump at all, today my breasts feel a little firm in some places, but I’m not uncomfortable. Should I keep pumping every few days until my supply is completely gone, or should I stop altogether now (and will the remaining milk disappear)?
Secondly a thank you – I came home from hospital earlier this year with my newborn, completely shattered that I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed. The midwives told me that I wouldn’t make it past 6 weeks max exclusively pumping, and advised against it. Soon after I got home, I cam across your website, and it gave me so much hope that exclusive pumping WAS possible!!! Not only that, but it was the only place I was able to get all my questions answered, as it’s so hard to find info on EPing. I’m able to feed my baby past the six month mark with what I have pumped, and I could never have achieved that without your help. Thank you so very much!!!
Amanda Glenn says
Congratulations on weaning, and thank you so much for your comment! You made my day!
I think you will be fine either way (pumping every 48 hours for a week or so, or just not pumping again) – milk production won’t ramp again from pumping that infrequently, and your body should be able to handle the leftover milk. (Think about it this way – before breast pumps existed, babies stopped nursing suddenly all the time, so your body will figure it out.) Good luck!!! 🙂
Jeanette says
Hi Amanda! Thank you sooo much for this site! It has been extremely helpful!
I ended up exclusively pumping for my boy because of latch issues. My first goal was to make it to 6 months but once I got there, I pushed ahead and decided to try for a year. I finally have enough frozen breast milk to sustain my son until he turns 1 later next month.
My question: As of today, I’m down to two pumps per day. Do you think it’s possible to completely wean in about two weeks? If so, when should I begin to shorten one of the two pumps? Thank you again for all the great advice!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Jeanette! Yes, I think you can do that! I would give yourself a week to drop each session and start with the first one now. Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!
Esther says
Thank you for this article! I finally weaned from the pump last week after 13 months of Epping. My last pump was about a week ago and I’ve been feeling fine until today when I started noticing a painful lump on one side. Should I try to pump a little to release the clog or do you think it would go away on its own with heat and massage? Not looking forward to pumping /washing pump parts again but also don’t want to end up with mastitis. Thank you in advance for any advice!
Amanda Glenn says
Congratulations on making it 13 months! This is a tough one. So I think you could either try taking a lot of showers and trying to work it out through hand massage, or see if you can work it out with the breast pump. (You would only pump that side, not the other.) I honestly could go either way, so I don’t know how helpful my advice is here. Let me know what happens!
Sarah says
This thread is so wonderful! When I read other advice about feeding baby, I often feel like I don’t fit into either category of breastfeeding or bottle (formula) feeding. This site is so reassuring for an EP’er!
After reading all these comments, I have a question…how many times a day should I be pumping? Not sure if I’m ready to wean yet. My baby is 4 months and I’ll be going back to work soon. I’m not confident how pumping will fit in with this transition. Currently, I’m pumping 8 times a day, 15-20 minutes a pump. My supply took a while to come in, but it’s been very well established for the past month. I typically pump about 40 oz a day (4-8 oz a pump). When reading this thread, It sounds like many moms are pumping only a few times a day? Maybe I am reading this incorrectly? Do you think I can drop a few pumps a day and still get the same output/maintain supply? If I could even go to 6/day it would be so much more manageable.
What do you think?
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Sarah! Yes, I think you can probably go to 6ppd! The caveat is that everyone is different and there are no guarantees with supply, but usually once your baby is old enough, if you increase the length of your remaining sessions you will be okay. So, you could do 6 20-25 minute sessions and your total time pumping per day would be about the same. Hope that helps!
ANNE EKSTAM says
Thank you for answering so quickly. Now during weaning, if I get a clogged duct with engorgement should I work it out or will it dry up when my milk dries up?
Amanda Glenn says
I would work it out. 🙁
ANNE EKSTAM says
My son is 4 months old. I have weaned him from nursing, but I still pump. I am quitting breastfeeding because I have severe postpartum depression and I get extremely painful and stubborn clogged ducts almost daily. I spend a good chunk of my day working out a clog. It is both physically and mentally draining.
I am down to pumping twice a day after trying to go cold turkey. I made it 41 hours, but the pain of engorgement was too much to handle so I pumped. Since I had made it 41 hours, I figured I could go 12 hours and pump twice a day.
I take Lecithin: 6 1200 mg daily. I drink sage and peppermint tea and take sage supplements. I use ice packs and cabbage to help reduce my supply. I also take sudafed. How long should i pump twice a day before reducing to pumping once per day? I am nervous because of the damn clogged ducts and fear of mastitis. And once I am down to pumping once per day, how long will it take my body to catch up and slow down milk production? Thank you in advance. I am desperate to dry up.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Anne! I think that once you are all clear of any clogs and pain, you can start the process of dropping one of the two sessions. I would just do it really slowly, and keep the remaining session the same length so that you’re emptying during that one. It sounds like you are doing all of the right things, I hope you can wean quickly!
Char says
I was having an impossible time weaning off the pump before I found this article!
Once I am down to two pumps, do I pump to empty on the one I’m not reducing, or try to empty the same amount(not more) at that session?
Amanda Glenn says
Pump to empty! 🙂
cobugi says
Hello mamas,
I’d like to know how many ounces you were pumping once you dropped to 2 pumps sessions per day.
My baby girl has feeding issues, and at 13 months still does not eat solids. I exclusively pumped for 12 months on a strict schedule because it was so stressful keeping up with the demand. Now that she’s finally taking some formula, I’m slowly increasing the amount of formula I’m mixing in with the breastmilk. My goal is to drop to 2 ~30min pumping sessions a day. Any ideas how much breastmilk that would give me? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think I was at 20 when I started at 2 sessions per day, and then that dropped to 10 over a month or two. Hopefully others will chime in!
Shannon says
When I dropped from 3 to 2 I was at 10oz a day. But my intention was to completely stop. I pumped for about 15 months and was 60oz+ a day. Personally even when I dropped to 3 I wouldn’t have been able to maintain a good supply, it dipped drastically.
Mia says
Hi! Thanks so much for this helpful guide! I wish I had read this sooner because I’m now in need of some help. My LO is 3 months old, and I’ve been pumping from birth. I’ve had 4 plugged ducts so far, always in my right breast, and after the 4th plug, my breast never recovered and has not regained its original milk supply. I had made the decision to wean off pumping since I had felt like the low amount of milk I was producing was no longer worth the effort. (I used to pump about 1.5 – 2 ounces per session total across both breasts – and now I was pumping 1 ounce.) My LC suggested I reduce my pump sessions from 20 min/6x a day to 10 min/6x a day. I did that, and the next day, I got a terrible plugged duct in my left breast (which has never happened before). I decided to go back up to 20 min per pump session to help clear this duct. But my milk production is so low now – about 15-20 ml total for both breasts. What would you recommend I do from here? I want to continue weaning, but I’m scared of getting more plugged ducts. But then again, is it safer to wean now bc my milk production has gone down so much? Any advice would be helpful! Thank you!
ps. I have been taking lecithin for a month, but it seems to not be working for me.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Mia! So sorry you’re dealing with this! I think I would switch to dropping one session at a time instead of reducing the time on all of them. I don’t like that because that way your breasts never completely empty – which (I’m not an LC) seems like it would make plugged ducts more likely. Also, when babies wean from nursing, in my experience you usually drop sessions versus they stop eating a lot at each one. SO – I would keep them all at 20 minutes except the one you’re dropping, which you can reduce by time. I would also use cabbage leaves around the time of the pump you’re dropping to help avoid clogs. Does this help? Let me know if you have any questions!
Sarah says
Hi! This website is so helpful and kudos to all the woman who do this. I’m having supply issues and only get 1-2 ounces total per pump while pumping 20 minutes 8x/day. I’ve been pumping for 3 weeks and have had a couple of clogged ducts and have one currently. Do you think I should wean with the minute method since my volume is already so low or do you think I can cut out a pumping session or two? I just dont feel like all this time is worth it for such a small amount. Thanks!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Sarah! I think with the clogged ducts I might go slowly rather than just cutting out pumping sessions. But you could always try lecithin and maybe that will solve your clogged duct problem and you could wean faster? You could always go with the more aggressive methods like cabbage leaves and Sudafed to safely speed things up. Good luck!
Jessica says
I’m currently at 4 and in the process of cutting out one (I stopped at 5 oz per breast one day, then 4 oz the next, and now 3 oz – I did 3 oz for two days because I felt if I went down to 2 oz per side today, my breasts would be super engorged). Tomorrow I will try to go down to 2 oz per boob and then try to skip it. But so far I’ve been increasing in total volume for the day. I will try to wait it out!
Also, do you know if you have to crush the cabbage leaves before using them? It gets the juices out but they’re making me super itchy!!!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! That sounds like a good plan! No, you don’t have to crush them, just put them in your bra. 🙂
Jessica says
Hi Amanda,
Thank you for your response! I have been using the cabbage leaves, peppermint and safe travels, peppermint Altoids and I’ve started to reduce the volume of one of my pump sessions. However, I’m making more milk now! It seems my body is making up for the lost volume in that one session… Is this normal? Will it start to go down after a week?
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! So it’s weird but sometimes dropping a session does cause an increase it supply. So are you at 3 sessions now, or 4? (I think you said 4-5 before)? I would definitely give it a week and see what happens. Sometimes it takes a while to see supply changes.
Lauren says
Thanks for your great website! What is the best method above to drop a pump? I have time to do this so I want to use the best method to avoid clogs. I got clogs when I was pumping and breastfeeding but haven’t gotten any since I started EPing. Also, when I drop a pump should I increase my pumping time in my other pumps or just drop that time completely? TIA
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I would reduce volume if you are prone to clogs, and just drop one session at a time. If you are weaning, you don’t add the time to the other sessions (but you do if you are not weaning). Hope this helps!
Bayley says
Thank you so much for your site. This is the only resource I really found at all during my EP’ing “career” and I came here very frequently in the beginning. Now I am down to one pump a day and slowly decreasing that after 12 months of EP’ing and 2 months of weaning. It is emotional, but I think helps if you do it slowly. I nursed my first for 2.5 years and although that was emotional, since it was also done slowly, I was able to work through my emotions over time so it wasn’t overwhelming. Although I know that isn’t possible for everyone. Thanks again for all of your great information and encouragement!
Amanda Glenn says
Thanks so much Bayley!!!
Jessica says
Hi, thank you so much for this amazing site. You have no idea how many times I’ve read through it when I was just getting started exclusively pumping. After five months of EP, I have decided to stop due to recurring multiple clogged ducts and mastitis and am pumping 4-5 times a day, for 20-25 mins each. I will try to reduce the amount or volume although I’ve just gone through another case of plugged ducts in both breasts at the same time and my volume has decreased already even though I’ve been pumping more in order to get the clogs out. I was wondering if I start using the cabbage leaves, peppermint/sage tea and Sudafed now, if that will help dry my milk so I can drop pumping sessions more easily… Or do I resort to them after I’ve gone down to two pump sessions per day? Thank you so much!!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! Yes, if you’re sure you want to wean, I would go ahead and do it now! Good luck!!!! 🙂
Lisa says
I guess weaning for me is a little more complicated since my schedule is pretty intense.
My baby is 10 months old and I have over 200 frozen bottles now and will wean starting at 11 months since I have enough milk to get to a year.m and transition to organic cows milk.
Past- late LTT diagnosis left me struggling with supply and I had to pump every two hours for two weeks to improve it and not have to supplement, so it’s important for me to be able to produce for my goals which I have worked extremely hard to achieve.
My goal- 2 pumps/day for a fresh morning and nighttime bottle (5oz each) until 1 year and transition.
Currently- I pump 7x/day with TWO power pumps 5-6x/week (most of the time I only skip a PP one time in a day of the weekend. My pumping schedule varies by time of day/day of week because I’m also a full-time working mom. Thanks to NYS Labor laws and an amazing principal, I’ve been able to make this happen, but am sooo ready to have TIME and SLEEP!
I am able to PP 2x/day because my commute is at least an hour each way, so I can pump those at 6am and 4pm, which I figure those can end up being my two pumps, since I’ll be driving and I won’t need to take other time out.
Therefore, I need to get down to those. The first pump to drop is the 6pm since it cuts into the home transition/dinnertime.
I know there are a few ways to drop but want to research and plan my best approach to achieve my goal. I am prone to clogged ducts, which has happened maybe 5-6x and cleared up quickly with heat and massage while pumping. This was from going longer from the pump and/or a pocket not emptying fully.
Thanks for the advice!!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think your best bet is to slowly lower the volume from each session – that is safest for people prone to clogged cuts. I think I would start by not doing power pumps, then dropping a session at a time from 7 down to 2. Good luck!
Flore says
I reached Step 6 yesterday (first day of no pumping for the last 4 months… it feels liberating and weird at the same time… go figure…) but I already have lumps today… I was “wearing” cabbage leaves all day and took a really warm shower tonight. I don’t feel full, I just feel the lumps…
I used the “decrease volume” technique all along the EP process to dump pumping sessions and to wean in the last month as I was producing a lot and have been subject to clogged ducts…
I am afraid that doing an “additional pump” will restart the production…
At the same time, I want to make sure I will avoid mastitis.
Will the lump go away at some point? What would you recommend to avoid a clogged duct issue? For now, I really don’t feel full, but my breasts are lumpy… which is uncomfortable (but I always went throug “uncomfortable days” after a drop… but I was always pumping at some point, so don’t know how to adjust this time…)
Thank you again for this wonderful blog (and book!), all the posts are extremely helpful, and I lived by your recommendations over the last 4 months… community of women can do magic 🙂
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think you could go either way on this – I don’t think production will go back into overdrive if you pump once to clear out the lumps, but I also think it will probably clear up on it’s own within a few days if you don’t, especially given that you’re wearing cabbage. 🙂 Maybe some Sudafed or sage tea would help too? Personally, I would pump to get stuff cleared out, but either way is probably okay. Good luck!
Saydee says
Im weaning from the pump- Im an undersupplier(only able to pump 11oz in a 24hour period) I am currently at 4pumps per day and about 5-6oz a day to save my sanity. Never had a clogged duct or mastitis, if I drop to 2 pumps will I steer clear of them? And when I only do the 2 pumps do i only pump till comfortable? I only pump. Between 30 and 50ml each pump.. I would love to hear your advice!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think you’d be fine dropping to 2 – I would just do it one at a time, even if you do it on back to back days. Then I would start dropping the remaining two sessions one at a time too – you could do one until you feel comfortable and empty at the other. (I would empty at least once a day to avoid clogs, unless you get to that last session.) Good luck!
Deanna says
So I’m currently trying to stop pumping! Yay! But I’m down to 2 pumping sessions(morning and night) which I have been doing for 2 days. I just started decreasing the volume and I’m still getting like 8oz….do I still do 2 sessions until I’m down to a few oz? Also will the breasts feel hard and and like there is a clog while I’m drying up? Is it just a feeling I have to live with for awhile our should I be concerned there’s a clog and try and fix it?
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! Congrats on weaning! Yes, I would do 2 sessions until you’re down to 2oz on one of them. They shouldn’t feel hard since you are reducing gradually, but if you notice this and think you might get a clog I would hold steady for a few days and use cabbage leaves. Good luck!
Katie says
Thanks so much for all of the information. I managed to make it 10 months, 8 of which were ep. I started out overproducing and was able to donate almost 500 ounces. At the beginning of December my production dropped drastically from about 30 ounces a day to 7. This week I’ve been pumping 3 times a day and only getting 4 oz or so. Since I’ve started supplementing with for USA and mixing with frozen I’ve decided to wean from pumping. My plan is to drop to two sessions and then drop to one. I am generally only pumping 10-12 minutes and getting less than an ounce on each side. After I drop to two sessions, how long should I wait before cutting out another and then stopping all together? How will I know when I’m done so to day? I have not had any issues with clogs or mastitis but I would rather not start that now. Thanks again!
Amanda Glenn says
I would probably give it three days between dropping sessions? And when you know you’re done – when you’ve been at one for a few days, see how you feel about skipping it and pumping 12 hours later (than morning or night) instead. If you can do that, then pump that one last time, you should be good. Good luck!
Rochelle says
I am currently pumping 5 times a day for 15 mins each session. I go back to work at the end of March and am thinking of weaning myself from the pump by that time, because I don’t want to have to pump while at work.
What do you suggest is the best way to start the weaning process? And how long do you think the whole process will take? Thank you in advance for your advice!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I’d give yourself a few days to a week for each session, depending on what you’re comfortable with. I would start by dropping one pumping session at a time, I think there is a link to how to do that in the post. 🙂 Good luck!
Cat says
Thank you! I have one other question. The more I think about it, the more committed to weaning I become. I’d like to be completely done before a trip I’m taking in 8 weeks. I’m worried about the process because of my oversupply. I assume you would recommend dropping a session by reducing the volume of each pump. I get anywhere from 8-17 oz a pump, depending on how many hours since my last pump. Does this mean it will take me two weeks to drop those pumps when I get 17 oz? What’s the best way to do this painlessly (or as painlessly as possible) within the next 8 weeks? Thank you so much! Your site is such a helpful resource.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Cat! Yes, I think I would reduce by volume. You don’t have to do it 2 oz at a time, though, you could do 3 or 4 (depending on your history with clogs/mastitis). Also, to speed things up, you could try taking Sudafed and using cabbage leaves and see if that decreases your supply and speeds things up. Good luck!
Cat says
Hi – My daughter is three months and I think I’m ready to wean from the pump (or at the very least, pump a lot less to gain back some sanity). I currently pump 6x a day for 20 mins each and average 65 oz a day. Before committing to weaning, I’d like to drop to 4 or 5 pumps to see if that feels more manageable, but I don’t want my sessions to be longer than 20 minutes each. I understand it’s recommended to pump for a total of 120 minutes a day. What will happen if I only pump for 4 or 5 times a day at 20 minutes each? I’m OK with losing supply since I’m heading in the direction of weaning, but will I risk clogs? Thank you!
Amanda Glenn says
As long as you feel like you are emptying in those 20 minutes, I think you will be fine. The reason for increasing is mostly to keep supply; since that’s not a priority for you, you should be fine not increasing. See how you feel after pumping for 20 minutes with fewer sessions – if you don’t feel like you’re leaving a lot of milk in your breasts, you should be fine.
Lowie says
Hi! I have been EPP’g for 6 months now and have finally weaned down to 3 pumps a day over the course of this month. My goal is to be off completely by the end of this month it really Jan. I’ve noticed my breastmilk is more watery, especially sessions I cut short. I heard that this is just foremilk and best not to give to the baby since it’s basically all water? I have a decent stash, should i mix it with frozen milk? Or can I still give it straight to LO? It’s just so much easier dealing with freshly pumped milk directly. He’ll be 6 months in a few days. Thanks in advance!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think it’s fine to give it to him since at 6 months he can have water anyway (so who cares if it’s watery? hahaha). Maybe just use it for one feeding a day? Or you could use it to mix solids (cereal, squash, etc.) Good luck!
Christina says
Hi Amanda,
I was down to one pump a day and down to a few ounces. So I skipped a day and then pumped the next day. In step 6 it says, “do one last pumping session.” Does it mean to empty the breasts or just enough to feel comfortable? I only pumped enough to feel comfortable. It’s been about 5 days since I stopped, but now my breasts feel full and firm. I’m worried about a plug duct and producing more milk. I’m thinking about pumping one more time. Should I pump to empty or just enough to be comfortable? Thanks so much.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Christina! You can do either, whichever you’d prefer. At this point milk supply isn’t going to surge, it’s just winding down more slowly that maybe is typical (but is still totally normal). Good luck!
Christina says
I appreciate your quick response, Amanda. I did one more last pump and 5 days have passed. My boobs still feel soft and not full. I think my body is not producing anymore milk. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge!
Joanne Townsend says
HI, further to my post above I have now managed to cut out expressing for the last 9days. However today I have started to become full and sore!! I’m worried that if I don’t express I’ll get engorged and blocked ducts however I’ve been ok until now! What do I need to do and When does milk stop?
Amanda Glenn says
I think it’s fine to pump one last time. Or you could put cabbage leaves on your breasts and try to tough it out without. Good luck!
Nat says
Hi Amanda,
I really need your advice if possible….
After a lot of soul-searching I’ve made the decision to stop pumping and am now keen to wean as quickly as possible from 5ppd.
Following your suggestions above, last week I reduced my 4am session by 1 oz every other day before dropping it all together. This felt ok for a day or so but the last 4 days I’ve been waking up in so much pain by 6am, with horrible knots in both breasts. These only go/stop hurting once I pump again at 10am.
Is this pain part of the process and something I should try and ride out whilst my body adjusts? As it’s been 5 days now and still so sore I’m just a bit confused whether I should stick with it or if I should be doing something different (e.g.. pumping to relieve the discomfort between 4am-10am or spacing out the 3 remaining pumps so I don’t have such a long 12 hour overnight stretch?) I currently pump at 10/4/10
I’m feeling lost and a bit alone with all of this so any help you can give would be very much appreciated. Thanks 🙂
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Nat! No, you shouldn’t have any pain. I think respacing so that you don’t have a 12 hour gap is a good idea. I would do something more like 6/2/10 if possible. I totally understand this might not work for you, I would just aim for 3 sessions as close to 8 hours apart as you can swing. Good luck!
Sara says
How long did it take you to wean like this? My son turned 12 months last week. I’ve been pumping 3 times a day for the past 2 months and today will be my first day to skip my middle of the day pump. I used your suggestion to cut down by ounces and only pumped 3 oz during my middle of the day pump yesterday (I was able to do that in 3 days). I’m still pumping about 10-12 oz in the morning and the same at night. Do you think it’s possible to drop these down as fast as I did the middle of the day pump? I’m anxious to be done with the pump! I’ve been exclusively pumping since he was 2 weeks old, and this website has helped me tremendously!!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! It took me about 2 months, but I wasn’t really in a rush and was assisted by the fact that I got pregnant again. I think the night one you could probably do as far (or close to it) but the morning one might take longer. Good luck!
Alexis says
This website has helped me to keep-up exclusively pumping for eight months!!! Now (hopefully!) on my final pump tonight! Thank you Amanda for all of your insight and information; I’ve truly appreciated this website!!!
Anne says
Hi Amanda,
Here’s a bit of a ramble. I have been EP since my son was about 4 months old because he just lost interest in BF. Lucky for me my supply has kept up and I am able to stash away a 7oz bag in the freezer every few days. I am up to about 210(ish) oz and my son will be 7 months on the 31st. I am still pumping 6x a day (every 3-4 hours except at night) – with 1 time in the middle of the night. I am hesitant to cut down my supply because the first time I tried him on formula it did not go so well. He may be fine now that he is older but I am still nervous. I would LOVE to cut down the middle of the night pumping session but my doctor told me I’d really have to cut my overall supply to do that. I know that his milk consumption will slowly go down but I’d love, if possible, to not introduce formula if I don’t have to. (only because of fear of an averse reaction) I know you can’t tell me when to start cutting down my supply, but if you were me, at what age would you suggest doing that knowing that I have a slowly growing freezer stash?
I hope this makes sense and thanks for your help. This website is very helpful.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think at 7 months you can cut the middle of the night pumping session. Just move it so that you have the same number but all during the day (with like a 10am and a 6am on either side). It’s possible you could lose some supply but it’s definitely not guaranteed that will happen. Good luck!
Jamie says
Quick question for a nursing + pumping office working mom. I currently nurse in the morning and then pump at lunch and evening. My little one turns 1 this weekend and I’d love to ditch the pump, but would be open to continuing to nurse in the morning if the supply is there. Would I be able to maintain one feeding a day if I gave up the rest?
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Jamie! One lactation session per day is for some women a supply killer, but not for everyone. I think as long as you are okay with having it become more of a comfort nursing session rather than an actual feeding over time, you should be okay. If you still want your baby to get a decent amount of breast milk for a couple of months, I would try to keep two sessions (nursing or pumping).
Joanne Townsend says
HI, I’m weaning off the pump after a year of eping however I’m prone to clogged ducts and I’ve never had mastitis so don’t want to risk getting it. what is the best way to cut this last pump out. I’m still producing about 6oz per breast. Should I reduce slowly or just try and stop completely?
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I would definitely reduce slowly. Maybe cut it to 4oz, wait a day or two, then 2oz, wait a day or two, and then see if you can stop from there. Good luck!
VT says
It has been 4 days since my last pump, an abrupt stop after being admitted to the hospital. I had started the weaning process before this- down to 5 times a day for 10 minutes. Since I wasn’t having any pain or feeling uncomfortable, I was advised to not pump. I am still feeling okay but have some lumps and leakage happening. Should I pump to relieve some of the milk or hold tight at this point?
Amanda Glenn says
I think you could go either way but personally I would probably just pump for a few minutes. You won’t stimulate milk production from that and you’ll probably feel better.
Hope everything is okay!
VT says
Thank you so much! I am glad to have found your site for the help and piece of mind. How will I know for sure that I am done? I haven’t had the need to pump since last week and no more leaking. Everything seems to feel back to normal. Just wondering when I can take a normal shower again and go back to my normal underwire bras. Just don’t want to push it too quickly…
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think you should be good! Maybe ease back into the underwires with a few hours at a time and see how it goes?
James says
I was in the process of weaning and got down to one pump per day. After getting a yeast infection on my nipple, I then had to stop pumping abruptly due to the intense pain. I have been using cabbage leaves, cold compress, sudafed, ibuprofen, tight bras. I have had soreness, lumps and tightness, but not unbearable. I am now 8 days out and it’s becoming worse now instead of better. Do I try pumping? Am I too long gone? Help
Amanda Glenn says
Oh no – I am so sorry you are dealing with this. Honestly, I would go to a doctor. I’m worried that you have an abscess or another health issue. Good luck!! I’m so sorry you are dealing with this.
LC says
Hi Amanda,
This has been so helpful, thank you so much! I am wondering–it has been 3.5 days since my last pump. I’m not in pain and don’t feel any big hard lumps but i do feel some milk left in there (tiny non-painful lumps) and there are definitely more today than yesterday. I am not sure if I should pump one more time or if it’s ok to let the milk stay in. If I should pump, should I do it until empty or just a little? And if I shouldn’t pump, will the remaining milk just dry up on its own or do I need to do something to help it dry up? Let me know! Rental pump is due back in 3 days so hoping to be done done by then!
Amanda Glenn says
I think you’d be fine doing any of those things, so do whatever makes you comfortable! You won’t stimulate too much milk by pumping til empty if it’s been 3.5 days since your last session. 🙂
Kingslee says
Hi Amanda,
I am 5wpp and unfortunately my journey with pumping is just to painful, my LO has taken well to formula but I need to wean quickly as the pump just hurts to much!
I usually pump 6 times a day for 40mins but unsure how to stop my supply quickly/ most effective way. The information I have received for weaning the women were only doing 2 pumps per day so I’m not sure if it is different for 6ppd.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi there! I would probably take Sudafed and see if that helps you reduce supply quickly. From there, I would drop one session at a time (if you haven’t had clogged ducts or mastitis before, you can try to do it quickly). Then I would follow the steps in the article for weaning once you’re down to 2 sessions a day. Hope that helps!
KD says
Hi Amanda,
I have recently stopped pumping all together after following the tips on your website. I had my last official “pump” 5 days ago on Friday, when I pumped for just about 9 minutes and produced about 3oz. I skipped Saturday, then pumped about 6 minutes on Sunday and produced about 1 oz. I haven’t pumped since then. Over the past few weeks while I was weaning I was drinking sage tea and taking sudafed. As of today (Wednesday) my right breast is perfect, no pain or feeling of fullness, doesn’t even feel like there’s any milk in it. But my left breast looks noticeably bigger, feels very “full” and has at least one lump that I can feel, maybe two. I’ve been reading that the lump could be a clogged duct and that if I don’t do anything about it, it could turn into mastitis. Do you have any advice? I don’t want to encourage milk production, but I don’t want to get an infection or have any other problems. I’ve come across tips that suggest putting a heating pad on it, massaging it, and hand expressing if possible. Would any of those help or should I be doing something else that you know of?
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think I would maybe go ahead and pump that side and see what happens with the heating pad and massage. I wouldn’t do it for too long, but I wouldn’t worry too much about encouraging production if you’ve gone this long without pumping. Also I would use cabbage leaves every now and then afterwards to try to make sure whatever is left doesn’t get “stuck”. Good luck!
KD says
That’s exactly what I ended up doing last night on my own before I got your response, mostly out of desperation, because I was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable on the left side. I held a heating pad over my left breast for about 10 minutes, then I pumped on that side only, for 6 minutes, while massaging the breast the entire time. I produced about 1.5oz of milk (which I dumped out, since I started enjoying my wine again after almost 14 months of no drinking!), and I felt MUCH better afterwards. I also put cabbage leaves in my bra afterwards and left them in there for a few hours until I went to bed. I had to stop taking the Sudafed because it was keeping me awake at night, but I’m still drinking sage tea every day. The left side still feels a bit lumpy, so I’ll continue with the cabbage leaves for a while too. Hopefully this will be the end of it. After exclusively pumping for a full 7 months I’m ready to be done with it. Thanks again so much for your tips and advice!
Amanda Glenn says
Awesome! I bet you are – awesome work!!! 🙂
Ramya says
Your blog is so helpful!
I’m pumping 4 times a day, I’m a working mom and I also have a 4 yr old. My LO is almost 5 months and I’m thinking of weaning off my pump (I’m EPing) by the time he is 6 to 7 months max. I pump at 5:30 am then at 11am, 4pm and then 9pm. I don’t wake up to pump middle of the night. What is the best way to drop a session so I can come down to 3 sessions then eventually taper and be done? I’m also very prone to blocked ducts :((
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! Do you have flexibility in when you pump at work (the 11am/4pm sessions)? I would probably push the 11am back to 1pm or so and then push slowly push the 4pm back until you can make it to 9pm.
Samantha says
Hi! Thank you so much for all of this great information on here! I’ve made it over 10 months of which about 8.5 have been EPing (no idea how I made it the first 6 weeks). In any case, I want to stop pumping as soon as possible, but am not sure on the feeding side (have read all the info as far as the actual pumping side)…what should I be watching out for as far as my baby’s feeding goes? Right now he’ll still take as much as we give him. He was always on the small side despite having been getting 32 oz a day. As we introduced more and more solids starting at 6 months, we’ve taken out a bottle so he’s down to about 24 oz a day. He seems to be eating a ton between solids and milk. I know the majority of his nutrition is supposed to come from milk though until he turns one, but should I be doing anything to wean him down? I think I have enough milk at this point to just get him to that one year mark (if I were to stop pumping now), but if he still gets 24 oz a day until then and then I have to start weaning him down, I’m not sure how long my supply will last (if I stop pumping now)…any ideas on that approach? Haven’t really gotten a straight answer from my ped, it’s always just “let him eat as much as he wants” which is not very helpful for me as I want to stop pumping!
Thanks again!
-Samantha
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Samaantha! Congrats on making it thought 8.5 months of EPing! Huge accomplishment!
I think I remember the max on milk being 24oz – I just switched from 24oz of breast milk gradually to 24oz of cow’s milk when I weaned (slowly over time, with more and more becaming cow’s milk until it all was). I think your baby will take 20-24oz of milk for a while, so it’s just a matter of switching him to whatever he’s going to switch to, I wouldn’t count on him taking less. It sounds like you’re worried your freezer supply won’t last? I would do that math and add in an extra few oz per day that might be wasted, and give yourself some buffer. Or you can use formula. I hope this makes sense – let me know if you have any questions.
MH says
Hi, my current pump schedule is 6am, 11.30am, 4.30pm & 10pm. The cycle had been pump 10 mins, rest 10 and pump 10 mins and the yield varies between 150ml to 200ml. For past few days I change the cycle whereby I pump straight for 15 mins and stop, and I continue the same 4 sessions. I hope by doing so I am telling the body that I do not require so much milk now. And from this week I would like to gradually drop the 11.30am session, pumping at work. So I shall skip going to the nursing room at 11.30am but shall pump at 4.30pm. This will have a 10 hour gap. I am not sure if this method is correct and tell the body that I don’t need this session?
Eventually I want to stop exclusive pumping in a gradual manner so I am now trying to stop one session at a time…
Amanda Glenn says
Hi! I think that should work. As you said, I would gradually drop that 11:30 pump – you could either cut the time gradually or cut the volume gradually. Good luck!
Jocelyn says
Hi! Thanks for the lovely article. My son us 10.5 mos, and my goal is to stop pumping by his burthday, which is November 1. I just recently dropped to 3 PPD, and I have enough milk to feed him for probably a few months after his birthday in my freezer. He currently eats 20 oz a day, and I’m producing about 23-25 oz a day. I’m wondering what total timeline you’d suggest so that I may finish up at the end of October. If my supply dips some, I’m not too worried due to my freezer stock. I do tend to have problems with clogged ducts, where the only relief is using a straight pin!
How long do you suggest I do 3 ppd before dripping to 2? And then before dropping to 1.
Thanks so much!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Jocelyn! As for the timing, it’s totally up to you. One thing to consider is that you might want to make sure that your son will take whatever you’re going to transition him to (it sounds like frozen milk, which should be fine as long as he’s had some before, and eventually cow’s milk I’m guessing?). The key is just making sure you don’t reduce your supply and then end up scrambling for something that he’ll take for milk. Have you considered lecithin for the clogs?
Jocelyn says
I haven’t tried lethicin for the clogs. I have given him frozen milk before, which he has taken no problem. Lately, I haven’t even been warming the milk from the fridge, either, with no issues at all. He will transition to cow’s milk once my freezer milk runs out. He has a genetic skin disorder and is on a few different meds, which we mix into the milk, so he’s used to it sometimes tasting differently. This makes me think that he should be ok with cow’s milk when the time comes.
Amanda Glenn says
Sounds great! Good luck!
Monica says
Thanks to your site I have made it to 1 year of pumping! I just finished my 1st day off from the pump and did one quick pump to relieve some pressure. I’m not sore, but I do feel maybe half full. If I don’t hurt and don’t feel lumps, am I ok to stop completely? Or should I maybe do a quicky in 48 hrs?
Amanda Glenn says
You’re okay to stop! I would see how you feel in 48 hours and go from there 🙂
Kate says
Hey Amanda, I’ve been EPing for a year (yay!) and almost done weaning. First off, found your site BEYOND helpful and reassuring when I started. If you had told me I would have made it a year while I was sitting in a NICU at 2am pumping, I would have laughed in your face, but here we are!
I was down to one pump a day for 3 days and found I only produced 4oz total, so I skipped the next days. I’m now at 48 hours in. I’m not uncomfortable and don’t feel lumpy at all… should I even do that last ditch pump or just skip it?
Thanks again for all the help and support.
Amanda Glenn says
I think you can skip it – and CONGRATULATIONS!! 🙂
Pamela says
Hi Amanda,
Thank you so much for your response, i will let you know how it all goes. I will taking the prescription tablet tomorrow, fingers crossed everything works out and I do not get mastitis again.
Many thanks
Pamela
Pamela says
Hi Amanda,
I have been pumping now for 12 weeks and have had x 3 sets of mastitis. Honestly, I feel like its time for me to stop pumping. I am an oversupplier, and I constantly have blocked ducts and engorgement, never really feeling empty. I have tried to wean using the volume method and mastitis came my way.
I am currently on antibiotics for the mastitis and the doctor has given me a prescription for Bromocriptine (Parlodel), I have found it difficult to get information regarding what to do when I start taking this tablet. Do I keep pumping while the tablet dries up my milk or do I go cold turkey? I fear that if I go cold turkey I will get mastitis again any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Pamela! So sorry to hear that you had mastitis all those times. That sounds horrible!
I do not think I would stop pumping cold turkey with your history – but I would ask the doctor who is prescribing it for you. He or she probably isn’t familiar with exclusive pumping, but you could frame it like what would they suggest you do if you were nursing? I would probably recommend trying the volume method again except this time with the benefit of having the prescription.
Let me know how it goes! Sorry again that you’re dealing with this!
Natalie says
My baby boy just turned a month a few days ago. I’m down to 2-3 pumps a day and each are anywhere between 10-12 minutes. I’d like to rid of the morning session but seems like every morning when I wake up, my breasts hurt the worse so I pump. I pump anywhere from 4-5 oz on each breast. How do I rid of the morning session?
Amanda Glenn says
I would keep pumping at that time, but just pump a little less each day. So one day you’d pump 4oz, then 3oz, then 2oz, etc. You can wait a few days in between reducing the volume or not, whatever is comfortable. When you can skip it without feeling engorged, then you can drop it altogether. Good luck!
Jessica says
I weaned myself from pumping about a week and a half ago. I have gone that long without pumping and don’t feel engorged, however, I’m feeling like I have clogged ducts (not mastitis, just hard painful spots) do you think I should pump to relieve the ducts even though I don’t feel full?
Amanda Glenn says
I don’t think it will hurt anything – go for it!
Laura says
Hi, and thank you for your blog! I’m currently in the process of weaning from the pump after 9 months of EBF/EP. I’m super prone to clogged ducts, and I’m using your suggested method of gradually reducing volume pumped, which seems to be working well so far. My question is about the last pump you mention in Step 5. Should you pump until you’re empty, or just a few minutes/ounces? Thanks for your help!
Amanda Glenn says
Hi Laura! I would go until empty but don’t worry about getting every last drop – more like just a normal pumping session but feel free to stop early if you feel like there’s no milk left.