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
Hi Amanda,
Thank you so much for this site – it’s been such a help to me as I’ve fed both of my kids via pumping. I have a couple of questions:
1. For the last pump, would you recommend pumping to empty or just enough to relieve any discomfort?
2. Do you know if it’s safe to feed milk pumped while drinking No More Milk Tea? I’ve heard conflicting things about the safety of milk when the mother has been consuming sage tea.
Thanks so much!
Hi Laura! For the first one, I would do whatever feels right to you. This is more of an art than a science. 🙂
It should be fine to feed. Here’s a study on sage and breastfeeding:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501816/
Hi Amanda,
I stopped pumping about 2 weeks ago. My one breast is getting more firm each day. I don’t want to mess up the weaning that I’ve done, but also not sure if I should pump?
Hi Amanda,
My baby is 4 weeks old. I have been double pumping and supplementing with formula after attempting triple feeding (breast feed, pump, formula) for a couple weeks. The most I have been able to produce with pumping is 5oz in a day regardless of the number of times I pump. I have settled on pumping 4 times/day (5am, 10am, 3pm, 9pm). Approximately 90% of my supply comes from my right breast and I have now gotten blocked ducts twice on my left. I would like to wean off pumping from my left breast for now given the very low supply and recurrent blocked ducts. Can you suggest a good way to do this? Would my supply from my right breast decrease if I am only pumping on one side? Thanks for your help!
KC
Hi KC! It’s definitely possible to just wean from one side. Are you taking lecithin for the blocked ducts at all? If not, I would consider that – also I might try cabbage leaves on the left side while you wean. This might help, too:
https://exclusivepumping.com/weaning-from-one-breast-when-you-are-exclusively-pumping/
Good luck!!
Hi Amanda,
My baby is 2 weeks old and I have been pumping 3 times a day however he seems to not be satisfied and my milk production is dropping so I am switching to formula, how long should I take to drop down and stop pumping. I am only getting 4oz at every session and would like to stop as quickly as possible.
Thanks
Hi Chloe, I would drop one session at a time and see how it goes. I think you can probably be done in a week or so. Good luck!
Hi Amanda,
Your website is SO helpful. Thank you! I’m currently 15 wpp and pumping 4 ppd. I’m still getting close to the amount of milk I was getting at 6-7 ppd (50-60 oz.). My body does not seem to be getting the hint and I need some help. I want to drop to 3 ppd but I’m still very uncomfortable at 4. Should I reduce the amount of time of each pump (currently 20 min each) and just reduce engorgement? Or should I try to increase the time between pumps, or both? Originally, I thought I would take my time, hoping to be done by September 1st, but now that my body isn’t responding quickly, I think I need to start being a bit more aggressive (and would LOVE to be done before September!) Thank you!!
Hi Marleah! How long have you been at 4ppd? Another question – have you tried any of the methods for decreasing supply like Sudafed, No More Milk Tea, etc. to decrease supply at all? We can figure this out!
Thanks for responding, Amanda! I have been at 4 ppd for 3 weeks. I just did 3 for the first time yesterday and got some cabbage to try. So far, it has seemed to help. I also took a shower in the middle of the day and hand expressed a bit to help with pressure and made it a few hours longer. If I use Sudafed, is it safe to feed the milk I get while using it? Also, do you have a specific brand of tea that you recommend? It looks like a few companies make similar products. Thank you!
I would go with No More Milk Tea!
Here is some info on Sudafed (basically: it’s unlikely to cause any harm but *may* cause irritability):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501085/
Hope that helps!
Hello Amanda, Love the Blog wish I would have seen this before I started to wean. I went another route and took 2 min off each pump session (7 daily sessions) every two days till now. I am down to 3 minutes per session. I have also cut down my amount of daily pump sessions and have just been pumping here and there maybe 4x per day. I find my breasts still get lumpy and some times heavy if I go too long without pumping. They are not painful just lumpy. How do I stop pumping without developing mastitis at this point?
Hi Amy! Congrats on almost weaning! I would probably stay where you are on the time at each session, and start dropping one at a time from here. Hope that makes sense and helps!
I’ve been pumping for a year. I went down to 2 pumps a day around April? I was pretty consistent with 16 oz each pump. 3 nights ago I tried to wean from the nighttime pump only, going to 8 oz on the 1st and 2nd night, and 4 oz last night. This morning I tried to pump my 16 oz and I made only 8 oz. At 4 pm today I was so engorged I had to pump out 6 oz for some relief. I’m not sure where to go from here because I’d like to stop pumping. I hit the year mark and have a ton of milk in storage , and my little one is fine with whole milk. Not sure if I should even pump tonight since I did at 4:30! I had mastitis when I started pumping once and always have been an over producer (would pump nearly 40-60 oz a day).
Hi Amanda,
Down to 2 pumps a day (16 oz each pump). I tried for 3 nights pumping only 4-8 ounces at night and today I’m very engorged and it’s painful. I pump around 7 am and 7 pm, but I had to manual pump 6 oz out at 4:30 pm bc I was in so much pain. Any advice on a schedule? Is it going to mess the weaning process to manual pump a bit out to feel relief?
Hi April! Can you walk me through a little more history? How long have you been at 2 sessions? And did you go straight to 4-8 oz or did you do it gradually? Sorry if you told me this in previous comments – I can’t see them in the new comment queue where I respond. Thanks!
Hi Amanda!! Been a silent reader for over a year and now getting ready to wean! I’m down to 1 pump a day now but I still get about 5oz on average from that 1 pump and in about 10 mins.
Am I doing this right? My boobs feel soft and not engorged. Should I skip pumping once a day and try and drag it to 1 pump in 1.5 days or something? I don’t have mastitis or clogged ducts. Thanks!
Hi Anne! I would maybe try reducing the amount you pump at that session (so stop pumping at 4oz and see how it goes). Keep doing that until you’re down to 1-2 and then try going 36-48 hours. Hope that helps and good luck!
Hi Amanda, your blog has been my best resource over my 11 months of exclusively pumping, thank you for your insight and frankly, help!! I finished my last pump (5 mins) 48h ago and got 0.5oz. I’m not feeling sore or engorged, breasts are still pretty soft with a tiny bit of fullness.
Should I then still go ahead and do that last pump (the one you mentioned to do 36-48h later) then? Or should I just hold tight and just let my body figure it out? I’ve read that sometimes people only get lumps weeks after they stop, would this ‘final pump’ help to mitigate that? I’ve suffered with engorgment and have been taking lecithin religiously the entire time so I’m trying to cover all my bases. Thank you! (On that note, when should I stop taking the lecithin? I am so afraid of those darn painful clogs!) thank you!
Hi Eva! You can do it either way! This is more of an art than a science, so go with your gut. I would err on the side of doing the pump, but it’s not necessary if you don’t think it is!
Hi Amanda, your website is so great for first time moms. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I’m currently weaning at 8 months, so far I’m down to two pumps a day. I pump 20 minutes at 6am and 6pm, and get 2-3 oz per pump. At this point I’m bit nervous how to stop correctly. You mentioned when down to few ounces, can stop pumping all together. I’m down about 2oz so should I just stop or reduce to one pump and when stop?
Amanda, your site has been my guiding light as I pump for my 5mo! Now, I turn to you as I contemplating weaning. I pump about 11oz a day 6x a day for 30 mins each. Should I follow the steps above to drop each session one week at a time and reduce the time I pump during each session? When dropping a session, if the milk is flowing, do I stop or continue to pump? Thanks so much!
Hi Sarah! Oh, thank you so much! Can I clarify – do you pump 11 oz per day or per pump? I think you said per day but then you said 6x and just wanted to be sure. Thanks!
Hi Amanda, I pumped 11oz a day. I am down to two sessions now from six. If milk is flowing, do I stop? I feel slightly engorged and leaking, can I pump for 5-10 mins? Last pump session was this morning at 7am and I pump again at 9pm. Thanks so much!
HI! I have been pumping for 8 1/2 months. I have donated over 1000 ounces in the past. I have 1000 ounces in freezer and am currently pumping 3x a day with around 40 ounces. I want to make it to the year mark. When can I go down to 2 pumps a day and or start the weaning process?
Hi April! I probably wouldn’t do it until about 11 months, but I am pretty risk averse and 2ppd was a supply killer for me. Unless you want to feed from your frozen stash to make it to a year? LEt me give you a link that might help with that.
https://exclusivepumping.com/breast-milk-freezer-stash-calculator/
Hello! How long should I pump for my last pump after the 36 hours mark?
Either until you’re comfortable or empty! It’s totally up to you.
I just finished what I believe was my last pump! I made it 8+ months and thankfully I have about 2 months in the deep freeze😊 I just went to pump my last 5 min, and basically only got drops, a little bitter sweet honestly 😕 But I wanted to say thank you! This site has helped me SO SO much along my journey! I am so thankful I was able to pump for as long as I did and I honestly credit much of the success to all the information you freely give to those of us that choose the #pumplife , it’s so encouraging to know we’re not alone. again, thank you!!
Yay!!! Congrats on weaning!!!
Hi Amanda. I started my weaning process when I was pumping 6x/day. I’m currently pumping 3x/day (every 8 hrs) and have been weaning by volume from the beginning. I will be starting to pump 2x/day tomorrow. I have a history of mastitis and clogged ducts so I am a little nervous about making the jump from pumping every 8 hours to 12. Any advice/recommendations? Thank you!
Hi Sara! Are you already taking lecithin at all?
Yes, I’ve been taking it 4x a day since I began weaning.
Thank you so much for this blog. I has been a complete lifesaver on my EP journey. I have been EPing for over 6 months and after 2 rounds of mastitis have decided to start the weaning process. I’m going to go really slow because of the past incidents of mastitis. I have been pumping 4x per day since my baby was 3 months old. When I go to drop pumps, do I add time back into the remaining pumps as part of the process or do I leave them the same. Right now I pump 30 min/pump for a total of a 120 minutes per day. Thanks again for all your help.
Hi Carys! You should leave them the same. 😊
So I did my last last pump (38hrs after), I’m a little nervous. I got quite a bit out of it and my left breast was super engorged before I pumped. I got 3.5oz out of my left and 1oz out of my right. My right breast before pumping felt fine. I didn’t pump til completely empty from my left I don’t think…I pumped for 8min with 4min hand express when I normally do 15min with 5 min hand express to get to empty… is this normal to get so many oz after 38hrs? Will it not fill up again? What do you suggest I do? Would love your opinion 🙂 hoping this is my last question for you. I know I’ve picked your brain a ton. 😝
Yes, I think that’s normal. 🙂 You will make more milk, but your body will reabsorb it if you don’t pump. You can always do another one if a few days if you want. (This is more of an art than a science.) Good luck!
Question: you said in your book you pump again after your last pump session after 36-48hrs. Why is that? And you said it’s up to you if you pump to empty or just a few minutes?
I pumped 1 oz from my left and .5 from my right as my last pump at 5am this morning.
It’s just a comfort thing to kind of get rid of any pressure for any leftover milk (which is why it’s up to you how long you do it). That’s awesome that you’re almost done!
Hi!
I am weaning and down to 2 Per day. Can I still give baby the milk I pump until I’m done?
Thanks!
Yes – no issues!
I accidentally slept through my alarm and pumping session for my last pump. Never have done that before! I usually pump at 5am and woke at 6:25. 🤦♀️ I was very engorged and didn’t get as much as I normally do (got around 6.5 when I usually get 7 and had to pump for a minute longer than normal)…what do you suggest I do? I was going to start day 1 of dropping my last pump today, but I’m not sure if I should with what happened. Should I keep the 625 pump time for tomorrow morning or go back to 5am? Also what should I do about the starting to wean my last pump? Would you give it a few days to equal out with the time change?
I think you can do either. I think I would go back to 5 unless 6:25 is easier for you. I think I might wait a day and see how things go tomorrow. If it’s all smooth and no clogs, just continue as if you hadn’t slept in. Good luck!
Hi Amanda!
I’m down to 2 pumps and am about to drop to 1. I read the part in the book about dropping 2 to 1…. I am getting about 6.5oz in the morning pump and 5.5oz in the afternoon. 5am and 5pm. You suggested going by volume to drop the pump. If I am going to drop the 5pm, how would you suggest I lessen the volume if I don’t get the same amount from both boobs? I always get more in my left breast than my right.
Thanks for your guidance!
Hi Cait! Try doing .5 or 1 oz from each breast. So you might be ready to stop on one side before the other, and that’s fine. 🙂
I’m on 3 pumping every 8 hrs- 4am 12pm and 8pm. When I drop to 2 which I’m thinking is gonna be in the next day or two, should I change to 6am and 6pm? Or what do you suggest? I used to get 7.5 oz the first 3/4 days of every 8 hours but now I’m getting around 6oz and it’s been 9days since I’ve been at 3 pumps. Or what do you suggest? I need to go back and reread drooping to 2 pumps from your book, but baby is sleeping on me currently. Lol
I think 6am and 6pm will work great! I think you can go ahead now!
Have you seen that the morning pump HAS to produce more? I just dropped to three pumps 2 days ago and I’m getting 7.5 ish each pump. Before when I did 4 pumps I got 6.5 oz in the am and then 5.25 ish every other. Is this just my boobs figuring things out since this is only my 3rd day of pumping only 3 times? Also I only pump 15 minutes and then hand express for about 5 min after to make sure I’m empty. I have always only pumped 15 minutes. Is that okay? I saw some women pump until they’re not producing anymore from the pump up to 30-45minutes? Everyone does it differently… but I’ve gotten mastitis before the last time I tried to drop to 3 pumps…. I’ve got somewhat small lumps before I pump since I dropped to 3, but have been able to get them out every time after I pump. I’m taking sunflower lecithin 4 times a day as well to
Help.
Hi Cait! When your 3 remaining pumps are evenly spaced, I don’t think the morning one necessarily should produce more. I think sticking with your 15 mins of pumping/5 mins of hand expression system makes sense.
I bought your book and have a few more questions. I was at 4 pumps as of yesterday. I started today doing 3 pumps 4am, 12pm, and 8pm. When I have felt full I have let a little out since the day before I was at 4am, 10am, 4pm and 9pm. Is that alright to do?
Hi Cait! I think that’s okay! Hopefully it won’t be necessary soon as your body continues to adjust!
Hi Amanda! Thanks so much for this post, and your blog! It has been so helpful during my pumping journey.
I’m currently down to 3 pumps per day at 8:30, 2:30, 8:30. I’m starting to drop the 2:30, but it feels like I have to pump longer than usual at the other two sessions to fully empty at those, since some of the volume seems to transfer over. Should I add minutes to those two to start, while decreasing the middle one? Should I be fully emptying at those two sessions, or just stop at the usual time?
Hi Alyssa! I would not add time to the other ones. How are you dropping the 2:30 session?
Theoretically I’m dropping the 2:30 by pumping less time/volume, but in reality I’m pumping the same time, just less volume. I used to pump about 40 mins at each, but after I dropped to 3 I also began shortening them to only half an hour, so that’s where I am now…but in the morning I don’t always feel empty after half an hour, so I’m not sure if I should hold at half hours and adjust to that before decreasing the 2:30 session further, or fully empty in the morning (which would probably take about 40mins again) and then decrease the 2:30 session more aggressively.
I would put the morning one at 40 mins and start cutting the 2:30. I would worry about mastitis is you’re not emptying completely once a day.
I have started to Wean but got mastitis
Along with all the symptoms of flu and engorgement. I have antibiotics and am
Only pumping at 6pm and 6 am and hoping to start skipping one of those soon. However my rash is still present and I’m using cabbage leaves and Sudafed to help dry me up. Should I keep the 2 sessions until the mastitis is gone or what is your suggestion? I have engorgment which is painful but I can tolerate it if I know soon it’ll be over – any help is appreciated !
Hi Rachel! I would stay where you are in terms of pumping until the mastitis clears. So sorry you’re dealing with this!
Thanks so much for clearing that up. I need some help…. I pump every 6hrs so: 4am, 10am, 4pm, and 10pm for 15 minutes. Which pump would you get rid of first? Or how would you wean from here? I really appreciate the help!
I would get rid of the 4am and respace the remaining ones to 6am 2pm 10pm if possible (you can adjust those times however you want – just try to make them about 8 hours apart)
How would you suggest changing the times like you said to do from every 6 to every 8? You said 6am 2pm and 10 pm From 4am 10am and 4pm and 10pm and dropping the 4am. Just try to pump at 2pm and waiting til 10pm? Or express a little at 4pm to let the pressure out? Or what do you suggest? I appreciate any insight you can give me. I had mastitis last week in both breasts so a little anxious about changing the schedule and dropping the pumps haha if I have had mastitis, should I slow the pace of dropping the minutes in the pumps at the 4am for the example you gave you said day 1 drop 5 min and day 2 drop another 5 etc, should I lengthen that?
What do you mean by “let her body catch up” after you explained how to drop the 1 session by reducing the minutes from 15 to 10 to 5 to 0? I tried to wean and got mastitis so am at about 5 pumps a day and need help in continuing to wean and how to do it without getting mastitis again! Please help 🙂
Sorry if that was confusing! I just meant, hold tight and don’t do anything for a few days. 🙂
Hi Amanda. Thanks so much for writing this blog. It is very helpful. Currently, I am exclusively pumping every 4 hours (6x/day – 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm, 2am, 6am) for about 15-20 minutes per session and I pump between 240-260ml each session. I have an oversupply in my left breast so I pump about an ounce more in that breast than right. I also have a history of mastitis and clogged ducts. I’ve only had mastitis once but I experience clogged ducts on a regular basis and am able to relieve them with hot compresses and vibrating massage. For someone with my history, you recommend to decrease by volume. Can you please provide an example of how that would work? Would I be decreasing the volume in one breast or both? I’d like to be completely weaned off pumping by the end of January. When should I start the process? Is there anything additional I should be doing or taking to decrease my supply? Thanks so much.
Hi Sara! Congrats on weaning! I would start now. I would reduce the amount you pump in each breast (so the left might take you an extra day). You could do .5 or 1oz on each side at a time, for example. I think this post has a link to other methods of decreasing supply that might help, like taking Sudafed. (Is link it here but I’m on my phone.) Hope that helps!
For how many days should I pump by .5-1 oz less until I reduce again by another .5-1 oz? Should I keep all 6 pumping sessions?
Hi Sara! You should keep the other 5 the same and pick one to drop. You can drop every day or take it slower if you think you need to (or go faster if you think you can handle it). Hope that helps!
I’m in the process of dropping one of my 6 sessions. Once I am down to 5 a day, how many hours apart should they be? Thanks
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!