Valerie,
I envy yr supply. U lucky gal.
I had managed to wean my boy off the breast. My ss drop n since he had managed to sleep thru the night now, I’ve recently stop bf.
I’ve tried thru trial and error so not any expert advice here. But thought maybe just share wif u gals my experience.
When I started work, I pump 2 times a day (during lunch, after work) and latch in morning before work, last feed before sleep n night feeds. EBM during work time.
Gradually, I start to intro EBM during last feed n pump instead. So it becomes 3 pumps + latch in morning n night feeds.
On certain nights, I alternate between breast n bottle during the night feeds and realized that he accepts bottle since he’s in a drowsy state. So I stopped latching in the nights from then onwards.
Then eventually I stop the latching on in the morning. Gave bottle instead. So in a way, I stopped latching him in this sequence. After some time, he forgot how to latch n only drink from bottle. Tried giving him the breast back twice. He just refused it. At 1 time, he gave me the “want-to-vomit” look. Felt so insulted and really missed the suckling feeling. Kinda of feel bad. Ss also dropped at the same time.
Before he goes to sleep, I will normally give him more FM so that he feels fuller. Then I also notice that at night when he wakes up, he only wants to suck on to something. Didn’t finish the whole bottle. So gradually we reduced the quantity of FM during those night feeds. Very soon, he just suck for a while and drift back to sleep. That’s when I exchanged milk with water instead. Nowadays he doesn’t even want water. When he’s aroused during his light sleep state, I just give him pacifier n he goes back to sleep. On good days, he sleeps thru without his pacifier.
During the period when I stopped latching, I continue to pump 3 times a day (lunch time, after work & before sleep). Slowly cut down to 2 times (during lunch & before sleep). Eventually, cut down to just 1 time (during lunch only). Finally I drag from once a day to once in 2 days. And until earlier this month, I totally stop. Factory now closed liao.
While cutting the pumping session, did experience fullness. But after 1-2 days during each transition, body got the signal.
This is my experience la.. may not work for everyone. My colleague is also reducing as his son is 1yr+ liao. Her method is different. She continues to pump the usual no. of session but reduce the time spent n quantity each time.
The only problem now is he’s rather reliant on the pacifier when he sleeps cos he still have the “gian” to suck on something. So now my problem is how to wean him off the pacifier at night.
