Pumping less as baby eats solids

by Sonya
(Los Angeles)

I have a 7-month old baby, and I went back to work when she was 5 months old. I've always made more than enough milk, and I pump religiously every two to three hours. Now she's eating solid food for lunch, and I'm planning to add more solids for dinner. But I'm still making as much milk as before. My freezer is packed and I've never had to use any of the stored milk. But I want to be careful about how I slow down the pumping, so I don't cause a crash in my supply.

Right now the baby is away from me for about 7 hours a day, and she drinks 6 to 10 oz. during that time. But I produce about 12 a day. Then I nurse her at home in the late afternoon, and a couple times at night. Should I elongate the time between pumping sessions at work? Pump for less time (I do both breasts at once, for 10 mins.)? If I eliminate a night feed, will that slow down the production during the day?

All the websites talk about keeping your supply up while you work ... but I'm out of sync with the baby's needs in the other direction!

Thanks.
Answer from the lactation consultant
What a wonderful "problem" to have.
The first thing I would suggest doing is to spread out your pumpings at work. Put yourself on a new schedule, like every 4 hours. Do that for a week or so. Then drop a night feed if you want. To gradually wean, I suggest doing it very slow. One feed/puming every 7-10 days to drop.
BUT, If you can provide your daughter with breastmilk for 2 years, that is optimal (according to the world health organization and many many studies). NOT the norm but I wish it was.
Start using your stored breastmilk, so it does not expire, using oldest milk first. Frozen breastmilk is good for one year. If you keep up your pumping pattern as is, then begin weaning at one year, you will likely have enough stored breastmilk to give her another year of those great immune system breastmilk antibodies.
So all this being said, if the pumping and current plan does not bother you, I would encourage you to continue just as you are doing until you are ready to slow it down.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Liz Pevytoe, RN, IBCLC