Breastfeeding questions

[Kristen26]

Hi, my daughter is 17 months old and I breastfeed her about 4-6 times a day. I have a couple things I'm wondering about from anyone who has breastfeed for an extended period of time.

I work just a few hours a week. I work 8 hour shifts every other Saturday and Sunday. I would like to stop pumping on my weekends that I work. Do you think this will make my supply go down? Maybe it won't make a difference because my supply will go back up during time I am off???

Also, I started taking a progesterone only birth control pill after resuming my periods when my daughter was 15 months old. My period is not regular at all. I'm assuming that this is because I'm nursing. It is a total mystery when and if I will get it. Has anyone breastfed this long? Was your period irregular?

Thank you,
Kristen

[amy524]

Kristen, I read a lot about breastfeeding after having my DD and I remember reading that your body adjusts to whatever schedule you put it on.  I would assume that initially your supply may drop, but once your body gets used to the new schedule you put it on...it will supply accordingly.  Hope that helps!

Amy

[lib and jrs mom]

i would think as long as you breastfeed on those days once you're off work then you should be fine.  that's what i did when my dd was about 15 months.  when i was there i still had plenty of milk supply for her.  you may want to take a pump with you just in case you get engorged the first couple times you try to go without.  i found it very hard to work with all that pain.

[myproblem]

My daughter still nursed a lot at that age. She didn't stop till 20 mos, and I sort of had to just stop letting her. Not pumping only on the one 8 hour day you work will probably not affect your milk supply much, if at all. As for your period, I think the mini-pill is notorious for irregularity. It is only intended to prevent pregnancy, not to regulate you. Ask your Dr. to be sure, but that's what I remember from researching it at one point.

[mumwith#4]

If you are still pumping milk on those days that you work then your milk supply will probably ajust accordingly as amy said. With regards to the irregular periods, I breastfed my first only for six months (she stopped herself - sob!) but my two boys were breastfed for about 12 months and I didn't get any periods until I started weaning at around 10 months. The cycles were anywhere from 36-42 days long and I had no idea when I was ovulating. Consequently I fell pregnant with my second when #1 was only 10 months, fell pregnant with my third when #2 was 13 months and am now pregnant with my fourth when #3 turned 12 months. As my periods never really got to be regular I can't tell you when they will settle back to normal but I would definately think that while you're still breastfeeding they will continue to be ruled by a 'higher' hormone! Good on you for continuing though and I hope it works out well!

[siren of the sea]

well i never bf this long but when i went back to work when he was 8 weeks i never pumped. i would get off work at 5 but at 430 my milk would drop. i dont know if this helps but thought id give you my input. if your mild did lessen would you be ok with not bf anymore? usually its harder for us then the child. there is an herb called fenugreek that helps with milk supply. its actually for digestion but my lactaion cons. had me take this when my ds was having trouble with bf (he was several weeks early and his "suck" didnt work quite right).

[Kristen26]

Thank you everyone for your comments! I'm going to try going without pumping and just bring my pump along in case I get uncomfortable. My daughter sleeps with us and night nurses quite a bit, so I'm sure she'll make up for not nursing during the day when I get home. Usually when I've been gone for a few hours, she runs to the bedroom when I get home and wants to nurse. We're really not ready to wean yet. I figure why stop something that she and I both still enjoy so much. I'm hoping to wean sometime between 2 and 3 years. I would earlier if she loses interest, but I have a feeling that won't happen! Thanks again for your comments!