DS is now one year old and I THINK I am ready to stop pumping completely (as much as I hate the pumping and never thought I would meet the one year mark and couldn't wait to stop, I am now having mixed feelings about it). I have been supplementing with formula pretty much this entire time. As he increased his solid intake and as his first birthday was approaching I have gradually dropped some feedings, by either skipping a pumping session entirely or by gradually reducing the amount of time I pumped at each session. I am down to pumping three times per day (at approximately 6 am, 7 or 7:30 pm and about 10 or 10:30 pm). For some reason I have a mental block about where to go from here. When I pump at 7:30ish after not having pumped all day I get a lot of milk (for me)- my largest amount pumped of the day. Then when I pump again at 10:00ish I hardly get any milk, since it is so soon. Ideally, since I am having mixed feelings/guilt about stopping pumping, I would like to eliminate the session where I make a little milk first, and keep pumping during the sessions when I make most milk, in case I decide to keep pumping twice a day for a while.
This is where I get confused. In the past, when I have gone to bed after pumping anywhere before, say, 9:30, I have ended up w/ clogs, even if I got up very early (like at 5) to pump again. So I am nervous to pump for the last time of the night at 7:30 pm. BUT, if I eliminate the 7:30 pump, won't I get rid of the milk supply (which is highest at that time) at that time completely and still get very little milk later at bedtime (as I usually do)? Should I gradually push back the 7:30 session until later and later each day and still pump at the 10:30 session? If I do go gradually, at what point would I stop pumping a second time- maybe when the first time was at 9:00 or 10:00? Would this work? Sorry if it's a stupid question, it is just confusing me.
Thanks!
Marie