Re: mom who wants to partially wean

>She says that she is the vice principal in a middle school and won't be able
>to handle the stress of pumping at work.  She asked about the possibility of
>weaning to 2 feedings a day (a.m. and p.m.) at 1 month of age.  I've had a
>lot of older babies wean to two feedings, but not a 1 month old.   Her only
>alternative would be to completely wean.

Why is this her only alternative?  In her definition of the situation?  I am
not a big fan of pumps, or pumping at work (have never done either) and can
certainly understand someone with a high stress job like hers not wanting to
or able to pump at work.  But why does the baby have to be limited to two
feedings?  The mom can nurse first thing when she gets home (5pm-ish?) and
again at 7, and again at 9, and again at 11, and several times throughout
the night, and last thing before she goes to work in the morning (6
am-ish?).  Baby should be able to nurse on demand from Friday afternoon til
Monday morning.  Can she pump while at home, and on the weekends, so baby
can get some breast milk in addition to formula during the day during the
week?  Formula won't kill her kid, obviously, but the more breast milk the
baby gets, the better for the baby's health.  There is no reason to assume
that the mother must wean, or that the baby can only have two nursings when
mom is home for 12-14 hours every day (5 pm to 7 am or so).  Or am I missing
something?  Mother may have to deal with lots of leaking/bra pads during the
day for the first few weeks, but that will taper off and her breasts will
adjust to mostly evening and nighttime nursing, just as they do for moms who
nurse on demand during the day and whose babies sleep all night.

Just some thoughts....

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Specialist in infant feeding and growth of children
Texas A&M University
e-mail to [log in to unmask]
(409) 845-5256
(409) 778-4513