Romantic weekend away?

[Whittaker]

My dh has surprised me with a weekend away next month for my 30th b'day, without the children - lovely - but I'm still bf my 8 month old dd (1 morning feed and 1 evening feed) and we'd be away for 4 nights. Will this spell the end of bfing for us? I did want to feed for a year at least so I'm considering not going :(

Why do men not think of these things?!!

[LadySherlockofLGJ]

Why don't you express ??

He sounds like a lovely DH.

[Kathy1972]

Can you express, Whittaker?
If you do that there should be no problem keeping your supply up. A breast pump costs about £15 so probably well worth it for a w/e away even if you never use it again - or you could buy one 2nd hand on Mumsnet.

[Blu]

You could express, but I suspect that there would be a strong chance of your dd forgetting all about it. Within days of my stopping feeding DS, he behaved as if he had never known that breasts were a source of food. But he was older than your dd.

Lovely thought of your dh - could you take dd, or else postpone it and have an 'official' 30th b'day later on, like the Queen?

[teabags]

yes, express if you can and enjoy your weekend!

Your milk supply will probably drop a bit but will build up again on your reurn. After 8 months bf, you will not dry up in 4 days (well not in my experience anyway)

[teabags]

Blu you have a good point there

[Whittaker]

Sounded a bit harsh on the old dh there He is lovely :)

Glad you think that if I express all should be ok milkwise, I am a bit worried about her forgetting how to do it.

dd is my last baby due to complications at birth, so apologise for any 'over-the-top'ness

Thanks all!

[Kathy1972]

Whittaker, you might find that it takes some time to settle her back to the breast after a few days on just bottle, but I would have thought if you persevere she would settle back to it ok.
When I went back to work while still bfing my 6 month dd (I was away overnight as well for three nights a week and dh was giving her expressed milk in bottles) I found that having periods of bfing and periods of bottlefeeding did not really work as she'd decide she wanted the breast and start rooting on dh, or decide she wanted a bottle and refuse to bf - the poor lovey didn't know whether she was coming or going. But that was doing it week in, week out, and you are only planning to do it once, and she def didn't forget how to bf, just started having views as to which she would rather have!
Good luck!

[Whittaker]

Thanks Kathy!

Just what I wanted to hear :) I'll go armed with pump and we'll go with the flow when I get back. If it does go t*ts up then I must remember it's not the end of the world!

Hurrah for MNers again - turning 1 wife with bag-on with trying-to-do-good dh into cheerful wife & relieved dh

[Whittaker]

He's taking to Barcelona BTW :)

[Whittaker]

taking me to - I can't even shamelessly brag properly!

[Blu]

Whittaker - if it does go 'tits up' it is probably because dd is happy enough for it to be that way. If she still wants to bf, she won't forget, iyswim. And you could still give her ebm if you wanted her to have the nutrition and antibodies of it.

[Whittaker]

Yes good advice blu, thanks :)

[harrisey]

Ooooh Barcelona, brilliant! Its FAB!
Hope the bf works out when you get back - I left dd1 for a week when she was 6 months to take my ailing Gran on holiday and she took a couple of days to get back into it when I got back but then went on to feed for over a year, so hopefully you will have a similar experience.
Could you express ahead of time a bit and leave at least some breastmilk in the freezer so she is still getting the taste of you while you are away?