Will I lose my milk supply if I'm away from toddler overnight?

[Mouseymum]

DD is 13 mo and feeds 3-4 times a day.
If I was away from her for 1 or 2 nights, do you think my milk supply would disappear? I could pump, but pump is only crappy manual pump.
TIA!

[LakeFlyPie]

IME supply would be ok but you might get uncomfortable and need to express some by hand if necessary. HTH

[PiratePanda]

No, but you will need to pump.

[Mouseymum]

Thanks. I can't do hand expressing but hopefully the pump would relieve a bit.

[Jackiebrambles]

I found at this age my supply was very well established. I did pump when away from my ds for 2 nights but didn't get much out at all and I didn't feel engorged or sore. But I was back at work then and only feeding in morn and eve.

[worldgonecrazy]

At 13 months I don't think you need to worry - before 6 months it can be an issue. If you're uncomfortable you can express by hand in the loos.

(In case anyone reading this is pre 6 months, if your supply does drop, you can borrow a hospital grade pump from a breast feeding support group and pump like crazy and it will be back up to normal within a couple of days.)

[McBaby]

If you feed that often I would have needed to express just had mastitis twice in last six weeks with a 12/13 months old baby from haveing a couple of poor feeds and my body not coping with it. I did not feel engorges or uncomfortable but there is more going on inside.

[Mouseymum]

Thanks all. I would hate to lose breastfeeding over just one weekend away....

[squizita]

McBaby have you seen someone about that? Mastitis off 2 bad feeds sounds unusual and worth asking to see a breast specialist. If you think about it all infants cut down feeds eventually at some point after 6 months, and teeth ... The inability to have even a less filling feed without serious health issues is something they must be able to help with.

[AmyInWonderland]

I would bring breastpump. Had a night away from 16 month old and really looking forward to a long sleep - was up half the night hand expressing in agony. But everyone's different. Stopped feeding her at 22 months and seriously three months later I could still get some milk out of breast! tiny bit mind. My friend's little boy bit her so badly she couldn't use one side for two weeks and managed to get him back on it after that period. Good luck.

[McBaby]

squitzia yes I have a lactation consultant I have seen through bf both daughters. I had over supply at for a long time with both of them and v prone to mastitis and blocked ducts. I even had mastitis as a teenager! I had a lot of breast scans and checks for abcesss first time around but it's all normal.
Cutting down was easy with dd1 as I was pregnant and it wiped out supply but this time it's harder so I have to drop a feed then gradually reduce expressing for a while. But now down to two feeds a day!

[squizita]

Oh poor you I have a vigorous supply but nothing like that, and it's hard enough gradually cutting down.

[Mouseymum]

Thanks Amy!

Sounds awful, McBaby!