How long have you been away without stopping bf?

[neepsntatties]

I have been given a place on a course that I really want to do but it requires me to be away for weekends and a week at the end. Dd will be 8 months at the first weekend. She will be 1 year and 5 months when I need to do the week

I am starting to feel anxious about bf. Don't want to stop. Worried that at 8 months she will still be feeding at night. Also a week is a long time, what if is still feeding then? Ds was.

Anyone been away like this without stopping?

[TruthSweet]

If the first course is at the weekend could your partner come with you to the course and you could feed at lunch/breaks and evenings/overnight?

At 17m I would think she would be a bit more flexible and might cope better with being away from you so you might be able to get away without her being there to nurse.

I've been hospitalised for a week twice last year when DD3 was 6m and when she was 9m. She managed with me expressing 8-12 times a day and her being brought in to be fed 1-2 times a day. She did have quite a bit of formula to start with the first time as the hospital seemed to think twice a day expressing was enough for a 6m who didn't eat solids so I got mastitis and then my supply dropped rapidly.

I am a rubbish expresser though so needed to do that much to keep up my supply and get rid of the mastitis brought on by the 2x a day pumping (had also been incorrectly told some medicine wasn't suitable for bfing).

DD2 who was 2 and a half-ish at the time didn't nurse whilst I was in hospital either time and picked it back up with no problem once I was home. They are both nursing now at 19m & 3.6y/o

[neepsntatties]

Sadly he can't as we can't afford for us all to stay overnight somewhere. I will be sleeping on a friend's floor.

[bearhug]

From my experience, you will both be just fine with a little planning

The weekends away from 8 months - if your DD is still feeding regularly, you will probably get uncomfortable unless you express a couple of times a day. Storing & transporting the EBM is not always practical and pouring it down the drain heartbreaking :(. You'll need to get her used to taking EBM from a bottle before you go, and of course fill your freezer in advance.

The week by 1.5 years - by then you will probably be down to only a couple of feeds a day anyway, so you will probably get by with expressing a little a few times a week (manually in the shower works for me). When you are away, your DD can drink cows milk. When you are back, DD's demands will increase your supply again to the desired level...

[beanlet]

You'll need to express, and you'll need a very supportive dad, but both you and your baby will be fine. I've been doing a 36hr roundtrip commute every week since DS was 6 months old, and I've also been away twice for 72 hours. You need to build up a substantial supply of EBM - at least 50 oz - in the freezer before each time you go away - an extra session every day on top of your normal BF routine should be enough.

[beanlet]

Also, if you're staying at a friend's place, you should have access to her fridge. This means you can store the EBM you express in her fridge while you're away, and with a good cooler bag, transport it home with you chilled and put it in the freezer. You shouldn't transport frozen BM unless you're planning on using it immediately, but fridge to freezer is fine IME.

[PorkChopSter]

Monday morning to Friday pm at 8 months. I left a freezer full & expressed 3x a day, then dumped as I had no storage & couldn't take on plane (and it was somewhat alcoholic too)

[kimberlina]

I did a 48 hr stint away at 4mo (with regular pumping and dumping) with no probs so I think at 8mo you should be fine

[neepsntatties]

Thanks, I need to get her to take a bottle or a cup, that is the next stress. So far it has not gone well at all.

[kimberlina]

Have you got Dad to offer when you're not around - she's unlikely to take from you if she can smell BM

[beanlet]

Try lots of different bottles and teats if you can. My DS will only drink from a medela or yoomii bottle and turns his nose up at anything else!

[neepsntatties]

Sadly he is away just now working so am on my own. She screams if I try to give a bottle. My aunt also tried, same result. I wondered about a cup, what age can they start that? I had to cancel some work as I can't get her off my boob.

[mimmymouse]

Agree with Kimberlina - get Daddy to do expressed bottles. We have been doing this with our 6 month old DD who has only had breast milk. I have never given her the bottle - to prevent confusion. She will now accept the EBM from other family members too. And they're Medela bottles and teats.

I have read this thread with great interest as I too am having to leave my DD for a few days shortly. I posted on MN, asked all my BF matesa and spoke with a BF counsellor. All have indicated it is possible to carry on bf.


Buy a good pump.

Good luck!

[Backinthebox]

My job by it's nature takes me regularly abroad for up to 5 days at a time. I went back to work with DD when she was just over 9 mo but continued to BF her for another 2 months. It was the fact that she took great delight in drawing blood with her teeth that stopped me BFing, not the fact that I was away a bit. It's important to express even if you throw it away, it got really painful if I didn't and it helps keep your supply consistent for when you get home. I'm going back to work after DS soon, and still expect to carry on BFing.