2-3 days away from 8 month old, will I be able to BF when I return?

[mendipgirl]

I have been asked to go to a work convention when DD2 will be 8 months old, from Mon -Wed (may mean leaving early mon and not getting back till late wed, so possibly not BF from Sun night till Thurs morning. How big a problem with this be? I don't want to stop BF at that point as it is going really well, but presume whe will be well on the way to taking a lot of solids by then. I have a pump so I can express whilst away to keep up supply (but probably only when I wake up and go to bed as the convention is very full on (literally no free time). DD2 takes a bottle of expressed milk occassionally so is used to the odd bottle. Any advice?

[Cosmosis]

I think you should be fine, your supply should be well enough established by now for it not to be a problem. I have just left my 9m old for the first time for 2 days (1 night). I pumped at 6pm and I should have pumped before bed as well as I woke up very leaky at about 4am! Ds was fine having ebm for the time I was away (he does have a bottle of ebm a day at the childminders anyway) and we were very happy to see each other when I got home, and back to bfing with no problems.

My advice would be to keep giving a bottle in the mean time (how old is your ds now?) and build a freezer stash so you are not worrying about how much you have left for him ? I find it gives huge peace of mind to both me and DH to have more than we need in the freezer.

[flickor]

did this this weekend for first time - left seven month old DD from 8 am on Saturday till 2.00 pm on Sunday. Used expressed milk (and for first time ever one bottle of formula). Did express till 8.00 pm so 12 hour wait and then expressed at 12 pm, and 4.00 p min morning. DD absolutely fine and fed well. There is a tiny breast pump called Nuby and it fits in a large handbag. You could perhaps express at lunchtime

[mendipgirl]

Thanks for the responses, she is only 4months at the moment and am still on maternity leave so trying to work out how feasible it is. Will be good for my job, but want to minimise the effects on DD2 and make sure I can continue to BF when I return.

[LaCiccolina]

I posted something similar recently. People assured me that feeds will drop somewhat assuming that you begin trying solids at around 6mths. They reckoned it will go to about 4 a day for around a 8-10mth old. Now, as mine is only 7mths (Happy birthday honey!) Im yet to find out the actual accuracy of this, however people seemed quite sure. Admittedly, she feeds differently now than at 4 mths so its very likely I feel to be reasonably right give or take the usual caveats of different babies!