Leaving older breastfed baby for weekend

[KD0706]

So, I'm planning ahead and maybe worrying too far in advance.

DD is 11 months old. In three months (yes, I know it's ages away) I'm booked to go away for a weekend - I would be away roughly lunchtime friday to lunchtime Sunday.

At the moment she occasionally has a daytime feed (but usually refuses unless in darkened room and v sleepy), feed at bedtime and once or twice during the night.

She refuses a sippy cup but I'm trying to work on her drinking through a straw, which she seems to prefer. She can suck yoghurt out of tubey things and Ella's fruit purées out of pouches. She's also good with her solids.

Can somebody please reassure me that it's ok to leave a 14 month old breastfeeding baby. And anything i should be doing to plan in advance other than encouraging her straw drinking??

Thanks in advance. (I know I'm being a worry wart, but I think it comes with the mum territory)

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Think the main things you need to concentrate on are making sure the person looking after her will be able to settle her without you around.

[KD0706]

I think my mum will have her. She takes care of her once a week so they're used to each other.

A month or so ago dd was poorly and would only settle if either me or mum were cuddling her. So I'm hopeful she will settle for her. Even if that means mum feeding her an Ella's pouch and taking her into bed...

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Could your mum have her overnight a few times before you go so that its not such a big shock to both of them when you do go?

Are you going to express when you are away? Can you hand express?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Oh and how many feeds will she have in 24 hours and roughly, when are they? Will she take ebm from a bottle or cup?

[KD0706]

You're raising very good questions. Most of which I've been sticking nt head in the sand about!

At the moment I offer her a feed mid morning and mud afternoon. It's hit or miss whether she takes it. If she does it's just a little feed. She has her bedtime feed, but doesn't always fall asleep feeding. Then on a 'bad night' I feed her at about 1am and 4am (ish).

She was prem so for the first three months of her life she was either tube or bottle fed, the last month of that a mix of breast and bottle. But since I managed to get her properly feeding directly from me she's not had a bottle and I've not expressed. But I can hand express fairly easily and had planned to do so for comfort only.

I've not tried her with a cup of expressed milk, mainly because I really hate expressing now after the three months I endured and I can't stand the thought of doing it!! I've been working on her taking cows milk through a straw and was going to persevere with that.

I don't want my mum to have her overnight before my trip. Simply because I don't want to be away from her!! What I might do though is get mum to settle her to bed at night. Is that a semi reasonable half way house??

Thanks for all your thoughts.

[BearsLikeMarmalade]

I went away for 2 nights for a hen do when DS was 12 months. DH was at home so slightly different to your situation, but in terms of the BF it was fine, because this was something very specific to me, and he would never have looked for it from anyone else. At that point I was feeding generally early morning and before bed, only occasionally in the day time. DS didn't really BF at night from about 10 months or so it may be that your DD isn't feeding at night by then (or is doing so less often). I used some of Elizabeth Pantley's ideas in the No cry sleep solution to help with stopping the night feeding.

You've got ages to persevere with cow's milk through a sippy cup or something, although even if she doesn't drink much this way by 14 months there would be no need to worry for such a short trip, as long as she has other drinks/food.

As JJJulie says, its important to think about easing any engorgement whilst you're away. I was surprised at how uncomfortable I got given I was only BF twice a day. Sounds like you're well practiced at expressing though.

Doesn't sound like you're sticking your head in the sand by the way, it sounds like you're giving it lots of thought well in advance, three months is a long time at this age. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your weekend .

[KD0706]

Thank you lost and bears
I have realised I've mis calculated and actually I'm going away in ten weeks.

But yes it's a long time in a baby's life. My elder daughter who was much more of a breast feeding monster suddenly stopped night feeds when she was about 13 months old. So hopefully the night feeds will reduce in the next couple of weeks.

She can settle without a feed, which does give me comfort.

I've spoken to my mum tonight and she's completely convinced she will be ok with settling dd.