Being away from breastfed 6 month old for 12 hours

[Househunter]

I may have to go on a course while I on still on maternity leave. It would involve being away from a my 27 week old for about 12 hours. I am planning to start solids at 6 months but if she is anything like my older DD she will be taking very little by that stage and will be mostly reliant on breastfeeds. She currently takes a bottle of EBM, but I have never been away for her for more than one feed and I always try to express as soon as I get back to keep up supply (and ease the engorgement!). There would be definitely not be any opportunity to express.

So my questions are

1. At 6 months, am I likely to leak milk during the day? (she is now 12 weeks and I leak if its been more than a few hours)
2. Would being away from her for that long cause any problems with my supply?

Might be over-thinking this but I'd be grateful for any advice - thanks in advance!

I went to work for 2 days when DS2 was 11 weeks old and EBF. I was away for 10 hours (8.30am-6.30pm).

I expressed before I left the house after feeding (as I have lots of milk in the morning) and once at 1pm - usually would have fed at 10am and 1pm. I would normally also feed at 4pm. I was home for the 7pm feed.

I don't think from past experience with DD and DS1 it would be much different at 6 months - esp if not eating much solids.

So bascially I found that it was totally manageable to miss one feed and just feel "full" I think missing 2 feeds would cause a problem (ie leaking, engorgement).

I think you need to take a pump, if need be chuck it down toilet - if you pumped and dumped at lunchtime or toilet/coffee breaks you'd be fine. In anycase work have to give you time off for this and find a place for you to do this. Honestly if you are used to feeding every 3-4 hours in the day and you try to go 12 hours you will be engorged at best, or leaking .

FWIW my SIL breastfed until 12 months (alongside solids) did not try and cut out gradually, did not take pump to work and got mastitis on her first week back.

Always best to be prepared

My suggestions would be keep giving her bottles of expressed milk reasonably often; so she is used to it, and also so you don't have to worry about it.

If you will still be (practically) exclusively feeding, then yes, I imagine you would leak. So take a few changes of breastpads, and probably go to the toilets at a break to hand express some - or take a bigger bag and take a manual pump.

Shouldn't cause any problems with your supply, just expect to be bursting at the seams when you return

Thanks for your replies. I guess I will have to find a way to express then. I just feel so weird about doing it away from home! Its not where I usually work so I just worry about what happens if there is only one toilet and no suitable room to express!

Have a word with the person who is running the course - they should be able with this much notice to arrange somewhere for you to go.

Good idea - thanks. Will have to be brave!