BF DD 16 months - can I have a night off?

[Mrstryingtohaveitall]

Hi, I BF my DD (16 months) in the morning as soon she wakes and after bath in the evening when she's in her PJs just before bed. Both feeds take a max of 15 minutes these days. She seems to really enjoy them, as do I. Have no intention of stopping until she wants to.

My DD drinks cows milk during the day from a sippy cup. Enjoys that too.

So far, so good. However, this has meant that since the day she was born I've yet to have a night away from her. Not that I want to often, but am thinking of taking my DH for a night away and I wondered how this is possible if I still BF.

I know many responses will suggest that I express. However, there's something about expressing that makes me feel ill. I bought a cheap hand pump when my DD was newborn, used it twice for about a minute and hated it. Have never tried expressing by hand.

Will it upset her dreadfully if her granny (probably who'll be looking after her)gives a sippy cup of milk? Will my breasts been engorged and painful after one night (and morning) away?

Grateful for any advice.
Thanks

I went back to work when DS was still feeding quite often, at 12/13 months. He settled ok for the night with DH giving him some cows milk in a cup when I did late shifts.

I expect at this stage you would possibly feel a bit 'full' but not massively engorged TBH, I would plan to express a bit just for comfort if you feel the need to, no great need to express to keep supply up or to provide milk in your absence.

By 15/16mo DS was regularly going away for a night or two with DH with no ill effects on the feeding.

At 12/13 months I would leave my DS in the day when I went back to work, missing 4 or 5 feeds initially. I couldn't express for various reasons and though I felt full, it wasn't engorged/painful. It was only about 10 hours though. He was feeding 6/7 times a day and a few times in the night at that point.

Should be absolutely fine for the odd evening. My son did without his bedtime feed for first time at the same age and he happily accepted warm cows milk from his granny instead. Only you can bf so if you are not there, bf is not expected. Enjoy a night out without worry!

Thanks girls, most helpful. tellyaddict - good point about DD only associating me with BF, never thought of it like that!

My ds, 20 months, has the same number of feeds as your dd and on the odd occasion when I've not been there at bedtime he's accepted a sippy cup of milk from his dad with no problem at all. I haven't been away overnight but he does seem, as tellyaddict said, to just associate bf with me. When I'm not there he doesn't miss it.

You'll be fine, cup of warm milk will do if you're not there.

If you feel uncomfortable just squeeze a bit off in the shower or after applying a warm flannel.

Enjoy your night off!

Yes, like mamaduckbone, DS will happily go to bed without any milk / water / whatever for DH - he doesn't miss it when I'm not there. He'll refuse any offered milk or water after taking 2 sucks.

Thanks again everybody. Really really helpful. Feel quite excited now about a few hours away :)

Great, you deserve a night off and can hopefully go out relaxed and enjoy it properly!