leaving baby for 1 day and night, expressing not working, help !

9 replies

UpandUp · 08/12/2011 12:55

I am flying home tomorrow evening and will be back on Sunday. My baby is 8 months old with a very healthy appetite, however he has a milk allergy and can't take formula. I've been trying to express this morning but its not going very well. If he had no breastmilk all Saturday day and night would he be ok ?? I can feed him plenty on Friday and will be back Sunday afternoon. Any advice, i'm confused.

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 08/12/2011 13:14

Personally, I wouldn't be happy leaving an 8 mo for that long without milk. How much can you normally express? Have you tried a different pump?

Original poster

UpandUp · 08/12/2011 13:26

I never express, I have an electric pump someone gave me but im getting hardly anything !!

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MigGril · 08/12/2011 13:28

Have you tired hand expressing? Some women find it easier then using a pump.

There is some info hear on how to do it www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/BFNExpressing&Storing.pdf

Alibabaandthe80nappies · 08/12/2011 13:29

Can you take him with you?

MigGril · 08/12/2011 13:30

Would be good for you to know how to do this while your not there as well.

Try to relax and not panic. You need to be able to trigger the letdown in order to express. Some times feeding baby off one side while you express off the other helps to.

dilbertina · 08/12/2011 13:34

I assume it some kind of emergency that you need to be away for, else you would have started expressing and freezing long ago! Could you ask your GP about using a non-dairy formula? Could you take him with you?

Rosa · 08/12/2011 13:40

If you can't express enough then I wouldn't be happy leaving him without milk

nightshade · 08/12/2011 13:41

does he drink other fluids ie water, well? if so, and he is a good eater, i wouldn't worry too much about the milk for that length of time.

just to look at the other side , a baby that is not used to formula is more likely to become ill through giving him formula, than doing without breastmilk for a day and a half.

Original poster

UpandUp · 08/12/2011 13:55

Thanks for all the help everyone. That info was helpful MigGril, have ditched the eletric pump, it seems to be going a bit better now, think I will be able to leave enough. He loves drinking water nightshade and eats plenty so i'm feeling a bit better about the whole thing now :)

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