Feeling Guilty.

[jollyjester]

Hi my DD is 14 weeks and is EBF, she will take expressed milk from a bottle and has no problem switching between the two.
However tomorrow afternoon I have my work Christmas lunch and expect to be gone for around 4 / 5 hours and this week she has been feeding twice every night (normally she only feeds once during the night but I would waken and express usually 4oz at a time) as a result I have no milk expressed so today I bought 2 cartons of formula milk in case I can't express anything again tonight.

Should I let DH give her the cartons if I'm out or should I just not go? I feel so guilty having to do this but I haven't really left her since she's been born and I am annoyed that expressing isn't working this week, normally I have no problems with it.

What to do?

You have to decide for yourself, but if you do go don't feel guilty, you've fed her for 14 weeks and one night of formula isn't the end of the world. If my dd would take a bottle again I'd go.

If you are only going to be gone 4-5 hours and plan on feeding her just before you go (even if it means waking her) then you only need 4-5oz of milk for her to cover you.

You could try expressing whilst feeding on the other side first thing in the morning or expressing after every feed until you go out (even a fraction of an ounce from each side post feed soon adds up).

Or if DD is hungry, could your OH meet you outside the venue - you get to feed baby and get a lift home? I have done when DD1 was small, she kicked off and there wasn't enough milk so DH drove to collect me (DD1 fell asleep in the car) and I fed her before we drove home.

That way you get to go out and not feel guilty. Win win!

Thanks guys, DH is just in and I explained the situation (I didn't ramble like a crazy person! ) and I think as long as I feed her before I go she should only need one feed while I'm gone so gonna try expressing whilst feeding tonight and up until I go tomorrow.

If she won't take formula he has said he'll bring her over to where I am and I can nip out and feed her which has taken a load of my mind. Just being a crazy first time mum!

Sounds like a plan.

Have a great night out

This is what I did when me and DP went out for a few drinks and left DS with my mum. He had a formula bottle for the first time, and ended up sleeping from 8pm-9am! the only time ever. Didn't do much good for my argument to my mum, since she isn't supportive about breastfeeding!

I tried giving him formula when I had mastitis as a break and he refused it off me and DP, think they take it better if you're not around! Have fun!