Can I skip 3 days breastfeeding with 13 month old?

[LeahE]

DS is currently just a year old and I am bf twice a day (first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening). He's on either formula or occasionally cows' milk in the day.

Now work want to send me on a 4-day course away from home. Is this likely to be possible without affecting the bf relationship - either from a supply point of view or because DS loses the habit? In principle I'd like to go on the course (although I'm ambivalent about leaving DS for that long, but I know he'll be happy with DH) but I won't do it if it's going to mess up breastfeeding - I want to keep up the remaining feeds until DS self-weans.

Leah, I'm no expert, but from what I have read on other threads, could you take a breast pump with you and express at the times you normally feed DS? I don't know for certain, but shouldn't imagine a 1yo would lose the habit after 3 days. Am happy to be corrected though!

I'm not good at productive pumping - would a couple of good pumping sessions (even if not much came out) be enough to keep supply up?

After I stopped bf dd at 18 months she asked for it a few times but forgot after about 10 days or so, so I think you should be ok for a couple of days. As for keeping supply up, I'm not sure. I was feeding once a day by that stage and tbh when I stopped I didn't have any discomfort at all so I'm not sure how much milk I was actually producing. I'm sure if you offer it to him when you come back he'll take it- if not he was probably ready to drop it anyway?

Hmm, not sure. When you say you are not good, do you mean you don't get much milk from expressing? I think you will need to express to relieve the pressure, also as you won't be feeding you may find that by expressing once a day whilst away you might get more? Not sure how will affect your supply tbh, but am sure someone with more knowledge than I have will be along soon

You could try the NCT breasfeeding helpline re supply question or I'm sure somebody will have more knowlesdge than me!

I done it for 3 days with a 9 month old. I was quite good at pumping, so that part was fine and dd did not lose the ability to breastfeed either. But I would say that it depends very much on what your DS is like, I dont think you will 100% know until you try it.

Personally I don't think would be too much of a prob if your milk supply is well established. I still had milk for quite a while after I gave up breastfeeding ( when dd was 18 months)
Try and express a bit in the bath or shower whilst you are away if you can

Pumping at the times you would normally feed, if you can do it, should keep you going.
I b/f DS until almost 2, and it only took me not feeding him for 2 days for him to comepletely forget what it was, lose all interest in my breast. Yours is younger, but perhaps he will forget if he is ready, and continue if not?