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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Any advice - need to leave 12m BF DD for a couple of night. Worried about supply and how to replace feeds

3 replies

TwentiethCenturyGirl · 10/04/2012 21:56

A bit of background...

DD is nearly 1 year old and BF. I'm really proud of us both for getting this far - we had a pretty ropey start but I'm glad we persevered with it :) She's really taken to solids now and, as a result, has dropped down to two feeds a day - first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Despite being convinced that we'd stop at 12m, I'd now be happy for us to carry on for a bit longer. I'm pretty sure that she'll stop of her own accord in the not so distance future anyway.

The problem is that I'm due to go away with work for two nights in a couple of weeks. It'll be the first time that I've left her overnight (she'll be with DH, so am not worried about leaving her) and I'm really stressed about what to do about her milk feeds. She'll miss three, possibly four, BFs when I'm away and I haven't a clue what to do about it and how it will effect my supply.

Sadly I don't think expressing is really an option for me - I tried to do it when she was younger but found that my milk smelt vile when frozen and defrosted. DD refused to go near the stuff. I've thought about expressing like mad for a couple of days before I go and then just storing it in the fridge - however I tried the other day and found that I was getting hardly anything at all. It would take me hours and hours to get enough for even one feed.

I'm planning to introduce a cup of cows milk in the next week. I have no idea how she'll take to it, but would it be an option for DH to replace her usual BFs with cows milk while I'm away? I know I could introduce formula (I have absolutely nothing against FF) but am loath to introduce it now if I don't have to. Will cows milk be ok for a couple of days?

I'm planning to pump and dump while I'm away for comfort. Will this be enough to keep my supply up while I'm away?

Gosh, that's long - sorry. I know it's a really insignificant problem in the grand scheme of things but I've been worried sick about it all day! Any advice would be gratefully received :)

OP posts:
legoballoon · 10/04/2012 22:01

Cows milk or water fine whilst you're away. Try offering a beaker if she'll take it. Take a pump for you, and dump (heartbreaking, but you need to relieve the build-up and also maintain the twice daily milk production).

When you get back, am sure your DD will very pleased to see you - if you feel your supply has dropped at all, just spend a bit more time nose to nipple than you would ordinarily (or offer the '3rd side').

An0therName · 10/04/2012 22:07

I left my toddler at 13 months over night he was fine - he was feeding a bit more than twice a day - cows milk will be fine - I would suggest your DH doing a couple of trail runs bedtimes with a beaker before you go - my DS would take it from DH but wanted me if I was there -

TwentiethCenturyGirl · 10/04/2012 22:23

Brilliant. Thanks both - that's just want I wanted to hear. I'll get DH to have a couple of practice runs with a beaker of cows milk before I go and I'll be prepared to pump and dump while I'm away.

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