can an 8 month old go all day with no milk?

[jenrose29]

My baby is almost 5 months and exclusively breastfed. I am studying at university and currently have to leave her for 4.5 hours. She will not take the bottle and manages this length of time fine. After Christmas however I have to leave her for 8 hours. Obviously I'll try getting her to take milk from a soppy cup but if she won't take it, what can I do? She hasn't started solids yet, but if she enjoys them will she be able to just have them while I'm away and catch up on milk in the evening/night?

Express and put it in a cup for your DD. I returned to work at 8 months and she was fine having water with food and 5oz in the afternoon. She did make up for it overnight though - look for reverse cycling info on kellymom.

I will try a cup when she's a bit older but am just worried about what to do if she won't take it.

Try another cup - I went through pretty much everything they had in the kiddie cup aisle, until I found a straw cup that my bottle refuser could manage with (he still doesn't get sippy cups, although at 2 he can now use a real cup if I watch for when he gets bored and discards it still 1/4 full).

At 8 months, if he was kept interested, and fed other things mine would go all day without a feed - for me that was 9 til 4 - so I think if you can manage to express (I never could.. he just had water/juice) then you'll be fine for 8 hours.

I would say leave milk for her to try in a cup, she may or may not take it. On the day you are out if she wont take it then whoever is looking after her could give her milky food ie porridge, yog, mix milk in mash etc.

Obv all day everyday not great but for a one off or even one day a week it will be fine. Be prepared for baby to feed more in tbe night to make up for it! And whoever is looking after her may need to.give lots of cuddles etc and be inventive with regards to getting her to sleep if she normally feeds at nap time.

At 8 months a soppy cup can be used. Express milk or formula in this is best but 9 hours will be ok with just water if on 3 meals a day, regular milk can be used in filling at this age, so things like cheesy sauces/ Killy puddings/ yogurts can be used through the day to keep her calcium up

It will be twice a week for 8 weeks. Like the idea of milky foods, thank you :-)

I have a mindee who started with me full time at 8 months. At that point she was still having one breastfeed during the day and dropped that when she came to me. She only has cooked cows milk with me (so just water and food) but she breastfeeds in the morning and when she goes home in the evening. She still has some feeds overnight too. It's fine.