Days away from baby - what's the worst problem?

[lunavix]

I have a few instances over the next two or so months I need to be away from dd.
Three days (courses, so 9 - 5 type structure) one overnighter and possibly a couple of hours in the evening one night.

What's the biggest problem? Is it nipple confusion where dd will have to have a bottle? (will this be reduced somewhat by the fact she has a bottle every night as it is, and still is so far successfully bfing, or will it make it worse?) or is it a mess up to my supply? (the first time away will be when she is coming up two months, the last when she will be nearly four months) or could it be the taste/'full up feeling' of formula (expressing isn't going so brilliantly, I have an entire 4oz in the freezer...)

If the supply thing is the worst I will struggle expressing whilst away... the courses are all intensive (ie no 20 min to sneak off to pump) and like I said I'm struggling expressing as it is.

Just wondering what the worst problems will be, or will we cope when it's just these four occassions (I may attempt to take her on the two day course as well lol)

I think you will find you continue to supply milk as your supply should be well established by then. You may get to look like Dolly Parton at times but you could hand express whilst in the shower. If you offer a replacement use one that has prebiotics are these are closest to breast milk and prevent baby from becoming constipated. There is nothing to stop you giving both breast and bottle alternate, you will still be providing the best of all worlds by any quantity of breast milk be taken. Good luck with the courses

Hi Luna

I had exactly the same situation last year, when DD was a little older (about 4 months the first time I left her for a whole day). I had left her for a few hours with my mum with some EBM before that. BTW, if you are struggling with expressing, there is a thread called "the expressing clique" I think which has lots of help on it. I didn't find expressing easy at the start but got the hang eventually so do perservere .

What worked for me was to have someone else give her a bottle well in advance of leaving her - I got DH, a neighbour and a mate to do it a few times, so that she was a bit more used to it. I was worried that if she could smell me, she would turn her nose up at the bottle and I was right. Only took a few goes for her to glug it down. If you are going to leave formula, I would experiment with a few different brands as cartons as she may get on with one better than another. Plus you are only supposed to keep the big drums open for a month, which won't be long enough for you to make a decent inroad into it.

When I left her for a day, my boobs were whopping (and they ain't small on a good day, as my mumsnet name suggests ) but a bit of hand expressing in the loo sorted that out. I didn't find my supply affected at all in just one day, but I think I would try not to do an overnighter at this stage as you could get very uncomfortable.

AS for preferring FF to your milk... IME DD has always like BM best. When I went back to work PT (at 7 1/2 months) she had 2 bottles of FF as expressing did not work by then and the rest breast. On days when I didn't work she had all breast. She still at 18 months likes the odd snack here and there.

Hope this helps. Good luck on the course!