Will my supply survive this wedding?

[Simonsayshaveacuppa]

Hi all, DD is 15mo and still BF twice a day, first thing in the morning and before bed. We both enjoy it and she feeds for anywhere between maybe 7 minutes and 15 minutes total each feed.

The problem is I am due to go to a wedding in two weeks and as it is really far from where we live I am going to have to go on my own and stay the night before and the night of the wedding, plus 6.5 hour drives there and back. This means that I will be away for probably 2.5 days in total. I am planning to try and pump using a manual pump, but as my supply is very settled now and we only BF twice a day (plus I haven’t pumped in months), I am worried that I won’t get much or anything out with the pump - and that my supply will drop dramatically.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of anything like this? I am so worried my supply is going to be wrecked and that I will have to stop BF earlier than I would otherwise want to! Writing this it has occurred to me that I could do a practice pump before I go to see how much I get, which will be a start, but would be useful to get some input from anyone in the know too.

Thanks in hope!

I have just tried to ring the National Breastfeeding Helpline and LLL to ask their advice too but both said no one available to take my call 🙄 fingers crossed some lovely MNers can save the day!

If you pump it should be fine. The reason you don't get anything with a pump normally is because your dc is drinking it all.

I also think it takes longer than 2-3 days for a well established supply to just disappear

I went for a 2 night trip away when my DS was about 18 months old, I only pumped once each evening (which was barely worth it - toddlers are definitely more efficient!) and my supply survived!

I would aim to pump roughly when you'd normally feed (partly for comfort also) but I wouldn't worry to much about supply. Even if your supply drops a bit while you're away, a couple of days feeding as normal will build it up again. I feed mine until between 18 and 21 months and never had a problem after being away overnight. I used to pump and store milk in a mini fridge so I could use it later when I was away overnight.

I don't understand why you think your supply will reduce? You will still BF twice a day presumably but on top of that you are pumping. If anything that should help increase your supply.

@ElderMillennial her toddler isn't going with her to the wedding.

She won’t be bf for two days, eldermilennial.

OP, at this age you won’t even need to pump for your supply, just hand express for your comfort. I have done this when bf toddlers and this was the advice I was given by a lactation consultant I know. You don’t need to worry. Your baby might want to feed more when you return and I would just let them do that for a couple of days.

At that age, I could go 48 hours without feeding no problem, didn’t have to pump and no complaints from the toddler when I was available again. I just fed when I got home from work in time, and some nights I was too late and she was already in bed asleep. A well established supply is really different to the early, newborn days.

I agree, you can pump if you want but don't worry if there isn't much there. Your baby will pick it up when you get back. DSis left her bf baby with me when she was about 6 more mths. No bottles of pumped milk and we managed . When DSis got back after 4 days she just picked the feeding up again no problem.

This is SO reassuring- thank you all!!!