Unintentionally cold turkey and my boobs have gone

[Bartlebum]

I have just gone away for three nights and left my 18-month-old breastfed baby with my husband. When I arrived I realized I'd lost the tube for my breast pump on the way, so I hand expressed the best I could. On the first day I was expressing for over an hour, the next day I only expressed once for about 20 minutes, the third day I didn't feel I needed to express at all.

I have now come home and my baby wants to feed again but I feel like there's no milk left. Is it too late and has it gone? I'm really sad also because my boobs have totally disappeared... I never intended to end it cold turkey for either of us. Feel all over the place right now.

Keep going. You may be in time to get it back.

Not too late, pop them on if they want to feed and your supply should come back

I did this a couple of times going away with work. Even though I had my pump, output dwindled on day 3/4 but I fed when I got back and both of mine fed til age 2.5 & 2.9

Thank you so much for the reassurance. I have fed her non stop today but she just keeps stopping and looking confused. Hopefully it's not gone forever and it will come back in a few days...

It won’t be back immediately it will take a couple of days.

Yes, a couple of days should do it
Great she's feeding

It'll come back. I had to stop for ten days when I was ill in hospital and thought that was that, but DS had other ideas and on my second night home my milk came back in as if nothing had happened!

You'll be fine, it's supply and demand, 3 days and you'll be back to normal. Latch baby, let them put their order in and then give them whichever alternative milk / food works for you until your back to normal.

Thanks so much, I am feeling much better now and I think she is getting a little more milk already!