Going away for 7 days - will I be able to continue to BF (14 mo) DTs on my return?

[dairymoo]

I am most probably going to have to be away with work for 7 days and I am wondering whether anyone knows whether it will be possible to resume BF when I get back?

My DTs will be 14mo, and by then should be down to 2 BF a day (morning and bedtime).

I wouldn't worry too much about stopping altogether but DT2 is allergic to cow's and goat's milk (and cheese, etc) and I'd rather not start her on a hypoallergenic formula if at all possible.

Anyone with experience of this?

Yes - just express morning and evening and you'll be fine.

If you express at work already, you can build up a freezer stock for when you are away by keeping expressing for a bit after they have stopped the middle of the day feed.

I started travelling for work when DS was 6 months, and did a few week long trips when he was still bfing (plus loads of 1/2 nights). He was always really happy to see the numnums when I got back ! I fed until he was 23 months

That's the thing though - did sooooooo much expressing whilst the girls were in SCBU after they were first born that I have only tried once or twice since, and have been really put off by the tiny amount that I can get. I have to express after they've fed and with them having a boob each - it doesn't seem that they leave much behind!!

Perhaps I should start trying again though, if this is going to be the only way...Also, trip away is likely to be a remote part of Africa so electric expressing machine not really apropriate - will a hand pump suffice? And if so, which is the best one?

Sorry - more questions !!! TIA!

appropriate - oops

I have used the Avent hand pump and found it has been good for me. There are quite a few parts to it though, so maybe not best for travelling?

My sister did this 5 times during her ds' second year (first time at 15 mo iirc). She had no probs at all.

ib - did she express and leave EBM and then express whike she was away? Or did it magically just happen that her milk supply was fine without expressing [hopeful emoticon]

I did this when ds2 was 12 months and had no problems.

The way I built up a stock before I went was to get ds2 to drop a feed 2 weeks before I went and to pump at the time of this "missing feed".

I took a handpump and just pumped whenever I was painfully full. I had no problems when I got back.

good luck

I think she only expressed when she was feeling engorged - I don't think she left any ebm, her ds just had milk when she wasn't there - she was fairly relaxed about weaning if it didn't work out (fat chance! dn was a total breast addict!) so she just went along with it to see what happened.

Ooh - love2sleep that's a good idea! I am planning on dropping the mid-afternoon feed in a month or so anyway so maybe I can just express then and actually get some milk. Thanks - you've given me hope!!

I had an Ameda Lactaline, which can run on batteries, so in my horribly extensive expressing experience you can do two expressions a day for around 5 days on one set of batteries. A double pump is a lot more effective than a single pump, and you can pick them up very reasonably on ebay.

Expressing cos you aren't doing a feed is much easier than an addition to feeds.

If either of them are having the 13 month "anything is more interesting than mummy phase", then even if milk supply maintained, they might not be interested on your return. But you sound as if you'd be comfortable with that.

I found expressing much harder after 11 months, except when I was away and missing an evening feed. I once tried to not bother with expressing, but woke up in pain at 3 am. Felt very silly, expressing at 3 am, but ouch, did tey hurt!

I stopped bf at 12.5 months. I tried to feed DS a couple of weeks after I stopped as he had picked up a virus (something like that) and I wanted to comfort him and make him better. He had forgotten how to latch!!

Thanks HoochieMomma - that's really reassuring. How are your DTs now? I was Surfnicky in a previous life and I think our DTs are within a week of each other.

I can't believe that it's almost a year on and we're still going!

What cmotdibbler and HoochieMomma said

Yes you can continue. Express and store. Don't forget to express whilst you are away.

Can I just say
WOW!

Dairymoo! I remember you as Surfnicky! Do pop over and say hi!

I've done it for 5 days at that age without regular expressing (had forgotten my pump although as I did get engorged I hand-expressed in the shower to relieve the engorgement) and picked up breastfeeding again with no problems, so I would guess that 7 days would be feasible, especially if you express properly.

HM - we've just had a referral for allergy testing too (hooray!) so will hopefully get some good advice then too.

DT2 is allergic to a strange combo of dairy foods (all cow's milk, hard sheep's cheese, goat's milk) but thankfully doesn't seem to get any allergens through my BM and can have Sheep's yog and goat's cheese....

Will pop over to D'y ever soon too...!

Hi Marslady!