Going on holiday, want to wear a 'normal' bra - can I give cow's milk yet?

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

We are going on holiday in just over 2 weeks. I'm really looking forward to it, but lots of my summer clothes just can't be worn with a feeding bra I've discovered!!

DS will be just shy of 11 months old when we go, and is already cutting down a lot on BFs during the day. He will normally only have one somewhere between 3 and 5pm.
I am wondering what to do about this feed. He has big feeds before bedtime and in the morning, and normally at least once during the night so he is getting plenty of milk. I am wondering whether it's ok to replace his afternoon feed with cow's milk while we are away so that I can wear a normal bra.

Some days it won't be an issue because we will just be relaxing around the hotel so I will just take him up to the room for a feed, but I don't really want to be feeding out and about - or trying to express while we're on holiday!!

Any advice very gratefully received!

try bf in a normal bra, it isn't as easy as with a nursing one, but it can be done depending on style.
you might jus tbe able to pull the cup down and feed anyway

Would a bikini top be an option? Maybe easier to undo (under a loose top) and give feed?

Cow's milk shouldn't be given as a main drink before a year old.

If he's only having one feed during the day then maybe you can put him off until you get back to your apartment.

how about formula?

I had an issue when dd was about 11 months old and she was at the dr for something else and I discussed with him what to do as there was going to be 1 feed that I couldn't give in a day but I was still going to be on hand for her usual morning and night feeds from me. He said at 11 months it wasn't going to do any harm to start introducing cows milk as the occasional drink anyway but less so as it wasn't going to be her main drink as she was still getting her usual BM apart from that 1 time in the afternoon when I wouldn't be around.

They say you can give cows milk after 12 mts-1 mth early isn't going to make much difference, if any at all. It's like, for example, still sterilising bottles at 12 mths, but your child's crawling on the floor, picking all sorts of things up and putting them in their mouth, that aren't sterilised. They're guidelines, and that's all they are, they're given out just to cover the governments/hv's backs. I stopped sterilising at 9 mths, and started giving cows milk at 12 mths. Although she hardly drinks any at all-I struggle to get 2 pints down her pr wk, never mind 1 pint pr day!! (which is the recommended amt!!) I've tried every type of milk, she just doesn't like it! Have you got any bras from before you were b/f? None underwired ones? These have a softer cup than normal ones, and you can "pop" out of them quite easily-I got some from M&S - www.marksandspencer.com/gp/product/B0011CXA4E/ref=pd_sbs_4/278-9187302-6491021?ie=UTF8&m=A2BO0OYVBKI QJM&mnSBrand=core Enjoy your holiday-where are you going?

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I did wonder about a bikini top, but I'm large of nork so they don't really provide enough support to be wearing all day if we're out and about. The same goes for a non-underwired bra - all the ones in my size are like parachutes, hence the problem with the feeding bras. Underwired ones I find have thinner straps and a lower cup which doesn't poke out of my clothes.

Mummy girl I don't really want to start with formula at this stage, seems like a bit of a faff.

Ineed - see that was my thinking. Maybe I'll have a chat with my GP, I'm going to see her next week anyway so I'll see what she says. I can't see that it would do any harm to just replace maybe 3 or 4 feeds across the whole week.

We are off to Cornwall, so of course this may all be a moot point and I'll be wearing jumpers for the week

I wouldn't imagine 3 or 4 feeds over a week would be a huge issue after all from 6 months you can put cows milk in cereal and cooking.
If it is a problem would a cup with juice water or something not get you through that feed? Or are you thinking the milk would be more filling?

I understand your problem - having big norks and wearing soft cup bras is awful! Which Is the main reason I stopped BF when DS1 was 5 months!

However, i did read on here that you can wear underwired bras when BF if they are well fitted, I know alot of the "extended BF's" wear underwired bras.

Also, DS was given cows milk from 10.5 months as we were on holiday & couldnt buy his formula anywhere and we had already stopped sterilizing by then too.