BFing 14mos but going away for two nights without them - how to prepare them?

[neenztwinz]

I have 13mo twins and next month I am going to Italy with DH for two nights .

My mum is having the DTs and I am not concerned about how they will cope without me, but I still BF them three times a day, and want to continue for the forseeable future.

They have had formula in bottles before and were OK with it, and have had cow's milk a couple of times in a beaker but have not been keen (imo formula tastes much nicer than cow's milk so I assume they prefer it).

My plan is for my mum to offer them a beaker/bottle of milk (FF or cow's milk) three times a day (the times I normally feed them) while I am away and let them drink as much as they want.

But should I offer them beaker/bottle a few times in the weeks leading up to my trip, so they are not suddenly presented with a bottle/cup that weekend (another shock on top of my not being there)?

And how engorged will I be over the weekend? Will I need to take a pump with me? And will I be able to pick up the BFing when I get back?

All advice appreciated!

You will need a pump yes.I was away for only about 7 or eight hours a few weeks ago and I don't feed as often as you but I was pretty engorged in one breast by the time I got home.I reckon you will need to pump about as often as you feed.

Forgot to add-i have no experience of getting a baby used to a bottle or anything,but when my the 7m old had a nursing strike I had to pump quite a bit but my supply was fine (it lasted two days).I think when bf is so well established a bit of a dip from a weekend of pumping rather than nursing shouldn't affect your supply or the babies desire to feed.

Thanks hellymelly, that's exactly what I thought wrt keeping up my supply. They go up and down so much with their feeding (sometimes only 5mins a day other times 20mins in one session) that I didn't think a couple of days away would be a problem. I have heard of women still getting milk from their breast a month after stopping feeding and I have read that if you have ever BF a baby, you can get your supply back at any time just by letting a baby suck