Having a break for 6 days then breastfeeding again - at 13 months?

[changer22]

I'm hoping to go to an OU summer school next year which would mean leaving DS2 (13 months next summer).

With my other children I have introduced cows milk in a beaker at 12 months but still breast fed morning and night.

I was wondering whether I would be able to express (something I've not done before) for DH to give to DS2 while I'm away and then resume feeding when I return.

Will I still produce milk after 6 days?
Will DS2 be interested?

He is my last baby and I don't want to stop feeding if we are both happy. My others have fed until 12 months, 18 months, 23 months.

Has anyone any experience like this with an older baby?

Yes you should be able to do this. Is it six days or six nights - you see if you are attending six days, you are probably only away four or five nights and as long as you express (hand expressing is fine) it shouldn't be an issue.

I had to express for two days with DS, apart from the megaboobs issue and managing to find enough time to express it was fine. Bear in mind though you may be getting a tad tipsy at OU courses and that will make your milk interesting

Thanks for your reply. It's 6 nights - arrive Saturday, leave Friday. It's in France too so I may need to drink some wine to help me cope with the scariness (speaking French all day) of it all!

I might get DH to bring the family out to meet me...

ooh, i would love to know of others who've managed this,

you could carry on making milk for months or years, so i don't think you need to worry about not still producing milk after 6 days, although i would recommend expressing, if only to keep comfortable!

but, and don't want to make you anxious about it, this is just my experience and hopefully won't be yours, i went 2 days without feeding my 14 month old, he lost interest and has never fed since, i am still devastated a year on

good luck with it, none of mine have ever aken EBM either

Two days! That does make me feel anxious. Poor you.

Shall keep thinking...

When my ds was 13 months I went away for 3 days on a couple of occasions and tried to hand express but couldn't get anything out. He was still able (and more than happy to!) bf when i got back.
Saying that, I kept making colostrum type milk for almost a year after I stopped bf!!
Good luck