Would it be so bad to have a day of formula?

[ButterPie]

DD2 is exclusively bf and 8 weeks old. I am going down to London on Thursday night ready for a conference on Saturday, both kids and DP are coming with me and we are staying at my sisters, who is babysitting on saturday (conference is a 9-5 kind of thing, at imperial college, and she lives in stratford, if that is any help...)

Anyway, we are going on the train, I can't lift much yet due to the section and spd not being healed. I'm not too confident about transporting a load of expressed milk all that way (we will be on the train for three and a half hours, then there is the travelling either side of that as well) without it going off, plus it will take up loads of room in the bags.

My idea is to just take my pump and pump while there. I can probably do about 4oz at each pump, which is two average feeds, but I am planning on going to see a show with my sister on the Friday as well, so that would use some of the milk. Would it be so bad to get some of that ready made formula for my sister to give when my expressed milk runs out, and I take my pump to the conference and pump while there, or is that likely to mess up feeding?

Also, do I need to throw away the milk I express at the conference, as I won't have a fridge to store it in? Or will the conference (fabian society) be likely to let me use a fridge?

If you replace feeds with formula it can effect your milk supply. Also expressing isn't as good as your baby actually feeding from you to help milk supply either I find. So providing you only do it for 1 day, hopefully it won't foul your milk supply up too much. Lucky you though if your baby doesn't mind bottles and formula though, as my second baby wouldn't take either at 8 weeks.

They may let you borrow a fridge if you ask, is there somewhere private to express whilst there though?

Breast milk can only be kept in fridge for 24 hours (I think). Perhaps if every morning after the 1st feed you express and then freeze it for the rest of this week, it won't defrost on the way to your sisters too much as frozen and she can put it in her fridge once there to use for the whole day whilst out and about etc instead of formula? Although I know you said the 3 hours odd on train and transporting would be tricky and with a baby too on the train you will have your hands full.

Its a tricky one. Any other MN with advice?

Will type more when I've finished feeding.....

Your expressed milk will not go off in a matter of hours. It's full of anti-bacterials. Have a look at Jack Newman's site - he says breast milk can be kept for up to 8 hours in room temperature and 8 days in the fridge, I think.

I started a masters when my dd was 12 weeks, with one day away at uni. I simply expressed in a dark alcove of the library (!) when I could, and put it in the fridge when I got home.
I also doubt one day of formula would seriously mess up feeding based on my experience, but others may differ.
Good luck & hope your spd heals soon.

If it was me I'd really try to stick with just breastmilk - but that's a personal choice due to dh's allergies etc etc.

BM is fine for hours at room temp. And you could freeze it and wrap the bags in tinfoil in a small cool bag. If you fed just before and after the conference you wouldn't need that many feeds.

if you express at the conference, it'll be fine in a lunchbag with a cold block.