What to do with feeding baby whilst I'm in hospital

[KatyBeau]

I need to go into hospital for the day for an operation to remove scar tissue from my lady bits (nice!). I'm not worried about this, but more about how to manage my baby being fed whilst i'm in.

She's 6 months now. Just starting solids - two very small meals a day of purée. She still has one one or two milk feeds during the day whilst i'd be at hospital. She's only ever been breastfed, and isn't taking any more than tiny sips from a sippy cup at the moment - a little more from a doody cup, but still only about 30ml.

Being the NHS I should imagine I'll have to wait a while anyway, but am worried she'll go nuts without me there to feed her.

Any ideas for how I can get her prepared? Anyone else been in this situation?

If they have the BabyFriendly status then they should have protocols in place for her to be brought in when she needs feeding.

However, like you say, it could be a long wait and she will be much more established on solids/cups so much less reliant on you by the time you actually go in. They change so fast at this age that all your worrying now will probably be in vain .

Try not to stress until the actual appointment date comes through - if you've got a 16 week wait then a 10mo won't bat much of an eyelid at you being away if she's got Daddy/Grandma/childminder/someone familiar looking after her while you're in.

Not been in same situation but would you consider a bottle? You could express milk. DD1 didn't like the bottle at all at first but quickly got over that, especially when it was someone other than her mum giving the bottle. DD2 (6 months) had no problem with bottle when I had to go into work for a couple of meetings last week. If it is for the whole day though your breasts will most likely hurt so you would probably need to express once or twice, or have baby brought to you for feeds. Hope that helps.

She will be OK. They don't need milk so much after weaning and one day will be fine. If I were you I'd express quite a few small bags and freeze, and ask whoever will look after her to offer milk regularely from whatever she will drink from. If you are not there, she might not get upset by it. It's if you are there and 'refuse' to give her milk that could potentially upset her.

I was very worried about DS I went to work when he was 6 months old and I was still BF him three-four times a day, and he refused to take a bottle. I was very upset, but on the first day with childminder he drank expressed milk from one of those little sippy cups.