12wk old- ideas for managing trip.

[PandaOrLion]

looking for help as a first time mum, and making plans for next year!

I do a course which has 100% attendance requirement. If I miss time I have to pay to make it up. The course is 3 days- 9:30-5 and about an hours drive away.

We became pregnant earlier than anticipated and DC will be about 12 weeks old when I have a course weekend. Which of these options would be best?

1. Baby stays at home with DH.
2. Baby comes to the course with me, DH stays at home.
3. DH comes to course city each day with me and looks after/shares care of baby with me whilst there.
4. Book a hotel, Baby and DH can use it whilst there and saves the travel daily.

If I miss the course and pay the extra then I’m paying to either do the weekend again in a years time or another CPD of the same amount of hours, so it is doable but would be looking at around £1k. Hotel would cost £190pn. Course is happy for me to have the baby there but has recommended a contingency of someone around to help out if possible.

How are you planning on feeding?

Combination feeding - DH is self employed from home and has said he’d like to feed too - but not sure if that will be expressed or formula.

I think you'll need to make a call on this much nearer the time. With my DS I was formula feeding by 12 weeks so he could've stayed at home. With DD she was still breastfed every 2 hours or more at 12 weeks so I'd have needed her dad on hand so I could feed her when necessary.
Every baby does things so differently so I think you'll just need to see how yours does things.

Missing 3 days of breastfeeding will affect your supply at 12 weeks, especially if you are combination feeding from the off. I agree that you should see how feeding is progressing closer to the time, but if you still want to continue breastfeeding when the course comes round, DH and baby will need to come with you.

Options 1 and 2 are bad ideas. You don't want to be away from baby that long if you're BF as supply will tank, and you will not be able to properly focus on the course if you're solely in charge of the baby.

SO you should plan to have your DH there with the baby. Whether you go for 3 or 4 depends on how good your baby is in the car, and how far it is. I'd be tempted to go for 4, because you want to give DH and the baby somewhere to chill out in the day.

I'd prob book a hotel room or drive there & back each day (but fuel v expensive)

It's v difficult to make a call on it until nearer the time. For instance I have a 6 week old & fully intended to breast feed. She arrived 3 weeks early & lost weight so we were put on a feeding plan including formula. So I did combi feeding & This week i stopped breast feeding, expressing was exhausting so purely formula it is. So in that scenario baby could stay with DH but I wouldn't have known that.

The one thing I will say though I wouldn't want to be away from my baby for more than a night at this, or that, stage...and I'm not a very precious mum.

Thanks, this is massively helpful. First time baby means I think we don’t know what to expect!

Ugh. I'd pay to make up the time later. I was not have wanted to be apart from my babies at this age.