Breastfeeding confusion

[TeainanIV]

Hello all! Next week I'm leaving my DD for 5 nights (eek!!) to go on a residential with my year group - I'm a teacher! I am still breastfeeding my almost 2 year old, only two feeds a day. How soon can milk supply drop? Will I be unable to feed her once I'm home or should I still have some milk left?? First child so I'm unsure on how it all works! Thanks for your help
:) xx

It's all about supply and demand: I'd take a breast pump and aim to pump first and last thing (even if you don't produce much, it's stimulating/better than nothing and will ease any discomfort - I find I get "lumpy", although others don't). If you don't pump, I'd expect your supply to have dropped significantly after 5 days (everyone varies), plus some potential discomfort alongside!

I think you'll be fine to feed when you get back but please be warned that there's a possibility that your LO might not want to. If that's the case I wouldn't force it but have some skin to skin, maybe a bath together and see if that encourages them.

You might need to hand express when you're away, just for comfort

@Poppins2016 thanks for your advice - I'm panicking a bit about the discomfort! It's quite a full on week so just need to try and make sure I can get a moment to express! There's very little room on site too - sharing a room with 4 other staff members and we've got one shower cubicle between us all! I'll make it work though - popping my hand pump in my bag as I type 😅 xx

@SiouxsieSiouxStiletto thank you for your advice, massively appreciated! Really hoping to be able to continue when I'm home - never thought I'd feel this way but I love having thar closeness with her at the start and end of each day! But if it's the end of our journey then I can accept that xx