Going away without DD what to do re BF

[Mary_T]

Hi all,

I am flying interstate early next year to attend a close freinds wedding. Unfortunately I am unnable to take DD who will be staying with her Grandparents. I will be gone for two nights.

I will still be breastfeeding and would like to know whether I will need to express whilst I am away and will I need to do it as regularlily as I feed normally. I am also worried that DD will not want to BF again after having bottles for a few days.

I was wondering if others have done something like this and what was your experience?

Thanks

[draught]

If you want to maintain your breast feeding you will definitely need to express while you are gone for two reasons - one you will be very uncomfortable and two you need to keep up your supply and our bodies only produce what they need to produce to replace what baby is getting.

You will also need to express a lot in advance in order to build up the supply for two nights worth of bottles of EBM. You might also want to have the grandparents give her bottles of EBM in the weeks leading up to you going away so that she is used to it and so that they aren't left with a screaming hungry baby.

Depending how old she will be when you go you might need to be prepared for the fact that she might prefer the bottle to the breast after you return, but if you persist with the breast she could just as easily go back to it.

One question - are you sure you can't take her with you? They travel for free you know :p (I know how nice it is to have some time out - I am just thinking about how much work you will have to do to leave her behind versus taking her with you!)

[JnA]

I would suggest to give it a trial run with EBM after it has been frozen. My Jade won't drink EBM after it's been frozen then defrosted. No problem with fresh stuff, just the frozen.

[Mary_T]

Thanks for the help and suggestions. She has had EBM in a bottle before whilst I have been at the gym and it has been frozen. I will look further into the possibility of taking her with us and may end up doing that. She hasn't had a problem going back to the boob after a few bottles and seems to like food from whatever source. :)

Thanks again for the help.