I have been exclusively breast feeding my daughter since she was born and she is now 5 months old.

Next Thursday I have to go into hospital to have my gall bladder removed and will be in hospital for 3 days and 2 nights.

My dilemma is I am unable to take her into the hospital with me as they do not offer services or bedding for her while I am there. I have asked if I can have access to an electric breast pump while I am there as I think I may be too unwell/tired to use my manual pump. The hospital can not gurantee that they will be able to give me a pump to use as I will not be staying in the maternity ward and pumps obviously are given out in preference to "mothers who have just had their babies". What am I going to do? I am going to have extremely full boobs and I have tried to tell them this but I have just been told there is not much they can do for me. I feel as though they do not understand.

I am thinking of giving my daughter formula while I am in hospital. My husband and my mother will be caring for her while I am ill. I know she will take a bottle as she has done this before with expressed milk but i do not know whether she will take to formula ok after only ever having the taste of breast milk in her mouth. Will she adapt without any problems? I have considered expressing feeds for her and then freezing them but dont think I will be able to express enough for her before next week.

I am quite emotional about this as it is the first time we will be apart in her 5 months of life. I also feel guilty that I have to give her formula as we have both done so well with the breast feeding.

What are my options, if any? Should I hire an electric pump for my hospital stay? I dont want to have to do this as it is quite expensive and financially it is a difficult time for my family as we are now on one income. I thought the hospital could at least give me the use of one

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thank you

Kate