Which is less cruel?

[JoyFilled]

I am heading to Cuba in July when my baby is 15 months and I am leaving her behind. It is for our friend`s wedding and our 5th wedding anniversary.

I am back to work this week. I am planning on having someone bring her in so I can nurse her at lunch time. She drinks water and eats fine without me. After a few weeks I plan to drop the lunch nursing.

Then I have 3 months until I leave her for a whole week. Should I slow down the nursing completely? Or just keep what we were doing and leave her and then start back up when I come back?

Which is less cruel? (Slowly stop by 15 months or Stop for a week?)

[PatioGardener]

I feel that babies need breastmilk until they are at least 2, so I think it is better to stop nursing for a week than wean at 15 months.

I have a friend who left her baby (about the same age) for a week and they picked up nursing just fine. She pumped 3 or 4 times during the day to keep up her supply and avoid mastitis.

[Shanny2032]

I agree with PP - and you will need to pump. You may not see it now but I have a 16 month old and with each passing day she becomes MORE passionate about nursing, not less so I cannot phathom weaning her at this stage.

[lifeguard]

I just posted a similar question recently. Ds will be 20 months & I'm going for 2 weeks. We've decided we won't wean him, I'll pump while I'm gone to maintain supply & prevent mastitis & then hope he'll start back up when I return.

[physmom]

Originally Posted by Shanny2032

I agree with PP - and you will need to pump. You may not see it now but I have a 16 month old and with each passing day she becomes MORE passionate about nursing, not less so I cannot phathom weaning her at this stage.

So true! DD is almost 15 months and is just increasing the amount she is nursing per day (and I work outside of the home part time too). I'd pump too.

[claddaghmom]

At 15 months, she might pop right back on when you get back. I wouldn't bother weaning her. I'd work on creating a night time routine that another caregiver can follow. And maybe pump some milk now so there's some yummies in the fridge for "sad" times.

[Baby_Cakes]

I agree with everyone. I'd keep nursing/pumping like normal and then pump for that week while you're away. I bet she'll pop right back on when you get back.

[JoyFilled]

Thanks everyone!

[Tjej]

Yeah, bring your pump!

I went away for 5 days when my DS was 1 1/2, and he was fine and started up again like normal when I returned home.

I did a few things for the kids when I left- got them each a little matchbox car that I painted a heart on the bottom and wrote "Mama loves you" on it, recorded messages on the webcam for each night when I was gone, left a little paper for them to write down 2 things they did each day to tell me about when I got home... one of the webcam nights I read a book on there. It was fun to get ready and I think it did make it easier for them to be without Mama for those days.

Tjej