Have any of you gone on a trip without your breastfeeding, co-sleeping child?

[oregon2010]

In a month and a half, I am will be away from my (at the time) 14 month old who I currently breastfeed all day, nurse a couple times at night and sleep with.  I asked for some advice awhile back but didn't hear from any mamas who have gone on a trip away from their child before.  Looking for some advice and encouragement! My husband currently is a huge part of her night time routine which is great.  I know I need to pump some milk.  I just don't want her to feel like I have abandoned her! Not sure how to prepare for this :) Thanks!

[oregon2010]

I should I add I will be gone for 4 nights/4 whole days....

[Dandelionkid]

My DH and I just left my 27 month old for two days/nights. We breastfeed on demand still and co-sleep but I am pregnant so no milk being produced right now. She did great with Grandma and no weird transition when we got back.

Some really good advice that a friend of mine gave me is that for all the worry and anxiety we go through as mothers leaving kids- they always are fine when we get back and it picks up right where we left off. So may as well try to enjoy yourself! Especially as daddy is home I think you will be great! 

That reminds me-  I did leave the baby when she was 22 months for two nights with dad and there were absolutely no problems except I really missed her and so did my boobs! Luckily I was still nursing her older brother who was with me or I would have been in a lot of pain. Good thing you have a pump. 

Good luck!

[sunwise]

Hi there, I have a baby younger than yours (8 months) and I have already taken 5 trips of 1-2 nights away from him. (I work full-time and my job requires occassional travel.) I can't tell you how nervous I was to leave the first time, because we nurse all night long and DH is only minimally involved in nighttime stuff. But everything went just fine - DH would sometimes text me pictures of what they are doing, which makes me feel so much better. DS seemed to somehow understand that mama wasn't there for nursing, so he allowed his dad to give him some nighttime bottles and put him to sleep with a paci instead of nursing. Sometimes he even sleeps better for him than me.

I was also very concerned about reestablishing nursing after my absence (my worry is that he'll forget how!), but that has never been an issue.

Good luck! I'm sure everything will be fine!

[oregon2010]

Thank you for sharing your stories and experiences!

I left some milk the other night while I went to dinner with a friend and she refused to take the bottle.  She is not a fan of almond milk or cows milk either.  She LOVES to nurse.  She is not getting up as much to nurse at night but still nurses through out the day, I think a lot for comfort. I keep telling myself it may be hard but she will be with her dad and it may just be harder on me.  I am already dreading it :( I just feel so bad and don't want to leave her!!  Sigh.

[D_McG]

I left both of mine between 12 and 18 mos for a weekend (2 nights). The first night was tough but they got through it and overall it was a really good thing. Everyone in the house learned that life does not revolve around my boobs It was great for their relationship with DH. Great for their sleep. Great for their eating, etc. Best of all it was great for ME to get a long break and remember all those parts of myself I had let go in the first year of having a baby.

Have a great time!

[kellyrenee]

I have sent my DD at 11 mos, and again last weekend at about 12 mos 1 week to my mom's house.  My mom has to bedshare with her, but when she woke up the first time, my mom offered her a bottle of yogurt, Alice said no, no, no, and my mom told her she had to lay down then, so she laid down and went back to sleep.  The next time she offered her a sip of water, and then Alice laid back down and fell asleep again.  I think if your LO doesn't take bottles you don't need to worry about it for her.  She will be with someone who doesn't usually give her milky, and thus she won't expect it.  Just make sure they feed her a bunch of her favorite foods and offer her tons of water.  My mom used to try with bottles with my DD and that always ended horribly for all concerned.  So my mom feeds her a ton of yummy, mostly nutrituous food, and my daughter plays with her uncle all day long and is exhausted by the time it is bedtime.