My toddler is going on vacation without me for a week and she's still nursing

[bakpak]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for information/advice here. My husband is taking our daughter on a vacation for a week to visit her grandparents and I can't go. She's 2.5 and still nursing 2-3 times a day. She LOVES nursing and always has (favorite thing in the world). I've gone through the whole spectrum about how I feel about her still nursing, but I've been in a good place about her nursing for quite awhile now and generally love our quiet time together. I've been away from her for 2 nights before and no problems when I returned, but I'm guessing my milk would dry up in a week unless I pumped or something. Is this true? Would expressing a little by hand work? We just moved and I don't have a clue which of 100 boxes the breast pump is in.

The other side of the coin is that we could just use this as a stopping point. I just don't know if that would go over well when she returns, and she's having enough trouble adjusting to myriad major changes in her life (increased child care, new child care, separation from her father who's working in another state right now). And really I'm bummed about potentially being 'forced' to stop nursing when she's at a stage where it's really important to her.

Thanks for reading.

[Asiago]

It seems like a long duration for her to be without you, even if she was weaned at this point. Is there any chance it could be shortened to the duration she has already experienced (2 days)? 

[Mom31]

I think it will be fine- she will be with her father. My dd went with her father for 9 days at that age( we were divorcing) and while it was very stressful for me- she was fine. I think it depends on the temparment of the child etc.

[mamang]

When my daughter was 2.5 I went away to a workshop for 2 weeks and she stayed with my mother.  At that point she was still nursing 5-8 times a day (including for bed and naptime).  I was unsure if the trip would be the end of our nursing relationship or not.  The first few days away were very rough for me (I was very engorged, and had no pump, so had to hand express in the shower).  But upon my return, within a few hours she asked to nurse, and I agreed.  I was a little sore from the nursing for a few days, but she returned to her old nursing routine with me and continued to nurse for another 9 months.  Around 3 I tried to wean, but she continued to ask for it 1-2 times a day for about 4 more months.  Now at 4.3 she is still very attached to the "milks" and touches them most nights to fall asleep.  So, I don't think this length of separation at this age necessarily will be the end of nursing for you, I encourage you to be open.  I really think that since kids have different routines with different people, once you're back together, she'll probably want your milk again.  I do encourage you to pump a little to keep some supply up, and to relieve the engorgement that might happen with the separation.

[transylvania_mom]

I think she'll be fine, but if you want to keep nursing I'd hand-express / pump at least twice a day to keep up the milk production.

Ds was 3 y/o when he spent a vacation with his grandparents. I managed to keep my milk production by pumping or expressing milk twice a day.

I also felt torn about stopping nursing but in the end I decided not to, if he still wanted. I never regretted this decision.

[lifeguard]

When ds was 20 months I went away for 2 weeks (this was something I had committed to before he was born & had no idea I would still be nursing). We didn't do anything special beforehand towards weaning & figured things would work out as they may. I tried really hard to pump but it was very hot & I was working loooong days & after 2 days I was getting nothing with the pump. I cried & cried & figured that would seal the deal.

Got home from my trip & ds would have nothing to do with me that day. The next morning he crawled up & nursed like nothing happened. My milk supply was back to normal within a couple of days.

Obviously every nursing pair is different but I would definitely say it's more likely to be just fine. She may wean but she may very well not.

[MichelleZB]

Hand expressing works better for me than pumping anyway, so don't worry about your pump. If you want to keep up your supply, see if you can get some out each day while she's away.