Question about being away from older baby

[Jennisee]

Right now, I know that if I'm going to be away from my 9-month DD for a few hours, I need to pump bottles of EBM, but I'm wondering what I'll need to do when she's older, such as older than a year, up to 2 years. DH and I go to a matinee once or twice a month, I volunteer a couple times a month, and I may teach a community college class next fall. Almost everyone I know IRL weans at one year, whether from BM or formula, putting the baby on cow's milk. I don't want to do that, but I have no idea what to expect from DD--how often she'll nurse, how much milk she'll need. I'm interested to hear what others have done. Have you left EBM or does your child drink something else like cow's milk, water, juice, or tea? TIA!

[mom2threenurslings]

Great question!

The difficult part is the answer! Every baby/toddler is different and has different needs. Some nurse basically the same they did as newborns and some space out their nursings. Some nurse more during the day and less at night, some less during the day and more and night. You may want to pay attention to your child's nursing patterns to choose the optimum time for a child-free outing. Many moms of 1-2 year olds find that they don't need to pump for occasions when they go out for a few hours because their nursling is by then eating solids and drinking things other than breastmilk. Some mos offer only water, some soy, rice, almond, oat, cow's or other milk. Usually the child is fine during that short time with the food and drink offered and doesn't need the mamamilk. Your supply should be fine, especially if you allow your toddler to nurse when needed when you are home. Some moms find it helpful to nurse right before they leave and be available for nursing as soon as they return.

Some moms feel more comfortable doing a "trial run" ... going somewhere close where they won't mind going home if they're needed. A friend loves to go to a bookstore/coffee house near her house for a break every once in a while and has found that to be the place to go each time she needs to be sure her youngest is going to be ok with her being gone for a while.

[violafemme]

My 13 month old dd nurses about 5 times a day, sometimes more sometimes less but she also drinks diluted apple juice. I've never been away from her for very long but at this point she doesn't seem to fuss to nurse until she sees me. So if I leave her with DH for a couple of hours even if it is during a time she normally nurses she won't fuss for him but heaven help me when I walk through the door!!! :LOL The one time we've had to have someone else put her to bed, it also wasn't a problem that she didn't get to nurse and my milk supply seems to anticipate her needs; even if we skip a feeding I don't get engourged anymore. I don't lave her with anyone else very much though adn I never really did the EBM thing since I stay home and it was just so much easier to feed her myself. HTH

[cmb123]

I know it's hard to fathom when you have a 9 month old, but by the time yours is going on 2, your dd will probably be able to just eat food, and drink other stuff in your brief absences. Not that EVERY child does that, but for the most part one they hit toddlerhood, you don't really need to pump much anymore (cool!). Even if they nurse when you're there, they probably would just do something else if you weren't there KWIM?

[foreverinbluejeans]

You don't have to express bottles for a 9 month old. A 9 month old is old enough to drink from a cup. Introducing bottles at any age can cause 'nipple confusion', a nursing strike, or premature weaning.

[Ravin]

I started back to school FT when DD was 9 1/2 mos. I pumped the first few, but by Thanksgiving (she was 13 1/2 mos) I stopped because I always felt rushed, didn't get much return for my effort (2-3 oz. usually, pumping from BOTH breasts), and wasn't engorged or anything.

This semester she's got longer days at least 2 days a week (but only goes 3 instead of 5) and I don't pump. Monday especially she'll nurse for 20-40 min. as soon as I pick her up, and boy am I GLAD she does, but again, it's managable and pumping wouldn't be worth the effort. I did pump during winter session when she was sick, but that was partly because she wasn't nursing as much as usual.

Incidentally, we didn't use bottles. I bought one, tried a couple of different nipples, but DD didn't really know how to drink out of it and made a mess. So we did a straw-sippy, which she could suck out of just fine and didn't have to lift above her head when her balance was still tippy to drink from it. (She wasn't as fond of the spout-sippy, though she's good w/ it now and really prefers an open cup). She drinks diluted juice or water at daycare, though I sent soymilk last semester after I stopped pumping.

[Jennisee]

Thank you all for offering advice and sharing your experiences! I love that MDC is full of such wise women!