[chooselife]

Okay, so by extended I mean 7-8 hours. She is nine months old and nurses every 3 hours or so. I won't go into all the details but I am going to need to leave her with my mom while I take hubby to surgery next week. I've never expressed milk, and she's never had a bottle and I am nervous. How can I make this easier for her, me and my mom?

She does eat solids and really loves to eat them. But for sure, still needs her mama and doesn't like to be apart from me for long. I am really not sure how much of her nursing is hunger and how much is comfort. A lot of both, I think. If my mom feeds her a good lunch and dinner will she be okay without nursing for 8 hours, for one day?

Or maybe I should take her with me.... which means 4 hours round trip in the car, 2 hours in dr.'s office during DH's procedure and having my hand's full with her when I will need to be helping DH post-op.

Opinions, advice?

Liz

 

[indeospero]

Is there any way your mom could travel with you, instead, and be the primary caregiver for your dd but bring her to you whenever needed?

If you do decide to go, I bet you'll have better luck offering a sippy cup (or a regular glass) than a bottle, if she's never had one before.

I wish I had more advice! Good luck with your decision.

 

[EzzysMom]

I'm sorry that you have to go through this. Is it possible for your mom to come with you in the car and handle the baby at the treatment place? Only bring her to you when she needs to nurse?

At 9 months she can easily try to use a sippy cup or a straw. My DD just picked up the straw easily around then with no 'training' per say, she just did it when I tried it one day. You could do a little hand pumping each day between now and then to get her a little milk? Otherwise yes I think she'll make it through, plenty of babies sleep through the night at that age (not mine) and she'll have other foods. Just try to tank her up before you leave and I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you return. you might want to think about how your body will handle it too!

 

[elmh23]

I'd leave some milk, but in a sippy cup, not a bottle.

She'll be fine. She might cry a bit more than usual but she'll be fine.

 

[chooselife]

Thanks everyone! My mom will also be taking care of my 2.5 yo son, who will definitely not enjoy the car/dr.'s office scenario, so she is really helping me out by being at our home with him. She insists that DD will be fine for one day and I should leave her, too.

Thanks for the sippy cup/ straw recommendations. I will give that a shot between now and then. And I guess I better start working on expressing. hmmmm.

 

[mamazee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmh23 I'd leave some milk, but in a sippy cup, not a bottle. She'll be fine. She might cry a bit more than usual but she'll be fine.

Yeah I'd use a cup rather than a bottle at that age. It'll be hard and she'll need you when you get back (I bet she nurses a lot that night) but it sounds like an emergency situation and you have to do what you have to do in those cases.

 

[ASusan]

She'll be fine. Even if you can't express or pump, if she has some solids and is offered water, she'll make it through.

Oh - bring a hand-pump for yourself. If she would usually be nursing a few or several times during your absense, your milk ducts are going to be FULL and you'll risk a plugged duct.

 

[alisoncooks]

I agree, def carry a hand pump and do some while DH is busy...even if you just pump and dump. Plugged ducts are no fun.

I think w/ food and a sippy (or a straw...my 10 mo can do a straw) she should be fine.

I understand your anxiety. I left DD recently for teh first time and I was a nervous wreck

 

[haurelia]

Agree w/ PPs!
Also, just to throw it out there...could your mom (or another family member) bring your DH to the surgery while you stay home with your kiddos? Obviously, that's not the ideal solution, but just a thought. Good luck!

 

[riverscout]

If I were in your shoes, I would bring her with me. It really sounds like it would be more trouble than it is worth to leave her.

I needed an unexpected surgery with less than 24 hours notice, so we had to bring my daughter with us since we couldn't arrange for anyone to watch her. It went fine. Actually, better than fine. It was nice to have her there.