honeymoon with baby? opinions...

I was away from my baby for 2 nights and, even with frequent pumping (I never went more than 3 hours, even through the night) I ended up with horribly painful plugged ducts. I don't know if you're prone to those, but not being able to nurse definitely exacerbated my issues.

As for how often a 9mo nurses, my DD has nursed every 3 hours since she was born until now (she's almost a year old) -- even with solids being introduced at 6 months, her nursing never decreased in frequency, so I'd plan on having enough milk stored to feed your DD as much as you do now, just to be safe.

Congrats on the baby and the upcoming wedding! I'm sure you'll find a way to make it all work out -- having a nanny (or family member, who might do it "unpaid" except for the free vacation) travel with you would be great if you can swing it!

I think you can take her if you want but it isn't essential to preserve your nursing relationship. 3-5 days isn't really very long. It would probably be a good idea to bring a portable breast pump with you to ease your discomfort when you become engorged and to ease your mind about your supply. As for your baby, at 9 months she'll probably be eating other foods as well so leave as much breast milk as you can manage to amass ahead of time and if they run out they'll feed her other food, or water, or formula. A couple of bottles of formula in a nursing relationship that has been established for nine months should be fine.

At the beginning nursing can feel very fragile but it's surprisingly resilient. I had trouble nursing and keeping my supply up but was surprised to find that months after my daughter weaned I still occasionally had milk. I still do sometimes, 2 years later.

You need to nurture your relationship with your husband too, especially in the notoriously difficult first year after baby. Fathers sometimes feel left out of the intense mutual relationship that mothers and infants have together and a few days of undivided attention could be a lovely way to mark the beginning of your new commitment to one another.

You could also have a lovely trip with your baby along, it's not a bad option. As other people have mentioned you may find at nine months that you're not ready to be separated from her. But I think if you want to you can enjoy 3-5 days away and everyone will be fine.

my LO is 9 months right now, he nurses about every 4 hours but can go longer if he eats alot of solids. Sometimes he just likes what I give him to eat and gorges himself - he can generally go about 6 hrs then - but this is rare. Every LO is different - so you will just have to see where yours is at that time to know how much milk they will need.

Make sure you have a good electric double pump and use it as often as LO would eat and maybe even more. The pump will not be as good as your LO is emptying you but if you do it as often or more than your LO does it will at least keep your milk going. There is no telling how your supply will be effected but you won't dry up as long as you are pumping.

I think that it's important to have time for your relationship - if you can afford to have someone come with you and be "nanny" that is great, as a pp said most resorts have child care offered (but I don't know the cost) and would you feel comfy and relaxed while someone you don't know takes care of LO? Personally, I don't know if I could do it.

honestly if you cant take her i would change your plans.

i dont really think your trip will affect your bfeeding connection.

however it wont surprise me that you might be miserable. mainly coz of the age. if she was going to be 6 months or even 15 months i wouldnt stress this so much. but between 8 and 10 months is a huge growth spurt. they start doing all sorts of things. signs. pointing. clapping, talking, crawling, pulling up, walking. it is a magical time and i would never separate around that time. even if it was for just 3 to 5 days. now if you werent superglued to your child to watch every new thing like i was, then i wouldnt think twice about going.

if you do decide to leave her with family make sure she has already gotten used to spending the night with them. so its not that much of a change.