[saoirse2007]

i have a 6 mos old dd....I have to go away for two weeks when she is 8 1/2 months old

it is work and i really dont have much choice...it is killing me

I worry that she won't go back on the boob...she will forget how to nurse

I am leaving my husband enough breast milk for bottles...thankfully we introduced a bottle at 3 weeks

i nursed my son until he was 2 1/2yrs...i really want the same for her...

any tips to prepare? has anyone here done something like this?

I am going to book an appt with Dr Newman too..
he snipped her tounge tie when she was born
thanks

 

[cristeen]

Pump, pump, pump. Don't let your milk dry up if you intend to put her back to the breast when you get back. Your supply may drop a bit, but you probably won't lose it entirely. Relactating after drying up is EXTREMELY difficult and rarely works fully (nothing I regret more than that). To keep your production up you'll need to be pumping every 4 hours or so around the clock, at least. Any time you go more than 5 hours between breast stimulation, your supply will take a hit.

If you don't/can't deal with freezing and shipping or bringing home the milk, check out milkshare and see if you can find a local mom near where you'll be who can use the milk. I know I get fresh milk every week night from a local mom so she doesn't have to deal with freezing it.

As for getting her back on the breast after the trip - commit 2 days (or more) to being topless and not leaving the house, and doing nothing but taking care of her. 2 days where she has free access and encourage her to go back to the breast. At that age it may be more difficult, but then it may not. Don't give her any bottles - if she wants milk, she gets it from the source. Reintroducing the breast can be difficult, but it can work.

GL

 

[lkmiscnet]

Your hotel may be willing to freeze your milk as well. Just bring enough storage bags and something to put them in so they are discreet in the freezer and bring something to label the bag with your name, cell number and room number. Also, if you can bring a cooler, you might be able to fill it with ice so it can make the trip home as baggage. The cold temps in the cargo hold of the plane would be perfect. Hopefully the airlines won't charge you for checked baggage. Call the airline and check on their policy. Otherwise, perhaps you can get a soft-sided cooler that you can carry on the plane and bring some large gallon size zip loc bags to fill with ice and BM bags into (in case they leak) for the trip home.

One last tip, make sure to get as much air out of the storage bags as you can when you seal them up (I use one of those potato chip clips to help push the air out before I seal it) because if you check the bags with your luggage, the higher altitude will cause the bags to expand and your milk could leak out.