will I lose my supply if I don't pump/bf for 40 hrs??

[verytired]

DS is about 11.5 months and I am close to done with BFing. Actually I love to breastfeed but I am tired of all the pumping during work.

So I am going on a business trip tomorrow, and I will be gone for about 40 hrs. I am very tempted to not take my breast pump and just not pump during this period. If I get too full I can just hand express a bit. But I am not sure if I will lose my supply. I have never had supply issues but I am not one of those people who can pump 6 ounces in one sitting either.

Can I continue to breastfeed after I return if I don't pump for 40 hrs? I do want to continue to breastfeed but if I have to explain about my breastpump and frozen milk to one more airport security screener, I will just lose it . :-).

Can you tell I am stressed out?

[clh]

{{hugs}} hun.    I feel your pain.  (Last set of screeners made me miss my flight!  )

How many times do you bf/pump per day?  I can't imagine that not pumping a similar amount would *help* your supply.    But I honestly don't know if you'd lose it all after less than 2 days, either. 

Just thinking out loud here...  You could take it & pump & dump so as not to explain frozen milk.  Or if you're good at hand expressing, you could just do that at regular intervals. 

I just don't know what to tell you.  If you'd be heartbroken if you did lose your supply, then take it & at least do *some* amount of pumping.  If not, then you could just take whatever happens.  I've heard of several women using trips like this to finish weaning...  More {{hugs}}

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hugs, i know what a pain it is to pump. But speaking from someone who wouldn't want to lose supply i would pump and dump then you don't have the worry of carrying it through.

The other thing is, i think that if you would only hand pump a little i think you would become very uncomfotable over that period of time and boobs the size of melons lol

Kate x

[Samuel's mum]

The airport screener with have seen it a ton of times before. They are thousands of working mums who do what you are doing. I know it might not change how you feel but they are unlikely to blink.
In 40 hours you will likely find your supply significantly depleted. It is also important that you are proficient at hand expressing as you will be at risk from blocked ducts and mastitis after such a long period.
I think you have to balance any embarrassment factor with the risk of you falling ill and the risk to your supply.

I agree you could consider just dumping the milk. Or even buying a really cheap hand pump when you arrive and dumping that too.

[liacarmen]

Sorry, my son is about the same age and I'm with you - I love the bfing and am really tired of the pumping. Let us know how you get on.

[verytired]

I took your advice and packed my pump and I pumped twice during the trip (I really didn't want to be forced to stop breastfeeding because of supply issues). I ended up dumping the milk ( I couldn't get ice to freeze it because I was in meetings all day and was late for my flight)

More than the pumping it is the ordeal with the airport screeners that is so upsetting. I nearly missed a flight a few months ago because the airport screeners insisted on re-reading their own rules about carrying milk while traveling without the baby.+ if you are traveling to Canada they don't let you carry pumped milk as carry-on and my airline lost my bags so I was forced to dump about 8oz of milk once (and that just made me so mad!!!)

well anyway, I survived one more trip and I am still breastfeeding :-)

Thank you all for your advice

[clh]

Congrats!    I know it can be an ordeal, especially when you know the rules better than the screeners.    But...

YOU DID IT!!

[15milner]

Well done!!

[Samuel's mum]

Good for you!

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

  well done you x