24H pause in BF - is it possible???

[emyka]

Hi!

DD#2 is b'fed and we started introducing solids about 3 weeks ago. However we are going to our best friends wedding next w/e and DD#1 is staying with her gran. I am wondering whether to leave DD#2 also BUT she has never taken a bottle and her sleep patterns are erratic (teething and just moved house). I am also worried about what repercussions this 24H break may have on the BFing and on her.

Any advice, opinions or experiences would be much appreciated.
Emma

[courtneyandmiles]

Why are other people's probs. so much easier than your own???

I would make sure she will take a bottle BEFORE you leave her, and I would make sure you pump for every feeding she misses, if not extra, b/c you pump less than she feeds. 

Other than that, you just have to deal w/ any sadness of being without her.

[LisbonMom]

Teaching her to take a bottle is key!
When I was bf'ing dd#1 I had to go out of town for the weekend for a training seminar. I didn't know any better so I just stopped cold turkey and had major engorgement issues, had to buy a pump out of sheer pain, although it didn't help much, I was so full by the time I caught the train home I couldn't even lift my arms to get my suitcase! When I got home the first thing I did was get dd latched on. I had with a few lumps for a few days but nursed on various positions and they disappeared. AND I had NO supply problems !!!
Through all this dd did just fine because she was already used to bottles.

[emyka]

Thanks for your answers

As I don't have a pump I'll have to look into that  but I will try her on a bottle this week!

Thanks again and any further input is of course welcome. Just one question is it possible to express w/o a pump?

[kgmf123]

Hello,

A link for hand expressing!

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T024900.asp

Kat x

[LisbonMom]

And a few more links to hand expressing, it's pretty easy too, I used it in combination with the pump during that dreadful weekend!

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBMarApr96p51.html

http://www.bflrc.com/ljs/breastfeeding/knack.htm

http://www.nursingmother.com/helpme/helpme_images_expression.html

HTH !!

[emyka]

Great links!!!

Thanks so much - I hadn't even thought of it

[courtneyandmiles]

Hand-expressing is possible, but if you're going so long w/out nursing, you'll want to keep your supply up.  I like my Almeda pump, and it's much cheaper than Madela Pump-in-Style.    It has batteries, too, if I'm not near electricity. I'm really sensitive, so I needed a double electric pump rather than a motorized gizmo.  If you'll have more kids, it's definitely worth the investment.  Also, if you get a pump, I'd also invest in a pumping corset-thingy.  It has holes at the nipple to hold the pump parts, and your hands are free to read, search on babywhisperer.com or whatever!