Wondering If Baby Will Still Want to Breastfeed

Why don't you try to pump before you go and store it-if you can't make enough for full bottles your husband can mix it with the formula so baby gets both!(I had to do the mix at the end during weening)At least your not gone too long so baby shouldn't have a problem!

I think you should be fine. You will definately want to pump in all the time slots that you usually nurse. When you get back home just offer, offer, offer and your baby should pick it right back up. It he is hesitant just do lots of skin to skin, take baths together, etc. to peak his interest again.
Good luck!!

I would say it should be fine, especially since you're going to pump. My advice is to spend a lot of relaxed time, wearing baby and frequent nursings when you get back. I just had to be gone for 5 days unexpectedly with my almost 3 year old nursling and we picked up right where we'd left off. Of course nursing a baby is much different than a toddler, but I would expect getting back on track should be even easier with a baby since nursing is a much bigger part of their life. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

I would be very surprised if your baby stopped nursing because you were out of town. Travel while breastfeeding sucks - there's no two ways about it - but as long as you continue to pump he will probably be thrilled to have you back. My son always was. If you have a stash of frozen EBM of course have your husband give him that first. Also make sure the nipples on the bottle are the lowest flow-rate available so that he doesn't get too lazy about sucking while you're gone. (After all, our boobs don't change to a faster flow rate when our babies get older - the baby just gets more effective at sucking).

Incidentally, if you have a hotel room with a fridge it's actually not that big a deal to save a good amount of the milk you pump if you care to. (I have done this and transported it back in a small hard-sided cooler with a zip-lock bag full of ice). Then again, if you pump and dump it's really simple because you don't even really need to clean the pump parts beyond giving them a quick rinse. Good luck with the trip!

Please tell your husband to be careful with feeding her the formula. Her tummy will have a hard time processing it without a real transition. He'll wind up with an upset baby who will be spitting up everything he tries to feed her. It would probably be best to feed her small amounts more frequently to make sure it doesn't upset her stomach too much.

I had to leave my 9 month old for 3 days, and my in-laws gave him formula (since I couldn't pump enoungh in preparation). I brought a pump on my trip and pumped & dumped a few times a day to keep up my supply. He happily went right back to nursing when I got back.
Good luck!

If you still want to breastfeed when you come back, my suggestion would be to keep pumping on your trip at all the times you want to breastfeed. So, if you want to b-feed full time, pump full-time.

Your baby may have some reluctance when you come back, but he'll get back into it. It's only 3 days and you've been breastfeeding much longer.

If you're concerned, you can always sleep with a blanket of his for a few nights before you go then give that blanket to your hubby to have with your son while he feeds him or record yourself reading a favorite book or singing a song that your hubby can play while he feeds.

Good luck!
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
Mark - Chapter 10:13-14

I think at 8 months you should have a good nurser and everything will most likely be fine. It's never good to go back and forth at the beginning because baby can become lazy and find the bottle to be easier, but at this age, I don't think that would happen and baby would be relieved to have you all warm and cuddly plus just to get back into the normal routine. Just keep up with your pumping for sure. I know it's hard, but try not to worry!

Hi N.,
I have been pumping and giving the milk in a bottle since she goes to daycare. The other day was at a friends house and ran out of bottles for my daughter. So tried breastfeeding. She did not want to take at first but than after 3rd try she drank from me. It had been at least 4 months since she breastfed.

After only 2 nights you should be fine. Can you freeze what you pump as well? Has your baby had formula yet...if not this takes awhile for baby to adjust to in most cases.

Best to you,
A.

At 8 months, you little one is probably a boob monster so I would say you have a great chance of continueing to breastfeed.

I didn't see this mentioned and thought I should throw it out there. Has your baby ever had formula before? If not, I'd suggest a trial run, many breastfed babies won't touch it. Your little one would be better off if you pumped your milk now and your hubby could feed the expressed milk instead of formula.

Hi N.,
If your baby loves the breast, than she will happily go back to it when you return. If she is just neutral about it then it could go either way. Each baby is very different & it's hard to predict what they will do.

I was gone for almost 10 days with a 10 month old. I pumped and froze quite a bit of milk before I left, but it was only enough for morning and evening feedings.

I pumped while I was gone and ended up pretty low at the end, but let myself go a long time (9 hour flight from Paris, wasn't hard) to be full when I returned.

The first night she didn't want anything to do with me and preferred a bottle from Grandma, so I pumped again.

The next morning I got her out of bed and tried to nurse again, she latched and we continued to nurse for 3 more months.

I would say persistence is the key. If she refused me again, I was willing to try for a few days.

I don't doubt that you can do it. Good luck and enjoy your break for a few days!

PS do not pack your pump in your luggage, carry it on, trust me, the last thing you want is lost luggage and a lost pump, even for less than 24 hours...