   
 |
|
 Ask Dr. Jana
Weaning before Spending Time Apart | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Jana,
My daughter is 17 months old and breastfeeding at least four times a day. I am a full time parent. I plan on going on a woman's retreat the last weekend in April. Should I try and wean her now, and if I can't (I've been trying to reduce the number of times she breastfeeds each day with no luck) will my being away have a bad impact on her? What is your advice to handle this type of situation? I have never been away from my daughter for more than three or four hours.— mbmagee in Scott's Valley, CA | | | ANSWER |
April 6, 2001 | | | Dear mbmagee,
I think the first question you need to answer is do you want to wean your daughter, or would you rather continue to breastfeed and just figure out what to do temporarily during your retreat. The next question is how will your decision impact your daughter and what's the best way to go about doing it. And obviously, underlying it all is the question of separation.
If you would like to use your upcoming trip as a reason to wean your daughter off of breastfeeding, I think it is a good idea to start now so that she will be used to drinking milk other than breast milk when you leave. If possible, consider having someone else feed her or watch her for a somewhat longer stretch of time (say, half a day) in preparation. She may be more receptive to milk out of a cup or bottle if it comes from someone other than you.
If, in fact, you would like to keep breastfeeding your daughter, you should make alternate plans for both her and yourself when you are away. If you haven't already, you should find out about ways to express your breast milk so that your breasts don't become overly full and sore while you are away. If you don't have a breast pump, it is possible to either rent one by the day or manually express your breast milk. Again, make sure that your daughter is willing and able to drink either stored breast milk (if you have any) or a substitute from a cup or bottle before you leave.
As for having a "bad impact" on your daughter, you should reassure yourself that your daughter will be okay without you. It definitely is an adjustment for a toddler to be separated from her mother for the first time, but keep in mind that this type of brief separation is part of growing up and is an experience that we all went through at some time in our childhood. You can definitely help prepare her--not only by talking about your plans but by trying to make sure she is staying with someone she is familiar and who knows her routine. It sounds like you are very devoted to your daughter, and a few days away will not change her sense of security and being loved, and it may do you a world of good!— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
|
| | 
|