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 Ask Dr. Jana
Leaving Breastfed Infant for the Weekend | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Jana,
I have a three-month-old daughter and nurse her exclusively. I plan to do so until she is a year old. The problem is that my husband wants to take me on a weekend vacation for our anniversary. I am pumping milk for my mother to feed her while we will be gone. The question is will she forget or not want to nurse when I come back after three days. Also, she will be about six months when we go. Please help. I want to go, but I don't want to stop nursing.— In Need of a Vacation in Illinois | | | ANSWER |
September 11, 2001 | | | Dear In Need of a Vacation,
I think it is wonderful that you are giving your daughter the benefit of breastfeeding and that your mother and husband are making it possible for you to take a well-deserved vacation for your anniversary. I think it is wise of you to go for a weekend instead of longer, especially since this sounds like it will be your first time away from your daughter. It should make this "trial run" a bit easier on both of you logistically and even emotionally!
In terms of the possible effects it might have on your daughter's nursing habits, I find that most infants are so accustomed to nursing by the time they are a couple of months old that a break in routine (using the bottle) for a couple of days does not interfere with nursing afterwards. Since your daughter is six-months-old, I can quite comfortably assure you that she will not forget how to nurse. That said, before you leave, in addition to pumping and storing a reserve of breast milk, you should make sure that your daughter and mother are both comfortable with the bottle, especially if your daughter has never taken one before.
Thanks for writing in, and congratulations on both your daughter and on your upcoming anniversary. If you do find that you have questions about nursing after you return, don't hesitate to write me back or check with a lactation consultant in your area for some practical advice to get yourself back on track.— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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