Continuing BFing (13 mo) after a week away?

[alieh]

Does anyone have any experience of being able to keep breastfeeding an older baby (13 months old at the time) after being away from baby for a week? Right now I am feeding morning and bedtime (plus one or two feeds overnight....ahem). I have a week long work trip at the end of March and would like to keep the morning and bedtime feeds (very happy to ditch the night feeds!) after this trip if I can. If I take my pump with me is it likely I will be able to keep the supply up by pumping twice a day?

The work trip is to Zanzibar so it is clearly imperative that I attend :). It wouldn't be a disaster if that was the end of BFing, but I would like to keep up if I can.

[Hollybush]

I think it would be possible to carry on, but the baby may decide otherwise and forget about it. With a few regular feeds I'd expect to get a bit engorged and can either express a small amount by hand to stay comfy or express with a pump. Still feeding my 20 month old despite a 5 day break at 18mo - I would like to finish really and think I missed a window at about the 13-15mo age!

[newcomer]

Presume you'll have to take anti malarials? If so, check with your doctor whether you're ok to breastfeed while taking them. I recall having to continue taking them for several weeks after I returned from Africa so your 'one week' away from breast-feeding might realistically be more like a month.

Also, you may need vaccines etc before you go (depending what ones you already have had), which you'll need to check with your doc as well re the b/feeding.

[Saffron]

I had a week+ break from b/fing my daughter just before she turned 2. (Sadly not fabu trip away, just attempting to see if maybe she's ready to stop b/fing.) Even though she doesn't get a milk letdown anymore, sometimes she still likes to comfort suck if she's really upset, which I don't mind.

[Fuschia]

I had a week break from oe twin while hospitalised with the other at 10m

I think your supply will be ok and no reason for the baby to refuse it on your return

[alieh]

Thank you all! Very helpful.

[alieh]

Just wanted to update this thread in case anyone comes across it in future. My research indicates that there are anti-malarials that can be taken whilst breastfeeding, especially older babies (though, as with anything related to medicines and breastfeeding, there is very little conclusive evidence).