Going away for the weekend but I don't want to wean?

So my ds is now 13.5 months and still happliy breastfed :) He only has a morning (when he wakes up and comes into my bed) and evening feed now (about half an hour before bedtime) and a midnight snack (3-4 times per week). He eats really well and drinks lots of water and some cows milk (but not much). This is all great....BUT

We have a wedding in Mudgee (about 4-5 hours away) coming up in October and we will be away for two nights. It is a child free wedding (except really little bubbas) which we are fine with (the bride and groom had to draw the line somewhere or they would have had stack of kids to cater for as well!!!)We have known about the wedding for ages and always thought we would have weaned by then - but we haven't and I don't WANT to :( - I LOVE breastfeeding. So I am stressing about what to do?

Will two days make my milk dry up? I have a manual pump (somewhere:rolleyes:) that I didn't really ever use much but I could use to avoid engorgement - even though they never feel full anymore. If I do have a supply drop - will that force weaning? Will my DS forget my boobies in two days? I know there probably isnt an answer to some of this - but I need to ask anyway:redface:

DS is staying with my parents and it will be our first time ever apart - I am crying just thinking about it:cry: My cousin (who lives with us) will stay at my parents too and he loves her and knows her well so hopefully he will cope without his mumma and her boobies:pray:

Any guidance or advice aboout any or all of my ramblings gratefully received!

it's only two days - if you pump while you're away it'll be fine (you will need to express to avoid engorgment). Might have some effect on your supply, but he can sort that out once you're back. If he's a keen boobie man then you should be right. Call the ABA before and afer for any advice or support you might need
Being away from your baby will be tough! Hope the wedding is lovely and you ahve a great time

I went away for 3 days when my DD was 15 months and resumed BF as soon as I got back, she was feeding a similar amount to you DS. Have done it again subsequently (work trips) and never had an issue resuming when I got back. Have fun :)

My DS had a bad head-cold whilst I was pregnant with DD and didn't feed for three or four days - I thought that would be the end of it especially as I was about twenty-five weeks pregnant at the time. But after those few days he just kept feeding again, I suspect it was sheer determination and love for the boobie that kept him at it because I'm sure I didn't have much supply by then. So I wouldn't worry too much if I were you - he'll probably get back into the swing of things no problems once you get back from the wedding.

Hope you have fun!

I think you will be fine without pumping for 2 days, it takes a while to dry up. At 18 months my DS was nursing only every few days. During weaning he went a whole week without nursing and I still had milk left.

Just wanted to wish you an enjoyable weekend. Your DS will probably not be affected at all by the break in terms of bfing. As the others have said, you will need to express for your own comfort. Have fun!

oooh Mudgee!! that's my hometown :p shame it's also about 5 1/2 hours from where I live now! Lol. Good luck with it all, I'm sure your DS will be fine with only a short break :)

Thanks so much everyone. I'm looking forward to the break, but anxious about leaving my baby :( He'll be sooooo well looked after but we have never been apart overnight! Our breastfeeding journey has been so great, with no hassles so I hope the boobs don't let me down.

Ness - I've only been to Mudgee once and never with my Dh so we are really looking forward to it. I'm a country girl (Nyngan) so it will be nice to head west :) I'm also looking forward to letting my hair down and an uninterrupted nights sleep!!! Unless I'm UTD (:crossfingers::shhh:) I plan to consume plenty of champagne too!:D

Slightly OT - you're in Nyngan?? So cool - a good friend of mine has a farm near Nyngan!

He's my friend's cousin and I met him while he was in Melbourne working for a few years before taking up a bigger role in the family farm. I've been saying for years I want to go up and see the farm and visit but other things have taken priority!!

Enjoy the wedding :D

Thanks OP, I grew up in Nyngan, but live on the Central Coast now.

I left the twins when they were a similar age and feeding a similar amount. I needed to express for comfort, and my boobs leaked like crazy so breast pads would have been a good idea. Luckily I was on a midwives retreat so none of them batted an eye at my milky tops and they gave me lots of expressing advice, but a pump would have been better.

It can be hard the first time you leave them.

I have no advice on the breastfeeding front but I think a practice one night away before the main event is a good idea. Two nights is a long time so a shorter stay before will help make the weekend go smoothly and might mean you stress a bit less.

Could you possibly take him with you & yoru cousin that lives with you & have her look after him at the hotel(accommodation) while you are at the wedding?

Thanks everyone. Hmmm, breastpads are a good idea, I'll have to buy some nice ones. I hate the sposies, so scratchy :( a trial run is a good idea too, will have to get organising.

We did think about bringing him but accom is so exy and there are 3 other weddings we prob wouldn't get another room now anyway.

If it helps CF, my DH & I just had our first night away from my Blake (we were belly buddies if you remember) to go to a wedding about 2 1/2 hrs away from home last night. My PIL came up and stayed at our place with DS. I was a little concerned how Blake would go as lately he's been waking 2hrly :rolleyes: and was only feeding back to sleep and wasn't keen on anyone but me putting him back to sleep. But he was fine, I left a few bottles of EBM for him and he only just used the last one up for his morning sleep about 1/2 hr before we got home. (He was still asleep when we got back). I ended up expressing a couple of times in the car (once on the way up, once after the ceremony which was on the brides parent's farm where the reception was also) and in our motel room after getting back that night and again this morning before we left.

So I guess my recommendation is - find your pump, maybe have a couple of bottles of EBM for the grandparents and your Blake, and enjoy yourself. Given it's 2 nights maybe a practice night would be useful. (oh and definitely recommend Maz's Bpads)