Q: Travel while nursing?
Posted
Tuesday, December 18, 2007 5:51 PM
Q: My baby boy will be 3 months old and
I have been breastfeeding. I have plans to bring my two
daughters to New York City
for the day and am unable to leave him with anyone because he refuses to take a
bottle. This one is a fighter! Any suggestions?
Andi Silverman: Is there any possibility you could bring your son, too? Is
there anyone you can bring with you to New
York to help you handle all three kids? If so,
I think it might be worth it to bring him. Some babies who are
exclusively breastfeed can have a hard time learning to drink from a bottle. Of
course every baby is different, so if it's important to you to go with just
your daughters, you'll have to do some preparation before leaving.
First of all, you'll want to spend some time for at least a week before you leave
getting your son to the point where he will take a bottle. You might want
to have someone other than you work on this. In addition, you'll need to
pump enough breastmilk to leave behind. If not, he'll have to drink
formula. And finally, while you are away, you'll need to pump at the same
times that he would be eating back home. This will enable you to maintain
your milk supply, and also ensure that your breasts don't become engorged.
And if you do bring him to New York
City for the day, don't worry about where you'll be
able to feed him. It's quite common to see women in NY breastfeeding
their babes all over the place. You'll have lots of company.
Guest breastfeeding expert Andi Silverman is the author of Mama Knows Breast: A Beginners Guide to Breastfeeding and a mother of two. Read her blog at www.mamaknowsbreast.com, and send your questions to editors@thenestbaby.com
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