Another going away post...

[@llli*calisun]

Hello Mamas,

I'll be away from my 17-month old DS for 3 days and 2 nights, traveling for work. Unfortunately, the travel cannot be avoided. DS BFs about 3 times a day (before I leave for work, after I come back. I'm typically gone between 9 AM-5PM) and who knows how many times at night!

I used to pump at work untill DS turned a year old at which point he started to refuse the bottle. We haven't gone back to the bottle since then. Couple of topics which I could use your thoughts on:
1. I have a huge freezer stash. I tried giving him some BM in a open cup, straw cup and bottle. He refused all three (he drinks water from an open cup and straw cup fine, never used a sippy). Any other ways I could try? He has also refused cow milk from all 3. His solid intake varies wildly from one day to the next, so I'm concerned how he is going to go without milk for 3 days.
2. We never switched from his old newborn slow-flow bottle till we completely got rid of them at 1 year. Could that be the reason he started refusing the bottle then (and now)?
2. His grandmother (my MIL) watches him when I'm at work. He naps with her. However, he has never slept at night without BFing first. DH is very worried how he is going to fall asleep without me. Any ideas?

I plan to pump thrice in a 24-hour period when I'm gone, as some of you mentioned in this recent post:

http://forums.llli.org/showthread.ph...en-how-to-pump
Thanks for your help!

[@llli*calisun]

Also, will he wean if he ends up not taking any BM for the time I'm gone? Both of us enjoy the relationship and I'm not ready to give it up just yet...

[@llli*still.here]

I'd tell your husband to try the bottle to get him to sleep. He may take it since you'll be gone. I was really worried about my daughter going to sleep/staying to sleep when I left for the weekend when she was 19 mos old, but she did just fine. She knew I wasn't there so there was no point in fussing. My DH said she woke less with me gone, in fact. She had been weaned off bottles since she was about 13 mos and she took one here and there, but didn't really want them at night the way I thought she would. Don't worry too much about nutrition. Your LO can go three days without nursing and be fine. He'll either up his solids or drink the bottle and whatever he misses he'll probably make up as soon as you get back.

Around a year is a very typical time to wean from the bottle. I doubt it had anything to do with anything you did. That's when my daughter started refusing them as well, though she continued to nurse until she was two.

I doubt very much he'll wean in three days. I bet when you get back he'll be really excited to see you and reconnect with a nice long nursing session.