Should I cancel trip for baby?

[@llli*karrieperry]

I need to take a 4 day trip this coming Friday. The problem is that my baby, EBF and does not take a bottle, will only nurse side-lying down position. 90% of the time only at home and only in my bed or on the floor. I have tried other people's beds, nursing outside on the grass, even nursing in the trunk of my car! Of the at least 20+ attempts she has nursed well once outside in the woods. I really doubt the "if she gets hungry enough she'll eat" thing, unless it is actually true??

The trip is a 4 hour ride, and we'll be at my mom's. I don't know what to do but I'm geting really anxious and upset about the whole thing. It's my mom's graduation from her university, and I really don't want to miss it. She gave up college to raise me so it's a pretty big deal. However I just can't see how this trip could work...anyone have any thoughts?

[@llli*still.here]

Can you just plan to make lots of stops to feed the baby? To side-lie you might be able to lean the seat all the way back and lay on your side.

[@llli*lllmeg]

What is your option? You can't miss this. Well, you can of course, but clearly this is very meaningfull for you and you mom.
Some ideas-Bring your own sheets and blankets so the bed at your moms smells familiar. Likewise anything else that will make the room more like at home-nightlight, curtains etc.
For the four hour drive, plan it in order to move fast as possible, an infant will be fine not nursing 4hours for the drive.
Have you ever tried cup feeding? This can work well for baby who refuses bottles. Practice before hand-jack Newman has a cup feeding video on his website. Bring your pump jic. If there is any way to leave earlier if things are really bad that is something to consider.
Your baby may not nurse well at all, but the trip is only four days. Kids get sick for that long and don't eat well all the time. As long as baby nurses enough to maintain and not get dehydrated all should be fine.

[@llli*karrieperry]

What is your option? You can't miss this. Well, you can of course, but clearly this is very meaningfull for you and you mom.
Some ideas-Bring your own sheets and blankets so the bed at your moms smells familiar. Likewise anything else that will make the room more like at home-nightlight, curtains etc.
For the four hour drive, plan it in order to move fast as possible, an infant will be fine not nursing 4hours for the drive.
Have you ever tried cup feeding? This can work well for baby who refuses bottles. Practice before hand-jack Newman has a cup feeding video on his website. Bring your pump jic. If there is any way to leave earlier if things are really bad that is something to consider.
Your baby may not nurse well at all, but the trip is only four days. Kids get sick for that long and don't eat well all the time. As long as baby nurses enough to maintain and not get dehydrated all should be fine.

Thank you so much for this. I was crying about it today thinking baby is going to think I'm a bad mom or how bad my mom would feel if I didn't come! But, this is a once in a lifetime thing and I really never thought about how babies could go that long if they were sick.

Love the idea of bringing the curtains and bedding. Makes so much sense. I'll bring everything but the mattress. Also hadn't really considered just trying to get there as quickly (but safely) as possible and skipping trying to feed her if possible. I think we'll just leave right after she's had a good meal. She can sometimes go 3-4 hours if she's napping/full/distracted.

[@llli*karrieperry]

Can you just plan to make lots of stops to feed the baby? To side-lie you might be able to lean the seat all the way back and lay on your side.

I have tried laying across the seats, but we don't fit. I could try this tomorrow when we're out and see how it goes.

[@llli*karrieperry]

Update: the trip went great! She nursed just as she does at home, I think making the bed exactly the same by using all of our things really helped. She even nursed at an outdoor place on the way back which never happens! She was very happy the whole trip, maybe cried 5-10 min in 4 days, and spent 8 hours in the car. I'd say that's success for a traveling baby who doesn't take a pacifier.

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

Glad to hear the trip went well, that's great!

[@llli*lllmeg]

So glad you were able to do the trip!

[@llli*andie613]

Glad to hear the trip went well! I had to go out of town unexpectedly last week for 2 days and was worried about how nursing and napping would go--my LO sticks to a pretty set routine with nursing down for naps. Things also went well: nursing and napping in a women's lounge (couch in ladies room), lots of nursing in the car, slept OK in a pack n play. What I learned: don't stop living your life. Babies are fairly adaptable, and it's good to change things up every once in awhile so that when you do need to take trips, etc, baby isn't totally upset .