Babble

i have a business trip coming up in december but that means i have to leave my 5 month old son to fend for himself (with his stay at home dad). doesn't sound so horrible, except i'm still breast feeding. so do i leave for 2 weeks, pump in awkward un-pump friendly bathrooms and throw away the milk? and risk baby losing interest in breast feeding when i return? i would ship the milk but i'm traveling to asia and i don't think it would make it through customs. besides we don't have any family or friends around to help out, and my husband will inevitably get cabin fever. but do i step down from this trip and possibly jepoardize my career? tough call...any advice?

No advice, only confirmation that this would be a nightmare for me, too. It would kill me to leave my child, it would kill me to possibly lose my child to the bottle, and it would kill me to watch my milk go down the drain. Any possibility that you could get the milk frozen to ship?

I don't know what you do, and how important the career is to you, but I've noticed that I'm less ambitious right now. My son is 5 months right now, and I ended up taking a job that pays less just to be home in time for my husband to leave for work. And I passed up a teaching job (at night) because I wasn't ready to let someone else put my son to bed, even though it was great money for a short time.

Good luck.

I travel tons, and my fantastic hubby takes care of our now 2-year old when I'm out and about (or my in-laws come and stay for a few weeks). I confess...I stopped nursing after maternity leave at 4 months. Though I felt like an awful mother, and it saddened me initially not to have that bond..but I got over it a week later.

The other side of the coin was that my husband took on a larger role in the bonding process. In the end, you have to do what's right for you (I know, no-brainer). I'm not an ambitious gal and I don't need the money (not that I'm independently wealthy, but I'm low maintenance), but I love the work that I do, and it makes me a happy mommy and wife.

I'm expecting baby no. 2 in April, and so far, we don't plan on changing our arrangement. By the way, no one else puts my baby to bed (I work 4 days a week, so does my hubby...baby goes to daycare 3 days), cooks for us, or cleans my house. We do all of that ourselves...

You can squeeze in an extra pump or two a day until your trip and stock up on milk. Milk can stay in the freezer for quite awhile. Maybe one extra pump when you wake up-that's when I have the most milk.

 And one extra pump before bed. Then your husband can feed breastmilk in a bottle and alternate with formula (if you don't have enough).

Bring a breast pump on your trip so your supply doesn't run out and you'll pretty much have to pump and dump.

-working mom breastfeeding for 8 months

 i was traveling for a top 4 consulting firm 2 weeks after I returned from maternity leave. I was successful at keeping up with breastfeeding, but you have to decide  how dedicated you are. Yes, many things are hard to deal with, but i wouldn't jepordize your career by backing out of it - that is what they (coworkers/boss) are expecting. Prove them wrong. Here is what i did:

Feed your baby right before you leave to the airport. Timing is the key in planning while gone  from your baby.Security won't let you through with fluids, so plan on pumping on the plane.Carry your pump with you and explain what it is to security! ha! On the plane -  Tell the attendants you are going to be in the restroom pumping for 20 minute. Not the best place to pump but stay positive! Make sure to get ice to keep your milk fresh! I put it in the extra bottle in my pump bag.,

I assume you already have a good medela or ameda electrical breastpump. I invested in both. Purchase a from easy expressions bustier  for hands free pumping. http://momsboutique.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product58.html

At the hotel  - Set you cell phone alarm for your night time pumping scedule. the same times your baby normally wakes you to feed.

Have your hotel clear out the mini fridge so you can store your milk. 

Purchase large hard plastic water/storage bottles so you can combine your milk. Roughly estimate how many ounces you will pump in a day. I needed about 25, 20oz bottles for a 3 or 4 day trip. Pack them in your luggage. Also pack a soft cooler for your return flight.

return flight -  make an ice pack for your cooler by getting extra trash bags from hotel staff. Have them triple bag  the ice. If you have a night flight but have to check out in the morning figure out a way to get make a new ice pack. I would walk into another hotel and find staff for ice in a triple bag and give them a big tip.

you are going to have to trust the airline and check your cooler. They can tag it as medical meds? so it is priority 

I did this for a year....hope this helps