Breastfeeding 11 month old baby and planning a weekend away in 2 weeks time

[lrpolo]

I'm thinking of leaving baby at home with my mum/husband and spending the weekend away from her for the first time in 2 weeks time, she'll be 11.5 months old, ie nearly 1 yr. I actually don't want to stop breast feeding yet, it was only because I was wondering how baby would cope being away from me that I realised she is actually at the age where she could be stopped. I've not really been using beakers/bottle for milk. She had milk from a bottle a few times pre 6 months old when I was out and I'd leave her with mum, but that pretty much stopped when she started solids. So I'm not sure the best way to prepare for this event, should I start giving her milk in a beaker during the day now and only breast feed at night, and then just hope she'll be OK with a bottle at night time when I go away for that weekend. And then continue with maybe just night time feeds when I come back? Or will it be too traumatic for the baby and therefore my mum/husband? Do you think it will be OK for my mum to give her normal full fat cow's milk during this time? Or will it all be OK lol

 

[MommieMid]

It is quite a change for a fully breastfed baby to suddenly have no breastfeeding night and day, so you are correct that you need to work towards your absence, well in advance. What are her usual demand times for breastfeeding and which solid food is she taking well? How often does she breastfeed through the night?
Are you able to express breast milk and store it for her before your trip? A change to formula baby milk is significant and your baby may reject the milk as the taste is quite different. Cow's milk formula needs to be introduced gradually in a normally fully breastfed baby.
Full fat cow's milk is not recommended until 12 months of age.