Tips for Leaving Baby During the Holidays

From the BreastReading Blog "The Breastfeeding Mother's Quick Guide to Surviving the Holidays"

Surviving Holiday Parties while Breastfeeding

Every year I get calls, too, from moms who want to attend holiday parties while breastfeeding. For many moms, it's their first time away from baby (and one of their first opportunities to drink, too 😁).

These are the top things families ask about with regard to leaving their babies for a few hours for the first time:

• I'll be gone from 6-12 pm. How much milk should I leave my baby?

It all depends on your babies age and weight, but doing a trial run a few days before can not only let you see how bottlefeeding could go, but it'll also give you a sense of how much your baby feels satisfied with. Some moms use breastmilk calculators available online to see more or less what their baby needs. Using the paced bottle feeding technique will also help baby pace their feeds similar to how they pace themselves at your breast.

• My party is next week but my baby has never taken a bottle. What do I do?

If you suspect your baby will ever need to be bottle-fed, introducing a bottle to your baby once breastfeeding is established can be a good idea. Whether you're going back to work, or simply leaving for a few hours to attend a holiday party, teaching a baby to take a bottle if you're planning for any type of separation will reduce stress for your baby, their caregiver and you!

• My party is next week. When do I start pumping?

My biggest recommendation would be to do a practice run of pumping to get a sense of how your breasts respond to the pump.

•And the famous one...I drank last night. Can I still breastfeed my baby.

Yes, probably...and the answer to that one is in this recent blog about drinking and breastfeeding.

​Did you find these topics helpful? What other holiday survival advice could you use? And if you have some to share, please comment below!

I wish you and your babies the absolute breast this holiday season! 🎄