Family Forum / Pregnancy / Breastfeeding / August 2005

This may seem a bizarre question, but I'm curious -
with a 7.5 mo old breastfed infant, previously exclusively BF but eating
solids quite well since 6 mos (started solids at 5 mos), and now nursing
frequently when mom is around, but handling time away ok without EBM or
nursing... how long would you "let" her go without at least offering some
EBM?

Here's the reason I ask:

Lilah does great when I'm away at work Saturday mornings and Friday
evenings. Saturday I'm gone about 8 am to 1 pm, and sometimes when I get
back she isn't even that interested in nursing (of course she's usually
just finished having lunch and sometimes is full from that, or sometimes
is tired and wants a nap and will take two or three sucks and drop off).

We have an upcoming dinner party invitation. The shindig starts at 6 pm,
and is literally about a 2 minute drive from home (4 minutes with traffic

"leave her a bottle," and I'm thinking "well, she hasn't had a bottle
since she was about 5.5 mos old...maybe just a sippy cup...but, hey, maybe
she doesn't need anything!" :) I mean, not that it would hurt to leave the
EBM - in fact, there WILL be EBM here, because I have probably 10 oz or so
frozen in my freezer and I certainly don't plan to use it before then. The
question is - should I tell my mom I don't expect L to need it, and to
only use it if she seems to need it at bedtime (or any other time she
seems to really need it), or should I tell her to go ahead and give it
either way if we aren't home by 10 pm and the baby is up, or...??

Just curious about people's thoughts on the matter.

BTW when I am home with her in the evening, her pattern is highly
variable. Some nights she nurses around 7 pm, nods off for 2 hours, nurses
again, then sleeps til midnight-1 am; some nights she eats dinner around 5
pm and nods off without nursing around 6:30, waking again at maybe 9,
nursing, and going back to sleep. She does usually have one good evening
nursing session... but, I'm not convinced she really would "need" it. I'm
reasonably sure she could be put back to bed without if IF I WERE AWAY :)

I'm probably overthinking this. The fact is my mom will probably ignore
what I say and give EBM no matter what :). But I do enjoy having that
stash there "for emergencies." You know, like, if I go out to get the mail
and get hit by a rogue school bus... :)