Is it okay to pause breastfeeding a 6-week-old for 24 hours?
My wife is breastfeeding our 6-week-old baby. She has to make a trip overseas for 24 hours and cannot bring the baby due to passport issues.
The baby is used to drinking expressed milk from a bottle with no issues and also the occasional formula bottle, but is primarily fed from the breast. She will continue to extract milk to keep up production whilst on the trip.
Can the baby be off the breast for 24 hours and resume being breast fed afterwards? Our concern is that the baby will "forget" how to drink directly from the breast.
(2)2 Comments
Sorted by latest first Latest Oldest Best
The baby is used to drinking expressed milk from a bottle with no issues and also the occasional formula bottle
Since your baby is already comfortable taking a bottle, there is much less of chance of nipple confusion when they're not breastfeed for 24 hours.
Can the baby be off the breast for 24 hours and resume being breast fed afterwards?
24 hours is a short enough time to where not breast feeding it's not likely to cause issues for the baby. I recommend speaking with a lactation consultant for medical advice.
I recommend that the mother or breast-feeding parent should continue to pump breastmilk (and toss probably) to keep her milk production up and avoid mastitis. I recommend that you continue to use a properly sized nipple so that the baby still has to do some work to get the milk (or formula) or you increase your risk of nipple confusion, because the baby may learn that milks comes out easier from the bottle otherwise.
Babies do not need to be taught to nurse, so I wouldn't expect one day without "Mom" to be an issue. Several days without nursing may affect the babies preferences, but one day shouldn't be a big deal. You stated that
The baby is used to drinking expressed milk from a bottle
which indicates that the baby is used to sometimes bottle, sometimes breast. Another reason that one day without breastfeeding shouldn't be a problem.
Baby Reflexes: 5 instincts she's born with
Terms of Use Privacy policy Contact About Cancellation policy © freshhoot.com2025 All Rights reserved.