Anyone with 16-ish week old?

[SpringCrane]

Hi ladies! I'm part of a bachelorette party that's being planned for when my baby will be about 16 weeks old, and I'm trying to get a feel for reality at that point. Life's a blur from my son's early months!

The proposed plan would be a 3 day stay about a 5 hour drive away. I just don't know how I'll do it at that point. How often are you nursing? Would you feel up to it mentally/emotionally right now?

The things I'm considering are how it'd be for my husband to be home alone with a 3 y/o and 16 week old solo (he's encouraging me to go and no worry myself), how often I'd have to pump to keep up my supply, how I'd feel emotionally about separation at the point, how much milk I'd have to have stored for baby before, and how early I'd have to introduce a bottle to make sure baby will take it.

Some options are going for just one night (but that means a five hour drive two days in a row, solo), or having my family go along so I could still be with baby at night and be close should it be necessary.

I never really pumped or bottle fed my son, so I have no idea how any of that works.

Can anyone give me a reality check about life with a 16 week old?? I'm the only one participating that has kids, so the other girls aren't really thinking about the same lines as I am. But the bride is a dear, dear friend, and I want to be there to celebrate her special time.

Thanks!

 

[Aliop]

My 16 week old may be a bad example as he def doesn't fit the description of a 'good' baby but he feeds every 3-4hrs through the day and every 2 hours overnight. Breastfed and would require at least 10 150ml feeds per day! As I said not a good example lol I'm exhausted so there'd be no way I could drive that far but if your baby is a 'good' baby I imagine it would be ok

 

[Rainbow82]

DS was a very good baby sleeping a good six hours between 10pmand 4 am at that point but no way I'd have felt ready to leave him for three days at that point, if I was in your situation I would probably take them with you so they are close if needed.

Eta hats off to your DH though for telling you to go and not worry for three days while he takes care of two kids, I know a few men who would do the same but plenty who wouldn't!

 

[icklemonster]

DS won't take a bottle for love nor money so maybe not a good example. My DD had a bottle every night from a week old but she had a fantastic latch. WIth DS I had such problems feeding him early on (completely unexpected after a very successful BFing relationship with DD) and I was strongly advised not to introduce a bottle early on. By the time breastfeeding was 'established' it was game over on the bottle front.
The whole situation taught me you really don't know what kind of baby you are going to have. DS only feeds twice from 7.30pm to 8am (dreamfeed at 11pm and one night feed) so is much easier than DD on that front, but he does eat about every 1.5 hours during the day.
I agree with PP, can you get your OH and kids to travel with you if needed and stay close by? You might be lucky with a great feeder early on though xx

 

[SpringCrane]

Thanks ladies. I think I will try to get the whole family to come along. Especially when you factor in the possibility of the 4-month sleep regression hitting at the same time... I think it'd be better for everyone if I was there with them at night and nearby should something come up. Fingers crossed I get a perfect baby that's happy to go along with anything, but reality suggests it'll be otherwise ;-)

 

[yazzy]

My little boy is breastfed but will also take a bottle if needed however for me personally even at 18 weeks I couldn't leave him for a day let alone 3.

 

[MummyKP]

My LO feeds every 2 1/2 - 3 hours in the day and anything from every 3-5 hours during the night. She probably has 4-5oz every feed if I was to pump, and I find pumping really boring so I couldn't imagine pumping enough to last three days of feeds. I haven't done a night away from lo yet, Ive managed a couple of hours and that's it.