It happened again yesterday and I just hate these phone calls, which I get
on a semi-regular basis.  A mother called needing to know how to wean her
6-month-old during the next month because she and her husband are going out
of the country for 10 days and leaving baby behind.  A couple of weeks ago
I talked to another mother about how she could maintain her milk supply for
4 days while she and husband took the 3-year-old to Disney World and left
the 9-month-old with grandma.  My immediate thought is always "what in the
world is the matter with you!" but I bite my tongue and discuss their
options for doing what they intend to do.  Then I always do ask whether
they've considered taking baby along and try my best to gently push that
option.

Often they have considered taking baby, but besides the "hassle," seem to
really think that baby will be better off staying behind.  The mother
yesterday was open to the information that the separation would be *very*
difficult for her baby, whether she weaned or not, and was open to any
written material I could find.  So that's the question.  Do any of you have
a good reference for this?  A couple pages out of a book, or an article
that explains that this is an awful thing to do to a securely bonded baby?
I could find info about separation anxiety, etc., but no reference at all
to the effects of an extended separation.  Perhaps one of you has something
you've found to offer in similar situations.  Thanks!

Becky Krumwiede, RN, IBCLC, Appleton, Wisconsin
[log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]