Weaning a 7.5 Month Old to a Sippy Cup

Babies that young still really need to suck. She will probably be miserable for whoever is watching her those nights you are gone but I don't think that's any reason to totally wean her, unless you just really want to? I really wouldn't recommend it before 12 months at least, but if you need to do it then do it slowly, and leave her with someone else as much as possible. The more she sees and smells you the more she's going to want the breast.

If you're weaning from the breast, it doesn't matter if you go to a cup or a bottle. The process won't be any different. The best way to wean is to do it gradually and to start with the least emotional feedings. If you have enough time, it's great to wait at least 3-5 days between each dropped feeding so she doesn't feel like it's too sudden, and to help with your own engorgement.

Emotional feedings are usually those at bedtime and first thing in the morning. When I weaned both of my kids, I started with the mid-morning feeding first, then the mid-afternoon. After that, I did the bedtime one and weaned the first thing in the morning feeding last.

Once you stop a feeding, don't go back. You have to be consistent so she doesn't get confused.

I truly believe that a baby needs to suck, it's ingrained in their nature, it's how they work to stay alive. So weaning this baby to a cup is risky, in my opinion, I know you want her to drink enough but she needs to suck. If she doesn't get that base desire to suck met by her drink she is likely going to find something that gives her that satisfaction, such as a thumb or finger, the edge of a blanket, a toy's arm, etc....she will suck because she is programmed to suck.

If you truly want to wean, then go for it but a few over night occasions doesn't mean you need to completely wean off the breast and onto formula. Just start introducing her to formula slowly before you go so she'll be used to it and continue to do both. As far as discomfort for you if you are unable to pump enough for relief on your trips, just manually express in a warm shower until you are comfortable. Let someone other than you offer her formula in a bottle when she is hungry and see how she does, lots of babies don't want anything other than the breast from Mom but will take a bottle from Dad or grandma. I don't think I'd be confident that a baby this young could get enough liquids from a sippy, at this point breastmilk or formula should be her primary nutrition still and a sippy isn't as easy for them to drink what they need to before getting bored or tired of it.

Just leave the formula. No need to wean just for an overnight occassion. Unless you truly want to.

Has she ever had Formula before?
She may not, even take that nor drink it.
So you need to try it before you leave.

Then, some babies will take Formula, but then they will prefer that and may reject, breast.

Once you wean her completely off breast for these overnighters... then when you return home, then what? You will breastfeed her again? Or not?
Then wean her again, when you go on the next overnighter?
etc.

Then, you may get engorged. So you may need to still, pump or just express it out under a warm shower and it goes down the drain.
Just to get the excess out and reduce engorgement and pain from it.

And, will she actually drink from the sippy cup, with Formula in it?

Just some things to think about.

Weaning a baby... does not happen over night.
It is a process.
It can take, time.
And sometimes it just does not go according to plan.

I breastfed both my kids.
My 1st child, would NOT NOT NOT take any bottle or sippy with breastmilk in it or anything. I tried, MANY MANY different bottles and brands and nipples.
My 2nd child, would take a bottle. But then, he ONLY wanted a bottle. Not breast. Because a bottle is easier to suck from.

Many babies won't take a bottle or sippy because it is not, Mommy.

I would consider staying home or bringing her with me. Unless it is a must for work, it can wait. Your baby is more important then a night out on the town.