I am due to go back to work in a month and am worrying about how I can possibly leave my six month old DS2
The plan is at the end of January DH will work 3 days a week (over weekend) and look after the baby 4 days a week. I will work four days a week in February then full time from March. From March DS2 will be seven months old and he'll go to nursery three full days, go to grandma one day and with DH one day My worries are
- He won't take a full feed from a bottle. The most he will take is about 2 oz then a bit of baby rice mixed with breast milk which i recently introduced to get a bit more milk in him when i am not there. After the first couple of ounces he won't go back the bottle but cries for boob and pushes the bottle away. He clamps his mouth shut, arches his back and gets really upset if i put the teat anywhere near his mouth. I can tell he's still hungry and I usually end up breast feeding him about twenty minutes later when he has a really long feed as if he's been desperate for milk.
I have visions of him screaming for me and I am not there. Will he accept the full bottle if I am not there? I worry about him being upset and not getting enough milk. I know he will have some solid food by then but milk is supposed to be main source of nutrition at this age. Does anyone have experiences to share to maybe put my mind at rest or to help the transition?
Is it better to go cold turkey and just leave him with DH for a few hours and see what happens? Or take softer approach and offer him bottle each day to see if he takes a bit more?
- He won't nap in his cot during the day. Even if I feed him to sleep his eyes ping open when I lay him down. He's got used to napping in the pram on walks or in car seat when I am out and about. I am going to work on this, any tips? I have tried laying him down when he's sleepy and full but he just kicks his arms and legs about before eventually starting to scream. Is it worth introducing a dummy to help soothe him? I have tried when he was younger but he just spat it out.
- He's still waking three times a night for a feed. I expect this will increase if he's not getting enough milk in the day.
Any advice would be great and which issue should j tackle first. Am thinking its more important to get him to take a bottle?
Thanks in advance
Ps I can't extend my maternity leave as I am the main earner and our savings have been used up