Countdown to returning to work - how should I prepare?

[Writemove]

It's just under two months until I return to work after mat leave and I'm stuck.

My ds is almost 9 months now and will be 10.5 months when I go back to work full time.

His nursery settling in has just started but everything else is a mess. He breastfeeds to sleep, he likes naps in calm dark rooms, and his routine is v much ad hoc.

He'll be in nursery 9 til 5. I'll be doing mornings and dh will do bedtime winddown as I'll get home at 7pm. How is this going to work?

How do I wean him? What do I need to do between now and September to make this work? I want to make the transition easy for him but I don't know where to start.

[BrianButterfield]

Let nursery worry about the routine! Honestly, it's amazing how they get kids to sleep, to take bottles, all sorts. 1.5 months is long enougj foe everything to change anyway.

[Writemove]

Thank you Brian. That's reassuring.
I guess the nursery settling in made it all real to me and now I'm worrying. I will try to relax a bit more (easier said than done )

[PisforPeter]

Just enjoy your mat leave. It will all work out I promise. I regret stressing too much about going back to work.

[melliebobs]

My dd was 10 month when I went back to work. Nursery were grinning ear to ear that she didn't have a routine as she could just slot in and go with the flow with how the baby room ran. Dd was also a bugger to get to sleep but it's surprising how quickly they adjust. Especially as she was doing 5 days a week 8-5:30

[Writemove]

Thanks Mellie and Peter. That's reassuring.

I know he'll do better than me. I just felt like I should start thinking about weaning or at least stopping feeding to sleep - so many bad habits!

I like the idea that no routine could actually be easier for the nursery. I hadn't thought about that.

[Swannykazoo]

Going back in a few weeks - PFB is nearly 7 months, still BF and DH is taking the rest of mat leave. Marking place for confidence it WILL all be fine....

[CMOTDibbler]

I agree with letting nursery deal with it - in a different enviroment babies will happily do completely different things. When my ds was still bf to sleep, he'd happily sleep in a cot at nursery with a muslin (which he never had at home).

[Writemove]

Puggler it WILL be fine. Good luck.

I guess it's a big change whether I try and do something now (and probably fail) or wait til ds starts nursery and let them cope. They'll have to make it work.

Thank you everyone for giving me permission to enjoy my last few weeks of mat leave without trying to start a brand new routine.

[Pinter]

Will you be expressing? I wish I'd had more of a freezer stash.

Our childminder worked out a way of helping DC nap, even though it's usually a sling or pram job, so don't worry about that

It may be that your DC reverse cycles with the bf, which is a killer when you've got work the next day. BUT! It only lasted a couple of days for us & we got a new routine

Good luck!

[Writemove]

Pinter I was originally planning to express but in the last week - with the arrival of four teeth and he start I pulling, twisting and pinching - I'm beginning to come to the end of enjoying bf.

I think it would be hard to express at work - pretty full on job - and a lot of hassle for not much nutritional gain.

Ideally I'd like to bf morning and night and then top up with formula or maybe even cow's milk (a bit early as he'll be 10.5 months). He's never had formula so that's a big ask. And it's another reason to feel guilty.

I've read about reverse cycling but as he's still up four times a night I can't imagine it'll be much worse. We often end up co sleeping with him having a nipple in his mouth. He can feed nicely then as long as he wants and he barely wakes me. Not ideal bit might help.

[Swannykazoo]

Hey write -snap on the sleeping arrangements! I'll be expressing at work as rascal child is dairy and soya allergic. Its def not quite the same as BFing so if you're thinking about it -try your pump etc. (Looking forward to making sure my theatre list has a decent lunch break so I can milk myself -oh yes)