Please help - tips needed to help daddy get a breastfed-to-sleep baby to sleep!

[Alva]

My ten-month-old ds is almost always fed to sleep; very unwise, I know, but usually so handy. I am starting to see the problems with this appraoch, though!
Tomorrow night I have the chance of a rare night out. Dh will be babysitting, and will have to get ds to sleep (bedtime 8.00pm, and I'll need to leave by 6.30pm after giving ds supper at 6.00pm). Further complication - this child doesn't drink from bottles and, while he drinks well from a cup, has only ever had sips of milk this way.
As I type this sounds trickier and trickier - all strategies for a calm and peaceful evening very welcome!

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Well, I dont know if it will be calm and peaceful, but, if your DS is really hungry/thirsty, he'll drink from a bottle or cup. If not, he'll get tired sooner or later....It wont hurt him to miss one feed.

Your Dh can try wearing something that smells of you whilst feeding, DS might be a bit old for that, but worth a try.

Try and enjoy your evening out!

[goreousgirl]

1 - try bottle again
2- leave daddy with expressed milk, bottle and cup
3-give a huge loving feed before you go
4- know, that even if your baby were to have no food, no water no anything during your (4 hour max) absence, that your son won't suffer in any way - no matter what!!!
5 - Even if he doesn't sleep, daddy will have precious bonding time, and you will be a little rested.

Expect the worst, hope for the best and have your night out - and do dh the honour of enjoying it, rather than letting him think it was all a waste of time.....

[Alva]

Thanks guys - we'll give these a go!

[gothicmama]

hold and rock with dad singing nad have a hanky that smells of you

[Jackstini]

try background noise while rocking - for us the hoover, hairdryer or extractor fan works

[Alva]

Thank you for the great suggestions. Something must have worked, as all went very smoothly!

[SleeySal]

Hav e you ried the "breast" shaped bottles? We tried Tommee Tippee back to nature and they worked well

As others have said enjoy your night out

[Alva]

Sleeysal, we tried a whole bunch of different bottles when he was younger, but stopped trying a few months ago as he's nearly 11 months and I read somewhere that babies should use cups rather than bottles from a year.
I have to say that bottles just look sooo handy, tho, and babies seem to drink much more steadily from them; my ds just takes little sips from a cup.
What do people think about bottles for babies past a year old? Maybe we should try again!

[SleeySal]

Can't hurt to try . . If it lets you relax for a night and Dady get some bonding time I would think there is no harm.