To leave baby for evening

[HellsBellsTrudy]

Hi all, lookIng for advice and posting here for traffic.

I have an 8 almost 9 month old breastfed baby who used to take a bottle but now doesn’t.

I have a night out planned for Sunday (haven’t done anything without kids for months) and have been trying to get her to take a bottle or either formula or pumped milk and she absolutely will not take it!

She will take some from an open cup and is on 3 meals a day already!

WIBU to go even though she won’t have a full meal feed in that time?

I’ll be gone around 3pm to 11pm at the latest?

Can’t stop worrying but really want this evening!

She will be fine, if she’s hungry she will drink from the bottle or can have some yoghurt or something.

Sleeping through at 9 months old isn’t the reality for many. Great that happened for you, in case anyone is reading this wondering what they’re doing wrong, night wakes can be a normal part of the first couple of years of a child’s life.
the science part for anyone interested Dr Ball at Durham University, baby sleep information source
www.basisonline.org.uk/infant-sleep-biology/#development

I went back to work when mine were both 9 months. Both EBF and completely fine. If she's hungry she can have baby rice or porridge or milk from a cup. She'll probably have a big feed when you get back.

Arise Sir Martyr of Martyrtown.

Well this is wild

She'll be fine OP. I left my bottle refusing DD with DH for a day to go to a hen party when she was 3 months old. She drank a bottle eventually!

To update, yes she eats 3 meals a day (as much as this she does and the rest is on the floor) and I’ve managed to her her to drink milk from
an open cup.

I suppose my biggest worry is the lack of comfort for her, without the sucking option or boob or bottle, my husband isn’t concerned and is imploring me to go and all will be fine, which is nice and he’s more than capable of calming with cuddles etc although she is a very chilled baby!

I’ve left once before at 5 months also for an event I had tickets but she would take a bottle then!

Ahahahah, this is funny.

I was back at work FT when mine were that age. It will be fine. Keep your phone on and enjoy the evening xxx

That sounds fine to me but I would say don't be surprised if she wants to feed all night once you're home (separation anxiety age) so I would just be mindful of how much you're drinking, as it's unlikely you can fall into bed and get a good sleep after! Have you been that long without feeding before? It could get uncomfortable for you, you may need a plan for expressing some milk halfway through the evening.

have fun!

Bless you! Nope mine has only just started doing the odd night sleeping through at 19mo, all babies are different.

Thanks! She’s up a lot in the night anyway so I’m used to that! Not planning on drinking too much, dinner and a show really!
I have once before and hand expressed then pumped in the taxi home!

Going to try dad with a bottle again today 🙏

My oldest never drank from a bottle, he would drink from a cup though.
If any needs to suck, they will probably find their thumb in all honesty.

Don't sweat the small stuff, your husband has said hes got this- go have fun.

I would go but I would have done a couple of trials with dad doing the evening alone before going so baby has time to get used to this. I wouldn’t go 3pm-11pm without trialing.

Oh also don't be surprised if she bursts into tears when she sees you. That age especially.

It sounds like there is no reason for you not to go - offer milk in a cup (small amounts to prevent waste if EBM!) water and snacks. It sounds like your DH is perfectly happy to comfort her.

(I'm an IBCLC btw, and I'm glad you are ignoring the "wouldn't leave them for more than an hour"!)

Don't I babysat a relatives child in this situation she cried constantly and was inconsolable i ended up calling mum back and she settled as soon as she was on the boob. Im all for Mums going out and having a life from their children but not in these circumstances

Don’t be absurd! Many mums would have returned to work by this point!! Did you actually read the post? The child will drink from a cup and is on solids.

Who is looking after her?
if it’s her dad maybe he can practise some bottles without you around.
if she still won’t maybe he can drive baby to the pub for a feed if needed then drive her home.

I mean basically this is spot on ! Baby will eat and drink. She will be fine. Please don't worry !

I think the word you're looking for is bonkers. You're welcome 😂

I appreciate this, but she does have 2 parents and is equally at ease around her dad as me, she just can’t have his boobs is all.

But does your husband settle her for the night or can she only sleep with you

You’d be leaving them for less time than many breastfed babies are in nursery each day.

Provided your baby is with someone they know, and can eat meals, and hopefully some milk from a cup, I’d leave them from 3pm to 11pm no problem. If baby is starving they will eat warm milk with weetabix or similar and then won’t be hungry any more.

Baby will fuss when you get back because they are pleased to see you. As long as they’ve been loved while you were gone, this doesn’t mean they were in any way damaged by you leaving - they’re happy you’re back!

Obviously this is totally different if your baby is completely reliant on milk and/or you’re leaving them somewhere they don’t know or with someone they don’t know.

At this age I was back at work and baby wouldn't take a bottle or milk from a cup so only milk was breastfeed around work hours.

Will be fine, especially as a one off.

I do most bedtimes for ease as my DH takes my eldest DD, baby will settle with rocks if she wakes in the night from dad, I just feed her back to sleep so I don’t have to get out of bed 😂