Am hiding here while DH tries to settle our 14week old DD who is very upset.

[Thandeka]

NIGHTMARE! On tuesday I have to be away from DD for 12hours for a training I agreed to deliver months ago. DD is going to be looked after by my mum. In the last week she has decided she will only ever be settled by me and gets hysterical most evenings if anyone else tries. She has also been getting upset in the day too (possibly a combination of starting to teeth and my anti-b's for a nip crack upsetting her) usually my boobs are the magic remedy! She won't take a dummy.

I am really worried about tuesday now as I don't have a choice as would be letting 25people down who want the training, plus I need to keep the contract with my boss.

Sniff, I hate hearing madam cry but DH does need to be able to settle her too especially ready for Tues. (he has already arranged to work from home that day so will be him and my mum on duty).

Gah- how do other mums survive that first day back at work after maternity leave dread and did anyone else go back while their DC was so little?

Is there anything we can do to help her cope without her mum (well mum's boobs more like!) for the day?

give dh a used top of yours to sling over his shoulder - smells of you and will sooth her. It will be ok.

Phew- he got her too sleep. Awesome. She was doing some major upset screams- I usually never leave her when she gets like that- but she did have someone with her- it wasn't like we were leaving her to cry.

She has gone back to sleeping like a newborn of late- could this be the mystical four month sleep regression?

Definitely sounds like it. Could be combination of teething and growth spurt. Keep reciting to yourself - this too will pass.

If it is any consolation the advice I was given was that babies are very forgiving and have short memories.. so even if DH and your mum have a terrible day and DD cries, she won't remember and she def won't love you any less the day after. good luck! x

Thandeka I think I remember you - did you have a thread about your DH coming home late and drunk when you were still pregnant? I remember discussing how having a baby changes a man - has this come to pass?

Don't worry - your baby knows she is warm and safe with Daddy, she's just telling them that she'd rather have you. Which is fair enough. But she hasn't been abandoned so her distress levels won't be high, she's just expressing an opinion

Good luck with the training - I am very impressed! At 14wks post partum I think I could just about get dressed.....

well am back from it- my mum just took DD out for lots of long walks so she slept alot. She was very cranky but she (and I) survived! Unfortunately this meant she decided to wake every two hours last night for a breastfeed! (normally only has one night feed and has at least one long stretch of between 5-9 hours) She has also slept this am for 4hours (which was also much needed by me due to lack of sleep in night- and night before I did the training I had been up since 2am with her and had to get up at 6.30am! very sleep deprived!).

So don't want her to have too long a nap this arvo else she may start mixing up day and night!

Whatfreshhellisthis- yup I did- blimey has he ever changed- soooo devoted! Very tired but very devoted- is lovely. Though he is talking about going to glasto beer fest with his uncle next weeked when we go and see family...... I'm invited to apparently