Weaning before starting childcare?

[Bechka]

My 7mo DD is ebf. We are doing BLW for solids. She will be going to full-time CM's from January (at 12mo).

I had planned to bf up to then, and continue with one feed at night and one in the morning for as long as we both wanted to, with DD having cow's milk in the day, as >12mo by then.

However, have been told that children find it more difficult to settle into childcare if they are still being bf, and that I should really wean her off the boob before starting with CM.

Does anyone have any advice or experience of this? I really don't want to wean her fully before we are ready, but would do so if this will truly make her settle more easily into childcare. Just want what's best for DD.

what will your am and pm feeds have to do with your lo's time at the childminder though? It may be a good way for the two of you to reconnect at the end of the day. Who gave you the info about them being more difficult to settle in while still being bf? Sounds a bit suspect (and I bottlefed mine!)

Sounds like bollocks to me. DS started nursery at 8 months and was still breastfeeding at home and getting EBM at nursery twice a day. The nursery had only one other child doing BLW, but I brought them the book and talked them through the basics, and it's been absolutely fine. He went down to one bottle a day around 9.5 months, then dropped the bottle at nursery completely around 10.5 months (just has water during day)

He is still BFing in the morning and evening, and usually more at weekends.

He settled into nursery beautifully, loves going, grins like mad every time we drop him off. Really, I don't think BFing or not BFing has anything to do with how well your child will settle into childcare. Don't stop BFing until you and your child are ready!

What nonsense, who told you that! As a cm I've looked after much younger babies who are ebf - they've had finger food and water from a cup during the day and fed from mum as soon as she arrived / got home. Not very long hours, admittedly.
You need to find a good cm who will settle your baby properly - your plan for morning and evening feeds sounds perfect to me :-)

Thanks Seona, I had wanted to carry on partly to reconnect at the end of the day, like you say.

CM said that babies who are used to being bf in the day find it more difficult to settle. I told my MIL, who said that I had better wean her in that case, so she will settle easier.

The implication is that by bf'ing her I will make her clingy. I kind of resent this implication, but could it be true?!

I was still bf-ing dd2 morning and night when she went to the CM's at 10m. I weaned her onto a bottle in the afternoon just before she started going, it was fine (well I felt a bit sad, but dd2 was fine). Carry on bf-ing as long as you like, I don't think it'll be a problem.

Actually it was lovely being able to BF her when we got home in the evening. Made me feel better about having left her!

Thank you very much for your responses. This confidence boost is what I needed.

I thought it didn't sound right that I was being actively encouraged to wean her, and then I thought I was just being selfish to question it, as obviously I do want her to settle and be happy in childcare.

Sounds like bobbins to me too. DS went to CM at 12 months, although only part-time. He was bf on demand up until the day before he went and settled fine. He did cry the first few times I left him, but think this is in the normal range, apparently he soon stopped crying and was easily distracted with his favourite toys.

In fact he dropped his day feeds even on the days he was with me so was just on morning/evening soon after. BF gradually faded away just before his 2nd birthday.

My experience is that DS is only 'clingy' when I'm actually in the room, and I think that's just because I'm his mum, not because of the BFing. When I'm gone, he just gets on with it and plays!

To me it just sounds like the CM's got some odd ideas.