Preparing DS for starting nursery

[MrsPeggyPatch]

I'm starting to think about my return to work at the end of September. I will be going back about a week before DS first birthday. I will be away from DS 4 days a week about 9 hours a day.

DS is breastfed and struggles with bottles, he has only had about 6 in his life and can only seem to get milk out of the NUK ones.

He is making headway with solids but refuses the spoon unless it bears fruit/yogurt/porridge so mostly eats finger foods which he enjoys and I'm mostly happy for him to do this at his own pace.

Should DS have milk at nursery? As he would be so near a year would cows milk be ok? He loves water from a cup so I guess he could have milk from a cup? I hope to keep breastfeeding first and last thing (and any night feeds)

Leading up to September should start replacing breast feeds in the day with cups of milk to get him used to it and regulate my supply? Or can we just carry on as normal and it will work out when DS starts nursery (this seems the best hiding head in sand tactic!)

Thanks!

I work in a baby room, so may be able to advise!

You have a few options:

1. Supply breast milk for him to have at nursery with either a cup or bottle, he may prefer bm as he is use to the taste so it may help settle him to nursery.

2. Offer him formula now to get him use to a new flavour out of cup or bottle.

3. Try him on cows milk nearer the time and ask that they give him that.

4. Forget about giving him milk at nursery and ask them just to provide water. This sounds like the best option as he drinks it so well already.

Regarding the finger food the nursery should be fine with that almost all our children mix feed. He will probably begin to copy how the others eat as he will be seeing it a lot.

I'd start reducing your feeds now, its best to drop one every 2 weeks and replace with a snack and drink. When he's at nursery I'd get them to offer full fat cows milk in a cup. Formula and bottles aren't recommended after 12 months so there's not much point in trying with these

If you want to leave him for a bit before he starts its fine to offer cows milk in a cup and solids at this age if he's bf.

I went back to work when my ds was 7 months old, I would give him a bf before I left, we did leave it late to give him breakfast, then he wouldn't have any more milk until bedtime, I did also start giving him some formula in a cup, so that this could be used during the day if he didn't want food.

I went back to work when my EBF LO was 11.5months. She had never taken a bottle so didnt bother with milk at nursery, just water. Aside from the settling in sessions, we didnt make any special preparations in terms of cutting down feeds etc. And it all worked out fine- she soon got used to eating with all the other babies though does go crazy for a feed as soon as she sees me in the evening :-) With regard to supply, I hand expressed a little on the first days back just to make sure I didnt leak but supply regulated itself very quickly. Though I always feel fuller on Mondays after weekends of feeding on demand. Hope that helps...Enjoy the rest of the summer!