Being able to leave 6 month old

[Waitwait]

Dc3 is 6 months. As for the other two, I EBF and she can’t be left or really soothed by anyone but me (I just stick a boob in her mouth). This worked with my older children too and I didn’t leave them with anyone else until about a year.

I would really like to do it a little differently this time around, and be able to have some time to myself. I’m not going back to work but my older children are at school and I would like to be able to leave the baby with a childminder or (shock!) DH for a few hours. I would also like her to be able to be put down to sleep or naps by someone else.

Since breastfeeding has always been the key part of how I deal with everything with my babies, I would like some advice on how I can get there. How can I get her onto mixed feeding at this stage? Or is it impossible/too late? I don’t want to give up, or start on formula. I just want a couple of hours back every now and then for myself!

You might be surprised how she reacts when you are not there.
I bf all my children until self weaning at between 3.5 and 5 years but I went back to work when each was between 6 and 10 months, including working at night.
When I was there they were exactly as you describe your children but they soon picked up the idea that if I wasn't there things had to be different. The eldest would take a bottle, which undoubtedly made things easier, especially for DH when it came to bedtime, but my younger 2 were complete and utter bottle refusniks and we coped.
Presumably at 6 months your DD is now starting solids and drinking water so her dependency on breastmilk as her sole source of food will gradually be reducing. She won't come to any harm if she doesn't have access to your milk for a few hours.
I know it's a daunting prospect when bf has always been your go to solution for everything as my children were the same and I just couldn't imagine how things would work out when I went back to work. Lots of people told me how adaptable babies are and how they will react differently if you're not there, but I didn't believe mine would. But they did!
I would probably start with making sure she's full before you go out and then going out for short periods somewhere where you can easily get back if you really have to. Or send her out with your DH - get him to take her to the park for a bit or something. I never had any joy with DH putting mine to sleep or soothing them if I was there as if they could see, hear or smell me nearby they would hang out for milk come what may. But if I wasn't around, they'd grizzle a bit at first and then accept alternatives. Try a few short separations first and build up as everyone gets used to the idea. Possibly none of you will like it very much at first, but honestly your baby won't come to any harm if she can't have milk immediately at this age and she will learn that Daddy (or whoever) does things differently.

Thank you! I can quite imagine that you’re right, and it’s as much in my head as anything else. Yes we have started a little on solids but I’m not trying very hard - just want to get the older ones settled back in school right now (can’t think much beyond that!)

I will have a go as you suggest! Thank you for the encouragement!

Start by going out after she's had a feed and stay nearby if you feel anxious. Then you can build it up from there. At six months she'll be fine going a few hours without feeding. If she'll take a bottle you can always leave some expressed milk. I left my EBF baby at four months with a trusted childminder for four hours and she didn't even drink the bottle of expressed milk I left as she was too interested in the playgroup she was taken to!
Will she go to sleep for naps in the pram without feeding?

She naps in the sling and I will transfer her to the bed if we are at home. Haven’t tried her on bottles. Nobody else has ever got her down to nap (haven’t tried). As I write this I realise I just need to try - I suppose I am just wondering what I can do in preparation to give us the best chance of success!