Do I need to "prepare" DD for nursery

[Halfbaked]

Hi my DD is 6 months old and I have to return to work full time in 2 months time, which I am dreading. We have a place at nursery for her. She will be there from approx 7.30am til 4.30 pm
Currently she is EBF and won't take a bottle, although we have just started trying a cup and have had more success. She wants to hold it herself, probably due to BLW so most of it ends down her top.
She is also fed to sleep and is terrible at napping. I am trying to get some sort of nap routine going, but not feeding to sleep is proving very difficult.
So should I worry about this? DH seems to think nursery will sort it out, and she will learn how to drink and sleep there.
I'm worried how she will cope and a little embarrassed that the nursery will think I'm a loon if I don't try to get her sleeping/drinking independently. So should I spend the next two months training her, or leave it to the nursery?
Any advice gratefully received.

Will you BF at other times? If so then give as much before dropping her off at nursery... then be prepared to feed immediately upon picking up. Surprising how little milk babies will take during the day when in childcare.

It can take several weeks for them to adjust to taking a bottle/cup.

Just keep doing what you are already. As long as she will have some from a cup/bottle then it's fine. Also remember to tell nursery about your views with regard to feeding solids.

The LAST thing I would do is spend the next 2 months trying to get your daughter to feed/nap as per what you think the nursery might expect. That would seem to be the perfect recipe for misery for you both. Surely you want to enjoy the next couple of months with her?!

That said, I felt exactly the same with DS (PFB) and (slightly less so) with DD. DH could have clattered me I got into such a state. Neither napped without serious cuddles from me for prolonged periods of time or being fed to sleep, neither was weaned to the level I thought the nursery would expect, and both objected to bottles (tho from 5mo I did "wean them off BF during the day, very slowly) - tho I did BF them for their first and last feeds until 10mo.

I was amazed at how nursery staff managed to get them to sleep without any / very few tears (by patting them on the back gently).
There is nothing like peer pressure for getting babies to eat many things you never dreampt they would. I'd continue to let her take the lead in what she drinks from: a cup should be fine. Our nursery was very flexible in how babies took fluids: bottles or cups: they didn't seem to mind - as long as the babies were happy.

They won't think you are a loon! To be fair to yourself, your DD and the nursery, you need to be a happy mummy, and not get stressed about what DD.

Try to have confidence in the nursery staff - visit them again with DD in the next few weeks (the manager shouldn't mind). Ensure your DD has a decent number of settling in sessions (starting at least 2 weeks in advance). On the first of these find out who her key carer will be and agree when you can speak to them about what stage of development your daughter is with various things (don't rely on filling out standard nursery forms - I always find a face-to-face conversation ensures the message gets through)

halfbaked- please dont ever feel embarassed or expect the nursery to think you are a loon - Your babys only 6 months old !! thats still very young ! Dont expect too much from yourself or your LO.

Its a hard enough step going back to work - especially full time- without worrying about what others will think of you- they wont think that way anyway.

The best thing for you to do is be in a routine that suits YOU and your LO - The nursery should stick to what you have agreed with them anyway and no two babies are the same- so they should have experience of dealing with all sorts of different babies with different sleeping patterns etc.

I really hope it all goes smoothly for you both, and please dont be too hard on yourself - enjoy these last 2 months of being together before your back at work- the time goes in so quickly - dont waste it by worrying. Bet your a fab mum doing a grand job !

Dont worry- so much will change for her in next 2 months. 2 months is a 3rd of her life so far so signifcant. I remember feeling similarly panicked about this and by the time by child went to nursery she was eating more and feeding less, taking 1 bottle of formula a day.

I'd just enjoy the time with her, enjoy the feeding and see how it goes in 2 months.

You will get settling in visits and meetings to talk about all these things.

Enjoy enjoy the rest of the time before going back to work full time.

Good luck

don't worry. my dd started nursery when she was 9 months old. she is bf and blw. the nursery was great, even though she was the first baby there that was bf.
I tried briefly to introduce bottles, but when I am around she is just not interested at all...
what I and the nursery agreed on:
she will be offered a bottle of formula twice a day. if she takes it great if not no bother.
a beaker with water is freely available.
I still bf, but only mornings and evenings and all through the night.

Thanks for the replies. I intend to carry on bf and mousymouse have been warned she may well make up for it in the night! Arrgh - time to convince DH to stick with the co-sleeping, he wants the bed back to get DD in her own room.

I feel much more reassured, I think I'm particularly worried about the naps, because of the feeding association. I will enjoy the time I have left rather then trying to get her to do things she will probably without me. I hadn't thought of it as a third of her life so far chocolatebrownie, that puts it into perspective a bit, and makes the two months sound longer than it is!