Starting nursery and breastfeeding

[Supermathsdoc]

Hoping for other to share their experiences so I can work out how best to proceed!

My 9m old baby eats 3 meals / day and breast feeds on demand (usually big morning and Evening feeds and then before naps) and once over night.

Shes starting nursery at 11m, so in 2 months for 3 full days a week. The nursery are amazing and have said they will accommodate basically anything. But I’m wondering how her attendance is likely to impact breast feeding if I don’t express?

I would rather not stop BF altogether and have read some stuff online that says she will likely just feed more when I’m around, is that peoples experience? Is she also likely to then feed more overnight as my job is quite demanding and I’d rather not precipitate this! Finally should I introduce cows milk a bit early at 11m so they can give it her at nursery or is the 12m thing strict meaning I should introduce formula and then cows milk?

thanks in advance for any answers if you made it to the end!

I was in a similar position last year. My DD started nursery at 10.5 months old. On the lead up I was extremely stressed as she was BF regularly still, mainly morning, naps, bedtime and 3 to 4 times overnight.

I didn't express as I tried this early in our BF journey and hated it and she also was never a fan of a bottle. I tried sending her in with formula for the first few weeks, she refused it. Naps were terrible at nursery in the beginning despite them being really good with her, so needless to say she was knackered of an evening and her night sleep went to shit (it was never good to begin with). We ditched attempting formula, she didn't need it as got her 2 meals plus snack at nursery. She fed a lot when we got home at first and more overnight but that settled after a few months.

She's stil BFing now at 20 months old, some days not at all other days maybe once or twice max and still always a couple overnight still. She now has a bottle of cows milk before bed and with cereal etc too and has done since 12/13 months.

My job is also demanding but it's manageable, although by the sounds of it my DD feeds more overnight than yours.

Honestly, your DD won't need milk at 11 months at nursery, so long as you still feed her at home and she's eating meals well (be prepared for a food strike at some point at nursery though!) Don't waste money on formula for the sake of a month or so. She'll be fine. Babies are much more adaptable then we give them credit for.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and share your experience. I've found this incredibly helpful.

Did you have any difficulties yourself when you went back to work? I mean in terms of breast discomfort or needing to express at work? I also had an awful pumping experience at the start of my journey when my supply was low and know exactly what you mean.

@Supermathsdoc my DD started nursery at 14 months and I worried about the same thing. Thought I needed to get her on a bottle (she wouldn't do it) or cut down feeds. It was fine in the end. I fed her normally on non nursery days and she did fine without at nursery. Seemed strange she coped without but she just did. Best of luck x

I've gone back at almost 11 months with two babies and continued to breastfeed both times. I just fed them more on the days I was with them and less when they were at nursery, and my boobs just got used to it. I will caveat that both of mine continued to feed several times in the night.

I took a little £15 hand pump in my handbag and had to express for comfort on my first couple of days back at work, but after that it was fine.

Eldest used to have a bottle of formula or cow's milk while at nursery, youngest was never interested and just waited for me to get home.

My DD started nursery 4 days ago week at 14months. Although she was eating well and would happily drink water, I was still breastfeeding her 4-5 times during the day, and I'd feed her to sleep. I was worried about her settling, but the staff were great and so supportive. I sent her in with expressed milk for a few weeks, which she'd never take. It took a couple of weeks for her to get used to the nap situation, but she adapted brilliantly. I still feed her to sleep on the 3 days we're at home which I can't seem to break, but overall the nursery experience has been hugely positive.

Thanks so much everyone. This has been really reassuring. It sounds like, for the most part, it’s working for people to have a different routine at nursery and a different one at home. And I can expect more night feeds for a while.

Night feeding has been up and down anyway so far with teething, growth spurts and illnesses. So hopefully I can manage if it’s not too frequent.

Ive also got her at nursery for a month before I actually start work properly so maybe this will give us time to work out the new normal.

Thanks again to everyone for sharing.