EBF 6 month old starting nursery

Cozza92 · 2025-08-03T07:13:13+00:00

Hi folks, Just wanting to ask for some advice on here re practical solutions for starting nursery. Going back to work when baby is going to be 6 months old and 2 weeks. I’m mentioning the 2 weeks because he will be 2 weeks into solids weaning. He’s currently EBF and a real grazer. Never managed to get him to take large feeds. He just pops on and off, still pretty much all day. I will be going back to work 4 days per week, dropping him off/giving last feed at around 8.30 at nursery. I’ll then be popping in about 4 hours later to breastfeed as nursery is close to work. He’ll hopefully then go down for his afternoon nap and be picked up around 3 hours after that. I’m hoping that with a bit of solids and some water he’ll get through these stretches of 4 hours and 2.5 hours without me needing to express milk/start formula. Happy to feed more in evenings, through night if needed. What do you guys think? Are these stretches too long to go without a bottle? He has CMPA so could consider hypo formula prescribed by docs but I’d rather not if it’s not necessary. I should mention that other than the constant grazing he’s a very placid, easy going baby.

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ShesTheAlbatross · 03/08/2025 08:16

I think that sounds fine, but I’d be prepared for him to feed more overnight.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 03/08/2025 08:16

Will he actually take a bottle? My DD started nursery at about 8 months old and she wouldn't take one. She has never been a big eater either. They just offered her age appropriate food at mealtimes and she ate some of it but for a long time she was breastfeeding as soon as we got home, at bedtime and a couple of times in the night. She basically just decided to get most of her calories when she wasn't at nursery. I did take expressed milk into nursery for the first few months but I stopped in the end because they couldn't get her to drink it.

ETA: if you can pop in at lunchtime then he'll be absolutely fine from a feeding point of view but unless he particularly loves food when he starts weaning you might find that going in to breastfeed delays him getting into a different routine.

Original poster

Cozza92 · 03/08/2025 08:21

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 03/08/2025 08:16

Will he actually take a bottle? My DD started nursery at about 8 months old and she wouldn't take one. She has never been a big eater either. They just offered her age appropriate food at mealtimes and she ate some of it but for a long time she was breastfeeding as soon as we got home, at bedtime and a couple of times in the night. She basically just decided to get most of her calories when she wasn't at nursery. I did take expressed milk into nursery for the first few months but I stopped in the end because they couldn't get her to drink it.

ETA: if you can pop in at lunchtime then he'll be absolutely fine from a feeding point of view but unless he particularly loves food when he starts weaning you might find that going in to breastfeed delays him getting into a different routine.

Edited

I think that’s what I’m hoping/expecting, he’ll just go back to feeding longer in evenings etc. He was fine with a bottle when I tried around 4 months but I haven’t tried since. I really don’t want to have to start expressing. I’d probably rather give formula at nursery if necessary but that becomes a bit complicated if I’m going in to feed on my lunch as he may not be hungry if he’s had formula.

ETA: sorry! Never saw edit at bottom. I get what you’re saying re new routine! However, currently going 4 hours during the day without a feed will be very new for him as he really does still feed all. The. Bleeding. Time. :))) at times, I’ve thought about giving up bfeeding because he’s been so constant but I’ve not been able to stop lol.

OP posts:

Comewhatmay25 · 03/08/2025 08:23

I went back to work at a similar age, I just had the nursery offer food and milk during the day. And breastfed before and after work and my days were longer than yours. I continued feeding until he was 2 and a half years old

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 03/08/2025 08:23

Cozza92 · 03/08/2025 08:21

I think that’s what I’m hoping/expecting, he’ll just go back to feeding longer in evenings etc. He was fine with a bottle when I tried around 4 months but I haven’t tried since. I really don’t want to have to start expressing. I’d probably rather give formula at nursery if necessary but that becomes a bit complicated if I’m going in to feed on my lunch as he may not be hungry if he’s had formula.

ETA: sorry! Never saw edit at bottom. I get what you’re saying re new routine! However, currently going 4 hours during the day without a feed will be very new for him as he really does still feed all. The. Bleeding. Time. :))) at times, I’ve thought about giving up bfeeding because he’s been so constant but I’ve not been able to stop lol.

Edited

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To be honest I would try not to stress about it too much. At that age their routines are constantly evolving anyway. He and the nursery will find a new routine that works for him.

If it helps, my DD started nursery at 8 months old, has never taken a bottle during the day at nursery, and is still breastfeeding now at 2.5.

Comewhatmay25 · 03/08/2025 08:23

I went back to work at a similar age, I just had the nursery offer food and milk during the day. And breastfed before and after work and my days were longer than yours. I continued feeding until he was 2 and a half years old

Original poster

Cozza92 · 03/08/2025 08:25

Thanks so much for advice everyone. Much appreciated.

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MCF86 · 03/08/2025 08:27

I think that sounds work able, I worked in a nursery and had some parents do the same.

On another note, will you be sending food in or is it nursery provided? We found my sons (now grown out of) allergy about 3 weeks into weaning so I'd want to know exactly what was being introduced when!

Original poster

Cozza92 · 03/08/2025 08:39

MCF86 · 03/08/2025 08:27

I think that sounds work able, I worked in a nursery and had some parents do the same.

On another note, will you be sending food in or is it nursery provided? We found my sons (now grown out of) allergy about 3 weeks into weaning so I'd want to know exactly what was being introduced when!

Good point! We have to provide all food until one year old, I’m guessing probably because of allergies.

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