Panicking about starting combination feeding at 9 months

[CradleCrapNap]

Baby is ebf, hates bottles (ebm) but can take a small amount with some encouragement, up to 2 oz. would take a full bottle last year at bedtime (7oz) so hopeful I can get her to take more if we try harder. Am going back to work 4 days a week from May. Would rally like to not give formula but I hate expressing and it takes ages. Also my job (despite any legal obligations employers may have) really doesn't lend itself to expressing and the thought of finding time stresses me out. I'm stressing about introducing formula. Worried about my supply. Worried she won't feed from me. Sad that she'll no longer be ebf. Had wanted to make it to a year. But think her 2 daytime feeds should be formula to make my life easier. Anyone been there? Am I being silly about not eating to give her formula. My first was given ebm only for about 10 weeks then nothing but formula but she was prem so a different story.

I know people who went back to work at 10 months ish whose babies basically don't have milk during the day (don't want bottle of ebm st nursery and just have food and water) and make up for it in evenings / night.

Yeah, me too, but she already wakes 1-3 times a night plus my 3 year old gets out of bed usually at least once, twice last night. Would hate to be up even more And we don't want to start bed sharing at this stage. So even though I would rather not give formula, I'm hoping that will make sure she gets her milks requirement in eh day and not reverse cycle at night. Please tell me she won't still do it if we give her formula!!!

when you say ebf, are you not weaning at the moment? If so, then technically food will take up most of the day food and when you arrive at the nursery you should feel the need to bf asap. the nursery should have somewhere quiet where you can bf in peace and with little distraction. Ask them, many bf mothers have to do this. You can leave formula at the nursery available for fractious days.

Hth

I would have thought a big feed before and after nursery, with meals & snacks during the day, would be ok? May take a while to adjust but she won't be hungry.

Will she drink water from a cup usually to get fluids?

Are you planning on trying to introduce cows milk from 12 months? As that will be fairly soon after starting nursery by the sound of it and that may help with options?

She loves water. I think the feeds are more comfort before her nap to be honest. I'm worried she won't sleep without milk first. She's always had milk before bed/nap. I don't think she'll go hungry either, but maybe tired and grumpy! She's weaning well, although can be hit and miss with lunch and dinner. Always has a good breakfast. Still relies heavily on her milk feeds at this stage but hopefully by nursery in may she should be a bit more consistent with meals.
Was hoping to do bf and ebm bottles til 12 months then slowly switch to cows milk. yes, she is not far from 1, only 6 weeks actually from when she starts nursery. Maybe we can get by. I have some milk frozen, about 40oz. Depending how much we can get her to take, that might last a week or 2.

Hi, I was just wondering about this myself although it's a few months before I go back to work. With my first lg, she started nursery at 10 months and was still bf. I fed her morning and evening and the idea was to give her formula during the day from a sippy cup as she would not take a bottle. I too struggled with pumping so ebm was not an option. As it turned out, she had a dairy allergy and didn't like her prescribed formula so managed on just food and water during the day. My supply adjusted pretty quickly to mornings and evenings only and I never had to pump during the day. I also don't remember any additional night feeds being introduced. I think babies of this age adapt much better than we think.
With regards to the formula concerns, I understand where you are coming from. But I found it helps to consider it as food rather than milk as it comes from a bottle or cup not you. She will still get her lovely bf time and cuddles when you are at home. Also, remember you are doing an amazing job balancing work and motherhood and you should be looking to make your transition back to work as easy and relaxed as possible xx

A few years ago but with my younger I went back to work at 6 months full of plans to express (did with my first . . .) but it was awkward, job didn't really lend itself. So he had formula when I was at work and breast when I wasn't. I'm a shift worker so it was completely random different times on different days but didn't seem to effect my milk supply. He was fine

Bhar, thank you, that was a lovely, reassuring message and I like the idea of thinking of it as food.
Dusky, amazing that your supply didn't alter with all the different feeds but I guess boobs are designed to feed on demand!

In the same position here, dd was a bottle refuser but I thought I'd try her the other day and she took . On the weekend We were out for the day so I took 4 ounces of ebm to see how much she'd roughly need for the day. That was enough to see her through and she had a big guzzle from the boob when we got home. I'm planning on sending her to nursery with 3 x 3/4 ounce bottles and I pump once every evening to stock up the freezer