Worried about leaving baby

[Worriedmum54321]

I have a 6 month old baby and am returning to work next week - only 10 hours a week split into 2 evening shifts (3 pm till 8 pm). The plan is for my husband to look after baby as he is not working on those days. When I arranged this work a couple of months ago, I naively imagined it would be easy to leave baby with dad for a few hours and that he would be able to give her a bottle and put her to bed. Now I'm worried that it's going to be a nightmare. Baby is breastfed (having a bit of solid food for a few weeks). We've been trying to get her to take formula milk from a bottle or cup for the last 3 weeks with no success. What's worse is that, even though dad has been doing plenty of baby care, and has been left with her for an hour or 2 a couple of times a week since birth whilst I go out, baby has now started crying whenever I'm not there. This is only really the last couple of weeks. She's normally a very happy baby, settles herself to sleep, sleeps through the night, rarely cries at all.
I'm worried that she's going to cry for hours whilst I'm out and get into a complete state. It just seems such a shame to upset her like this and I'm wishing I'd postponed return to work for a few more months.
Does anyone have any experience of leaving a baby this age? I know I'm not the first mum to return to work! Will the baby cry for 5 hours? Will she give in and take the milk? How many evenings will it take her to get used to being left? Should I delay return to work? Any words of wisdom appreciated!

I'm not back at work yet (going back at the start of March) but I have a 7 month old who has been left with my husband, and with my in laws for long periods (including one overnight) on a few occasions and been perfectly fine. She takes the bottle without fuss when I'm not there (but totally refuses it when I am), and seems very happy being looked after by other people. She actually slept better the night my husband took her to my in laws for the night and gave her expressed milk from a bottle
She might need a little time to adjust, but if she does get upset she's perfectly safe and looked after. You mention she won't drink the formula, but are you able to pump and see if she'll take expressed milk from a bottle instead? She might prefer that.

Just to add as well, do you have a bedtime routine? I was worried when my husband took her to my in laws for the night that she wouldn't sleep, but we made sure he'd be able to stick to the routine at his parents and she was completely fine. They don't live far and I'd told them all to call me if she wouldn't sleep, I'd come right over etc and all my worrying was for nothing. She slept for an initial stretch of 6 hours which is more than I ever get from her.

Thanks for replying. I guess my main concern is that she isn't happy to be looked after by her dad - this is only a recent thing though. The other day she screamed for 45 minutes whilst I was out. Not due to hunger either. She's always been fine with him before

All babies go through phases of being clingy to one parent or another. My ds was the same at about 6 months, only wanted me, and his dad despaired that he hated him! Now they're best friends and have the most amazing bond and a lot of that is due to dh having ds when I went back to work. Your baby might find it hard at first, but babies are incredibly adaptable, and yours will be with someone they love. Baby will get used to it over time, and if my experience is anything to go by, it will be good for their relationship with dad too.

Thanks. He is just trying to put her to bed now - last week it was fine, now she's crying... How long do these phases last??!

A bit of a tangent, but do you use the Wonder Weeks app? It gives you a calendar showing where your baby has developmental 'leaps' and also when her disposition is likely to be sunny or fussy/ cranky. I don't know how well it is backed up scientifically but it seems fairly accurate for my baby and some of my friends babies. It might help with you being able to predict a phase or put her fussiness down to a 'leap' so that your mind is more put at ease.

I left dd at 3 months to go back to work. She soon got used to me not being around on certain days. Dh has her one of the days I’m at work and they have a lovely relationship, being together from such a young age.
She’s more clingy now than ever at a year and half old.
I think as mums we feel worse than the child does.