Going back to work worries 😭

[SunnySide1992]

Hello, need some advice. My daughter is just over 6 months old. She's starting solids which is good. She's exclusively breastfed. My mum is going to look after her when I go back to work end of August, so she will just turn 9 months. My question is do I have to start introducing a bottle for her? Will she need milk during the day? I'm so worried, she's so attached to me, uses the boob to relax and falls asleep via boob only. I'm just really worried about the whole thing to be honest. Any advice? I'm getting my mum round twice a week and starting to leave them for a bit so she can get used to me not being there. But can't leave them too long incase she gets hungry and needs boob. Or tired and needs to nap on me 😭😭

I remember worrying so much about this that I stopped breastfeeding with my first but I really didn’t need to. Babies adapt brilliantly and she will find her own routines with your mum. Perhaps pump and she can use a bottle ? Babies often just substitute the bottle for the boob and find it massively comforting and use it to relax and fall asleep. Good luck, I feel for you as I remember the anxiety so well

@McGee123 a nine month old should be able to drink from a cup - although she may need someone to hold the cup for her. With DS I started out with a doidy cup, then switched to a tomee tippee free flow cup.

I went back to work at 10months. My breast fed DD was eating well on solids by that point so she didn't need milk during the day. So at 9 months your LO would probably be ok without milk too, if they eat solid food well. You still have a few months to figure it out too. You could try a bottle or cup of expressed milk or formula, but I wouldn't stress too my if your baby won't take it. I wouldn't worry too much about naps either, your mum will find her own way of doing things.