My DD is 8 months and I have just returned to work 3 days a week. DD is in nursery one day and at my parents for 2 days, in April she’ll start doing a second day at nursery.
Since I had her in May she saw my parents and family at least once a week, usually at their house for a few hours at a time, so she definitely knows them. I’d only left her a handful of times, because I never really needed to. I completely trust them though, no issues there. They always said that they would help look after her when I returned to work and my mum retired in December to enable her to do this.
Over Christmas we spent a lot of time with my parents and set her cot up there etc, and they both spent time with her, giving her bottles & meals etc. Now when they have her and I’m working I work from their house so I’m on hand to BF if she doesn’t want to take a bottle (rarely), put her down for a nap and just see her every so often. I’ve been doing this for 3 weeks now and it’s going well, and I’m doing less with DD each day and getting more work done. My parents are getting more confident and take her out to classes that I’ve paid for, to the playground and the shops etc.
DD is going through a bit of separation anxiety but she has generally been fine. She sleeps well at my parents’, they probably can’t get her to eat as much as she does with me but she’s okay. But yesterday she was more upset when I went downstairs to see her, a bit like when she cries when I pick her up from nursery (a bit of a relief that I’m back in a way). She has had a cold and isn’t 100% herself, but she was a bit grumpy all day yesterday.
I was wondering what would be best to do now. Could it be confusing DD that I am there some of the time then disappear upstairs (I always say bye to her etc), would it be kinder to just leave her there? Or will it all settle down as it’s still early days? I’m so grateful to my parents for having her and want to make it as pleasurable for everyone as I can. Any experiences / advice much appreciated x