Comforting stories about seeing 5.5month old to nursery full time

[BQ91]

Hi, due to circumstances (long long story) I have to go back to work full time. I’m so upset by this and currently in tears and just want to hear some stories about people in similar situations. I’m worried my children won’t recognise me or love me as I’ll be doing such long hours and nights. Thanks

Hi @BQ91 I understand. We sent our daughter from 6 months 4 days a week. I hated it. She’s almost 2 now. She loves nursery (skips in). She’s a happy, clever bundle of absolute joy, with fantastic attachment to both of us. Also very happy to go to others. No issue at all other than my guilt!

Be prepared for the illnesses though. We’ve had to have a lot of time off for her being poorly.

Hey OP , I went back to work full time when DD was six months old and she went to nursey full time. (0730-6pm) Totally felt how you did, she was my 2nd and with my first I had 14 months off! She thrived, loved every second of it. Has a fantastic bond with the staff there too…. Got a ton of bugs, but they always do.
she’s my little shadow at home and won’t leave me alone (she’s 3) very much a mummy’s girl…..

It’s ok to feel like that, but your DC will honestly be absolutely fine (and so will you after a few days). They will still know you’re their Mum and will still love you unconditionally.

I had to go back to work at 6 months and to be honest, It’s the best thing I did! He has absolutely thrived. Loves it there and gets the stimulation and interaction with other people that we just weren’t able to provide no matter how hard we tried. We did have a rough few months with constant illnesses in the beginning but now it’s much better and I love being back at work. It’s almost like a break! 😂
He’s also always happy to see me at the end of the day and I don’t feel like he loves me any less at all.

My ds went to nursery ft at 4.5 months, and he stayed totally bonded to me but settled in beautifully, knew very well who his mum and dad were and has grown up to be a lovely young man

Thank you for all these lovely stories, it really has comforted me. I’m glad to hear that others bonding hasn’t been affected. I will be so sad when I work 4 long days and won’t see them other than half hour in the morning but I can’t be the only one can I, just feels like it at the moment

Mine went to nursery from four and five months, albeit not quite full time.
Now 20 and 18 and off at uni. All fine. All bonded.

That’s good to know thank you!

If it helps my 2 had a sahm who didn't work for many years.
They were both shy, clingy and struggled to settle at school (for bloody years) and never seemed to be as confident and sociable as friends children who had gone to daycare. Leaving them with anyone (even their own Dad, Grandparents etc) was a total nightmare too!

They are adults now and I if I had my time again, I think for all our sakes I'd do it differently!
Be kind to yourself op and keep reading all the positive posts on here

That’s really good to know, interesting to see a different side. Thank you so much for replying x

My daughter went at this age. She was very funny about new people then so it was a little difficult for a few days but now she absolutely adores the staff at the nursery and they get up to so much there I don't feel guilty about it at all.

My son was a little older but he never cared who I left him with 😂 so he was easier !

Now I've got friends trying to send their 1-2yr olds and some of them really struggling to settle

Just be ready for the illnesses as others have said , you'll need to expect a few days off, early pick ups etc to start with so make sure you've got a plan for that

Thank you for replying, how is she now? Does she have a good attachment to you? That’s my worry

My kids both went to daycare full time at 3 months old as 3 months was the maximum maternity leave I could take (was working abroad at the time). They both did absolutely fine, both were very loving children who knew who their parents were. You’re doing the best you can for them so please don’t beat yourself up.

@BQ91 My DS went to nursery at 6 months . I cried the day I dropped him off to go back to work full time . I cried when I picked him up for the last time because he had his friends and the nursery workers were fabulous. . He loved it. No problems with bonding.

Thank you for replying, it’s so nice to hear these stories and gives me a lot of comfort. I need to stop reading into the research online as all it does is makes me feel awful.

Ah that’s such a lovely story thank you so much!