Going back to work- how do I get my baby to sleep without breastfeeding?

[anniz91]

I'm going back to work, my baby relies heavily on breastfeeding to sleep.

My husband will be looking after him whilst I'm working and he needs a nap. I'm worried as he isn't settling to any naps without breastfeeding.

What options do I have / worked for you?

That entirely depends on your views on sleep training.

I used the Little Ones fed to sleep method (this is paid, but they do have some free resourses), and it was slow progress. Not to mention gruelling work for both of us.

It was 1000% worth it - he was waking 6-12 times a night minimum because he couldn't self settle, and after he could it was the odd occasion that he would wake up.

My advice is; give yourself lots of time to change your child's sleep habits. I'm talking months, if possible.

My daughter went to nursery and I spent her in with a list of how to get her to sleep and hope for the best. Day 1 she went straight to sleep in the arms her key worker and she was put in the cot a few minutes later. At home it was a lot of trickery to getting her to sleep at home

At 10 months I went into hospital and prior to this my partner couldn't get her to settle at all. The first night was long but he got her to sleep in a sling. We stopped breastfeeding at the same time and for the first month or so he got her to sleep better than I did!

Read the Ferber sleep training book.

We used a gentle sleep consultant which worked wonders, no crying.

I think if they're tired they will sleep .. will a push chair work?

I breastfeed my daughter to sleep (or the push chair or car) but she seems to fall asleep on her own in a cot at nursery....

She has co slept her whole life and won't go to sleep without milk with me!! Yet she sleeps absolutely fine at nursery.

They adapt very quickly, they might be a little upset at the start but this sometimes helps them fall asleep tbh .

I gradually phased out night time feeding and found that ds does much better sleep wise and will now go over for other people which is great. We were still feeding to sleep when he started nursery and I was really worried about it so I pumped and gave them bottles to give him as a back up but he didn't take a single one that I sent with him. He just took his dummy and a cuddle and I then started doing the same with him at nap time at home for the consistency and if he wanted a feed we'd do it after when he woke up. I don't think there's one right way to go about it op, it depends on how attached your child is and how they settle in with nursery or childminding etc. Ds was feeding about 6 times a day in the run up to starting but there was so much there to distract him I don't think he really missed it. We still feed first thing in the morning, when I get home from work and sometimes right before bed and if he wakes in the night and won't resettle. I just followed his lead with it and didn't put myself under too much pressure but had a week and a half's worth of milk in the freezer built up in preparation for returning which ended up being a waste, but it gave me peace of mind that he'd been offered. He settled in brilliant after about 2 weeks, eats very well in nursery and once he got into the routine with naps he was fine. The thought of it is so stressful but the reality really isn't just as bad. And it's lovely to know that he'll go down for dh at bedtime now or grandparents and we can actually get out for a bit!

Two of mine started nursery breastfeeding and didn't use bottles. They found their way with cuddles and back patting. Would take my partner longer than if I fed them but they did nap for him, even if it was in the sling, pushchair or car to start with.

Both mine only breastfed to sleep as babies. I went back to work when the eldest was 7 months. For the childminder she would go to sleep rocked in a buggy. She also started napping in in the car. My youngest would breastfeed to sleep but also sleep in a moving buggy or car seat. When she started nursery they got her napping in a cot twice a day! I think when you aren't there your husband and baby will work something out.

Your baby will be different when you're not there. Honestly I went with the flow and kept feeding to sleep at night as it was quicker. Yes, not easy, but you're setting them up well to be self assured and ready to sleep alone in time

Honestly do not stress about it. My first was the same, breastfed to sleep with me. But as soon as someone else looked after her she would settle to sleep with minimal effort. Your baby and husband will find their own groove.