Going back to work and worried about breast-feeding and bedtime routine

[MissGolightly]

I am going back to work in a few months when DS will be one, and I am apprehensive about a lot of things but the thing that is really preying on my mind is the fact that I will have to work some nights.

The situation is this - DS is breast-fed and has never had a bottle, and although I've tried and tried, I've never managed to get him to fall asleep without a breast-feed (he also has one before his long lunchtime nap). I can put him down awake, it's not that he has to fall asleep on the breast iyswim, it's just that it seems to be an essential part of his wind-down routine.

When I go back to work I will have to work some nights - one or two a week at most. On those nights I will not finish until about 10 or 11pm and DP will put DS to bed. I don't really want to wean DS until he is ready but I am wondering whether it would be better for him, so that he can have a consistent bedtime routine, rather than switching from breast to cup and back again.

Please tell me your tips and experiences - any ideas for making the changeover smooth?

My DS2 is one. DH puts him to bed when I don't get home from work in time. He often wakes after I'm in (he has nork radar that boy, I'm sure!) and I feed him then, but babies are brighter than we give them credit for, I think.

DS2 knows DH can't bfeed him. DS1 also knew this. They both went to sleep beautifully for him when I was at work.

DS2 will very occasionally go to sleep not being bfed when I'm at home. But not often.

I would say if you want to keep bfeeding, do so. I think you can worry about these things too much - it all works out (I'm not being patronising - I've worried about it in the past!).

Make sure you have a couple of nights out before you go back to work so DP can practise too (and you get a couple of nights out too - bonus!).

what hunker said. dp now does all bedtimes

Hunker thank you for the reassurance - that's exactly what I wanted to hear! I think I have mostly been given the jitters by friends and relatives who all think I should wean DS at a year anyway and are using this to bolster their arguments.

I know what you mean about the nork-radar. On the few nights I've gone out after putting DS to bed he has slept beautifully while I've been out and then woken the instant I've come through the door.

Glad to help - and enjoy your nights out

Although don't expect miracles the first night you go, perhaps... I got a text from DH saying "You're not going out again until DS2 is TWO!" when I went out for the first time (to meet some people from MN for dinner in town, as it happens!).