What have I done??!!??

[Queenofpi]

6 month old daughter has been 95% breastfed. I go back to work today (eek!) and my husband and I agreed we would democratically share nights between us now. Last night was his first night duty.
Turns out that I have screwed myself royally. She found it really hard to settle when her dad cuddled/rocked/shushed and wouldn't take a bottle from him. I gave up in the end and gave her the breast. When she had calmed down on the breast she did take a bit of bottle milk but then would only have the breast again!
How on earth do I get around this? She's been fine overnight without me before, why does she need me and my boobs so much now? Any advice, "you're not alone"s or "there there"s much appreciated.

Co sleeping, might be an idea? It's very normal for her to only want you. Some nights she'll be fine with her dad, but last night wasn't one of them by the sound of it.

Babies, like anyone else, have times they need a little more comfort and support than others. She may well have realised that you were worried and, sensing that, wanted to be with you, because you = safety. Some nights she'll be fine with her dad but in times upset or stress (when you've changed her routine by going back to work, or when teething or poorly or going through a leap or learning something new or whatever) she'll only want you.

Totally agree with PP - do consider if you can make cosleeping work for you. I did all the night wakings for my now 20 month old until
She was maybe 18 months and my milk dried up in pregnancy. If my husband was looking after her for me to work I still did the night feeds as it got her back to sleep the fastest and we all got more sleep.
She does now sleep through the night most of
The time - it's developmental nothing to do with what you have or haven't done. This too shall pass.

It's the kind of thing that needs to be introduced gradually really. And as pp has said, it's likely she's noticed something is different. TBF, the way you do this completely depends on what works for you. Controlled crying, gradual retreat, co sleeping...

Start with baby steps...As much as it is a killer, I'd start with what you were doing before going back to work...then after a week or so, breast then a bottle top up. Then shortening the breastfeeds and increasing the bottle. But as I say... whatever works for you!

The beginning will be absolutely awful, but if you're consistent, it should work. You have to be at the edge of reason before they start to play ball though unfortunately!

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've gone back to co-sleeping with a next-to-me which helped massively and on Thursday night she settled with her dad every time she woke up. I'm just going to take each night as it comes and see how we go. In retrospect, I was changing too much at once (settling sessions with childminder Mon and Tues, moved crib away from bed on Sunday, my nerves about going back to work and then dad doing the nighttime get-ups). They call it baby steps for a reason I suppose!