Do you have to wake your DC(s) to get to work?

[u32ng]

My DS will be nearly one when I return to work shortly & DH and I have always been believers of letting him sleep as long as he needs. It's worked out well in that he just fell into a regular-ish sleep/nap pattern.

The only think is he can wake anytime between 6 and 7am & when I go back to work DH will be doing the morning until my mum comes at 7am. (I have to be up at 5.30 & leaving the house by 6 for an evilly long commute).

DH wants some sort of regular routine with DS's milk feed so he knows how his short morning window is panning out.

Should we be waking DS if he's not awake by a certain time or does my DH have to assume some flexibility i.e. Just get ready for work/have breakfast & feed DS whenever he wakes? (DS will only play happily in his cot for about 5mins after waking before wanting attention and FED!)

Also my mum is only filling in for a month until DS goes to nursery. Then DH will HAVE to be out the house with DS by the same time every day to get to work on time.

What do other people do??

I think it's up to you really. When my DS was 1 I used to get him up at the time that suited me, feed him, change his nappy, dress him etc and then leave him playing while I got ready. But others like to get up before their DC so would let them sleep in. Most people like to have a routine going (sound like your DH does) so I'd definitely wake him if he's not awake anyway. You'll probably find that he gets used to his new waking time very quickly.

I also went back to work when DS was 11 months. I have to leave the house by 7.40. I found it easiest to set my alarm for 6.30, and then in an ideal world get myself ready before DS woke at 7am. In reality he can wake anytime from 6.30 to sleeping past 7am and me having to wake him.

Only thing I would say is not to worry too much about the timing of the morning milk feed as your DS may drop it himself soon anyway- DS is nw 15 months and doesn't have a bottle on a morning just banana and water 9he refuses milk out of a cup!) then has breakfast at nursery.

Thanks, we'll try waking him at the last moment and if that doesn't work out we'll have to think of something else!

Yes, we have to wake 4yo and 19mth old as, despite waking between 6.00and 6.30 on the four days I don't work, they're still asleep at 7.00 on the days I do.

Haha, how blinkin' typical! I could see my DS doing same!