Feeding to sleep babies and return to work (part 2)

[Panda74]

I posted a few weeks ago about my concerns for DS (10 months next week) being able to sleep at day care as he is breastfed to sleep and I was encouraged by your responses.. However I returned to work yesterday (just half days) and I am feeling like a mean mummy! This is so stressful for my DS - he loves his naps and his milk and I am spoiling everything!

And my poor DH (he has DS for a few weeks and then we start FDC mid Jan), I feel terrible that DS can't sleep for DH except in the carrier.Yesterday DH tried to get to DS to sleep in bed (we've got to try) and eventually he fell asleep in the Ergo and stayed asleep for 45 minutes. Today was similar but he was woken after 20 minutes by a helicopter (he usually sleeps 1.5 hours in the morning).

Also DS won't drink either formula or ebm from a bottle and to date not from a cup either (but I admit its early days and we will have another go at this tomorrow) and he isn't really eating much solids so is living on water while I'm at work! What will happen when I increase my hours in a month and am gone all day!

The carer we have chosen has requested we get DS on to a bottle as he likes to have boob to sleep so the bottle may subsititute but I don't know.. Should we persist with the bottle or move on to the cup? Would another teat be better (we use avent)? Has anyone else found their bub is comforted by the bottle when the breast is not available?

Any tips for DH while he has DS or do you think we're on to a good thing with the carrier even if it isn't his usual 1.5 hours (he is making up the sleep in the afternoon when I come home)?

Will the carer do any better than DH? She certainly won't have a baby carrier to fall back on..and I doubt a bottle is going to magically put him to sleep like the boob can!

I hope this is coherent..so stressed about whats to come!

[Kristin27]

Oh I feel your pain!

I ended DD's feeding to sleep using Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Sleep Solution Book, I can't recommend it enough. Basically you start by feeding to sleep, then when he's just falling asleep use your finger to break the seal of his lips and hold his mouth closed, if he stirs put him back on, then you take him off when he's sleepy and rock him to sleep, eventually he will be satisfied with being rocked to sleep, which is also work I know, but someone other than you can do it!

Does this make sense? It's not a quick fix took two weeks I think, but it's gentle with no crying it out and very effective. Get the book you won't regret it and good luck!

[Ginger]

all i can suggest is to try 'tommee tippee closer to nature' bottles. my two breastfed babies both love them!

[Panda74]

Thankyou both. I have been considering buying NCSS for some ideas but I don't think right now is the time to try stopping the feeding to sleep...and I am happy him doing so with me..I just would like an alternative for when I'm not there but maybe I can't have my cake and eat it!

Ginger, I might see how he likes the tommee tippee bottles, my sisters babies seem to like them.