Breastfeeding to sleep, about to start daycare

[tracek]

Hi everyone,

my first post,.. been so busy with my 8 week old girl Chiara. Time has flown and i'm starting back at work - only 2 days a week but I'm still terrified about leaving my bubba at daycare.

She breastfeeds to sleep, which is ok with us, but I'm not going to be there all the time anymore. I've been trying to wean her off it through the day, we even did a day of sleep clinic,... but I hate seeing her so distressed looking for boobie, success is only moderate.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation, or have any advice?

thanks,
Tracey

[Beany]

Have you tried a dummy? She may be more willing to sleep with just a dummy if someone else was settling her (so that she couldn't smell your milk).

Or perhaps a slow flow bottle of EBM?

[~Emmylou~]

Dummy or ebm is a good idea.

You might find though that it's not so much of a problem when someone else is putting her to sleep.

My DS has been breastfed to sleep for his day naps since birth. He started family daycare (1 day pw) at 7 months and I thought for SURE that the carer would have hell trying to get him down without boob.

Turns out that when I'm not around he knows there's no boob so he doesn't put on a turn. She just pats him and he goes off to sleep.

I find this also when my DH settles him during the night - if I do it he expects boob and will scream the house down to get it. If DH goes in he doesn't bother.

[pookiesossige]

Hey Tracey- we fed our babies to sleep... Ronan until he was about 19 months old and Ariene until a couple of months ago at 1 year.

Ronan was in childcare from 12 months, one day a week. The carers had no problems at all with him going to sleep away from me- at first I was worried that they were just trying to put me at ease but a few times I went there in my lunch break, and there he was, settling in the cot to sleep, cuddled up to teddy, looking happy and content, gently dozing off. Occasionally he was patted to sleep.

Very surprising and a huge relief!

It's amazing how they can adjust to different situations and people. And good on you for giving your baby such a wonderful way of going to sleep- there isn't a better way! You can tell that just by looking into their eyes and seeing how much bliss a sleepy feed brings

[tracek]

thankyou all for the encouragement. We went in last week & I left her for a few hours. She catnapped... 2 half hour snoozes in her swing. She was knackered when I got her home and went straight to bed but thats a start I guess. She's not really interested in dummies, but thankfully will take a bottle. thanx again, t

[twitch]

I am really interested to know how you are getting on. I BF DD to sleep every night (she's only 12 weeks) and I am worried about how she will go to sleep when I am not BF'ing her anymore - we plan on having another bub very soon. I've tried a dummy, she hates it. The only other way is if DH walks around the house with her for an hour until she nods off. Otherwise she just lays there crying in her cot until I pick her up and feed her. I love doing this, don't get me wrong, I can just forsee a problem in the future. Any advice would be great.

[BoyCrazy]

Hey

my little man is 21 months old and is still basically breastfed to sleep.

I dont wait until he is asleep to put him in his cot, I make sure that he is aware of being placed in there, as I have read that if bub falls asleep on the boob he will expect to wake up on the boob. And if he aint there, he is gonna get one big rude shock, and holler for his boobies, therefore the process starts all over!!

I am in the process of weaning him, and have him down to the before sleep and morning feeds, but he is that stubborn he will not give those last two feeds up!

I agree totally though, that i would rather my baby be happy & contented going off to sleep, than a screaming abusive toddler who thinks that mummy doesnt love him and wont give him his nice boobies, thus making him wake up frequently during the night because he wasnt settled nicely before bed!

Secretly, I really dont want to give up that last before bed feed! But then again, I dont really want a 8 year old having boobie drinks before bed lol....not a good look!!!

Anyways, thats my two cents worth. Hope it makes sense..been a bit sick with a gastro bug..
how fun today has been lol!

[EnglishClaire]

Hi Tracey
If I was you and you want to breast feed your little one to sleep keep doing so. Babies are very clever little people and she will soon work out at home mummy feeds me to sleep at care I get rocked, patted or cuddled to sleep. Most daycare staff love babies and will love cuddling, rocking or patting your little one to sleep. I’d love to hear how you get on I really don’t think you need to change her home life as well and put yourself under that added stress. Good luck going back to work.

[GeorgiaAnne]

I was in a similar situation with my girl who used to feed to sleep. I was very worried about day care but she seems to go to sleep there more easily than she does at home! I'm sure as other have said that the staff will be more than happy to help her go to sleep. This sounds like a horrible bad mummy thing to say BUT I just walk away and think "They can handle whatever happens, it's their job" and carry on about my day as worrying wont help anyone.

[Seekrit]

How's it all going?

I have a little boy who will fight tooth and nail to stay awake.. but at daycare and grandma's he goes to sleep, without much of a whisper and sometimes without his much treasured dummy!
Such a ratbag. He even behaves for his daddy!