Return to work when baby is 1 year old

Looking for a little reassurance that it will be okay.
I’m dreading leaving my baby to go back to work but will have been blessed to spend nearly 1 year with him. However, I don’t know how it’ll all work.
He is EBF and feeds to sleep for naps (3 daily) also minus one nap which is usually in the carrier. Naps are all contact atm and he wakes immediately when I try to transfer him (but he does sleep in the crib at night). He won’t drink from a bottle (left it too late) and we’ve started our solids journey with purées which is going okay atm.

Currently at 6 months old I have no idea how I can go back to work in 5 months time. Will he just not eat or not nap when I’m away?? Does the child minder just give him baby food/ cow milk (as he’ll be one year old). Will he just one day decide to nap on the floor at the child minders?

Anyone else have similar thoughts at 6 months but then have a positive return to work? Any tips to try to help the process a bit?

Read more on Peanut

The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.

Learn more about our guidelines.

Add a comment

Oh gosh 5 months is such a long time away! Don’t stress just yet. When they’re in childcare they’ll quite often copy what the other kids are doing. Couple of weeks adjusting to the change of routine and he’ll find his rhythm. The child minders/ nurseries are used to all sorts of different patterns for kids, don’t stress 🩵. If it makes you feel better my daughter was really hard to wean and still barely eats anything for us but when she’s at nursery she demolishes everything

I felt the same during mat leave, I couldn’t fathom going back to work, but come 12 months and my daughter had quickly evolved. They become less dependent everyday and it’s scary how quickly time goes by. Where your baby is at now will be very different at 12 months. My child was still breastfeeding when I went back to work, I never pumped, she just fed before and after and was completely fine.

in our community

Colostrum storing?

Has anyone successfully extracted colostrum before the baby’s born? Apparently it gets produced from 16w pregnant and you can start storing it in the freezer but I’m 34w looking at my nipples and the syringes on amazon wondering how it works?? Like what did you use and did it hurt? 🥲

Dummies🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Has anyone got any tips on how to GET RID of dummies😂🤦🏼‍♀️ my little girl is obsessed and i have no idea where to start!!

Self settling

Any tips or advice of how to teach 6.5month old to self settle? I’m up multiple times in the night to cuddle her back to sleep and put the dummy in. I understand she will wake up and want a cuddle etc but any tips on self settling would be appreciated 🥰

Hi ya'll

Is anyone else's 4 month old randomly screeching now? I'm not sure what to do and she's been doing this for the past two days. She's usually a quiet happy baby so im not sure why she's doing this now. Aby suggestions?

Baby losing weight

Hi all, it's been a long time since I had a baby (my son is 15!). My daughter is 10 days old and was 9lb born, she has since lost weight at every appointment and is at a 12% loss. I am breast feeding every two hours for over an hour and topping her up every feed. I pump and can get 60ml in 10 minutes so I know my supply is okay. Anyone had this before? Can give me some tips? I currently feel like I'm letting my baby down.

Did I overreact?

I have had 3 c sections, recently had a wisdom teeth removal (4) to be exact and all my mom did was visit the day BEFORE and then she only sent 1 text. She has NEVER spent one full day with me and doesn’t acknowledge my achievements much. She just isn’t there when I need her to be. She claims she’s always working but she lives like 7 minutes away! she can come help with the kids so my husband can have break? we don’t ask her for much and she only sees the kids 1-2 a month. She also didn’t visit with my last c section. I told her that she should’ve gotten the abortion when she had the chance with me because why would you have me and neglect me emotionally? To not actually give me a present father in my life. I am very angry all she does is disappoint me. She only wants to show up for certain people in the family and I just want to grab her and shake her and ask her why can’t she be a good present mother?