Oh hun 
The first thing you need to do is stop getting down on yourself about this. You're feeling anxious and guilty and no doubt Austin's picking up on your emotions.
You have 2 months left as a sahm, the first priority is to enjoy them. They are months that you won't get back again, please don't spend them feeling bad about going back to work or stressed about how your child will feed while you're out. Instead enjoy every single second you have with your precious boy otherwise you will regret it.
If I were you I would stop trying to wean him for a week or two.
In another thread someone suggested leaving a bottle (or sippy cup) with his toys so he can get used to it, as with anything else it will no doubt make it into his mouth eventually if he's relaxed and playing. Try that first and once he does start putting it in his mouth you can start putting a bit of EBM in it before he's given it to play with. Just try and be very relaxed about it. Remember you have about 8 weeks. Even if trying it this way for 2 weeks doesn't work you still have 6 weeks to go.
Maybe look at different options for bottles and sippy cups. At 6-9mo I'd be inclined to give him a cup with handles and a soft spout (rather than a bottle). In fact many baby food charts say from 9mo drinking from a cup should be encouraged so if he goes straight to a cup instead of a bottle that's ok.
 nursie wrote:
I feel selfish to force DS to wean in the next 2 months just so I can go back to work. |
I have 2 things to say about this
1) You don't need to fully wean him just because you're going back to work. Michaela wasn't weaned until (approx) 10 months after I started back at work fulltime
2) IMO you are not selfish at all. You've already expressed that you have no option other than to go back to work because financially you couldn't cope. You are doing a very selfless thing putting your own feelings aside and going back to work for the good of your family.
nursie wrote:
And I am also worried about what I'm going to do if he doesn't take a bottle |
Worst case scenario he doesn't get used to the bottle/cup before you go back to work. By 9 months although milk is still really important they're down to about 500-600mls per day. You could do that in a couple of feeds while you're home (1 before work and 1 after) so if he refuses the bottle/cup while you're away it doesn't matter, he's had the milk he needs.
Remember babies and toddlers won't let themselves starve. He'll either comensate with solids (which you can shove EBM into) or he'll take the bottle/cup because he know's you're not there to offer anything else.
Can someone remind me at 9mo do they get milk after their solids or is it still before?
Edited by MrsMojo
Returning to work worries Please help!
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How long are your shifts for?? Would Austin drink it out of a sippy cup instead of a bottle?
