Hello!

I need to start my baby in daycare in 2 months, (9 months old), she is breastfed and very clingy to me. She doesn’t take a bottle, but starting to take water in a sippy cup
Has anyone else been in the same situation and how did your baby go with being left in day care? any advice?


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  • I would continue breastfeeds morning, evening and night and either express milk for bottle feeds otr offer water and solids during the day


  • My kids were older when they went… I’d say you might have to be prepared for the first few days to be tough. Perhaps you could pay some short visits to the centre first, where you can stay with her, so the environment becomes familiar.


  • Hi love. I also had a clingy breastfed baby I tried to get her off at 9 months. She ended up coming off at 16 and half. I sent her to her grandparents on Sundays for church. If she was starving, she would take the bottle that i expressed. Not alot but just enough to not be hungry. She also would drink water and have solids. Wish you the best of luck =) its hard but rewarding. Xx


  • Start the desperation process as soon as you can! If you have a partner that can help or a family member or even a friend. Every second day leave bub with someone. Small steps… 30 minutes to an hour. Go do the groceries, potter around the shops or even take a nap! It’s a good idea to leave bub with someone safe but not too familiar. Also your childcare may allow you to do 30minute visits in advance where bub can meet the careers and get use to the noise around them. Goodluck


  • You could try offering a small amount of breast milk in a sippy cup between feeds before you go back to work. You may also need to take a breast pump to work and arrange some private / semi private space to use it if you have a strong flow.


  • I wouldn’t worry to much. When you breastfeed your girlie in the morning and evening at home she’ll be fine with eating solids and drinking water from the sippy cup at child care at her age. When you want to add a bit more milk in to her diet you can choose to make some porridge or custard from milk.
    You don’t know in forehand how your daughter will respond. Just anticipate on what happens when the time is there.


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