15-month-old going from 24/7 with me to full-time nursery… and I’m terrified 😭
I’m looking for some reassurance or success stories because I’m honestly feeling really anxious…
My little boy is 15 months old and has basically been with me 24/7 since he was born. I’m a stay-at-home mum and we’ve never really been apart for more than an hour or two.
He’s still breastfed on demand, nurses to sleep for every nap and bedtime, and almost all of his naps are contact naps. He has never taken a bottle, and we’ve never sleep trained. It’s what has worked for us and I absolutely love our breastfeeding relationship.
In September he’ll be starting full-time nursery (5 days a week) because I’m going back to work, and I’m heartbroken thinking about it.
What worries me most is sleep. I honestly cannot imagine him falling asleep without breastfeeding, especially in a completely new environment with people he barely knows.
To make matters worse, when I met with the nursery they suggested that I should wean him before he starts. They said that breastfed babies can sometimes find it harder to settle and integrate into nursery because they’re used to feeding to sleep and looking for mum. That comment has really stayed with me and now I’m worrying that I’ve somehow made things harder for him by continuing to breastfeed.
Has anyone else sent a toddler to nursery who:
- was still breastfeeding,
- fed to sleep,
- mostly contact napped,
- had never really been away from mum,
…and everything turned out OK?
Did they eventually learn to nap at nursery without breastfeeding? How long did it take? Did you continue breastfeeding at home or did you have to wean?
I’m trying to remind myself that babies can learn different routines with different caregivers, but my anxiety is definitely getting the better of me.
I’d really love to hear your experiences, whether they were easy or difficult. I just need to know that this transition is actually possible.