going back to work tomorrow and FREAKING OUT!

[craft_media_hero]

So I've been working my wahm job for a little while now, and I can take baby boy with me when I have to go to meetings or stop in after hours and bring him along when I have to do office work.

Now tomorrow is my first night back at my wohm job, and I DO NOT feel very good about it. It's a three hour stretch, but with driving and cleaning up after class, closer to 3.5 or 4 hrs.

I haven't left my little one ever at all yet.

I have a bottle pumped in the freezer, but I don't want him to have a bottle!



I'm thinking about bringing him in the sleepy wrap---my boss won't be there for the first class, and he normally just conks out and sleeps the whole time he's in the wrap or wakes up and nurses briefly and then conks back out.

But what if he's strangely hugely fussy or has one of his massive pukes everywhere or my students are horrified by us breastfeeding? I mean, they're art people who presumably are okay with the nude figure, and I think they'd just go gah gah and think he's adorable (which he is, of course ) but IDK there's really no way of knowing.

Plan B is have dh and dd hang out at the school field playing ball or whatever right across the alleyway and then bring him to me if he starts freaking out and I can nurse him then.

Plan C is leave him home w/ dh and the bottle.

AAAAAHHHHH! I wish I hadn't said I'd be available, but I love teaching the class, and at 9mo pg, I didn't know that I'd feel so unhappy about leaving him for those three hours tho I never left dd with anyone until she was around 6mo.

Less than 24 hrs away; I'm totally unprepared and haven't decided what we'll do . . .

wwyd?

[Terrilein]

I'd totally give DH the baby and a bottle and go enjoy giving the class. But then I don't know how often this class is during the week and how long it lasts. But surely you're not working a daily 8 hour shift that would be detrimental to your nursing relationship (unless you're a dedicated pumper). So I think it would be ok to let him have a bottle a day (or every few days whenever the class is).

[craft_media_hero]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Terri!

I am probably being too emotional and overthinking this The class is just one night a week, and it's only for a few hours. I do really enjoy it, and I probably (no, definitely) need some grown-up "me" time. I get a lot of satisfaction from teaching this class (and even a little $, heh heh).

I am pretty sure that the baby will be fine with daddy and a bottle. He's only five weeks, though, and "they" say to wait til after 6wks to avoid nipple confusion. He is pretty good at sucking and latching, so it's probably no big deal, and if we noticed any problems, then he could have a spoon or dropper feeding next week.

Plus, it's probably really good for dh to be solely responsible every once in a while. He does kind of default to bringing me the baby if he's fussy even if he's not hungry.

[Surfacing]

CMH let us know how it goes!!!

Sounds like a good idea to have dh take care of baby while you teach the class for a few hours. In the future, once you're into the swing of things/into the routine of class, I suppose you could bring your baby in the sling. Why not?

[guerrabug45]

The anticipation is the killer! Your LO and DH will be fine! I find that they often need us a lot less than we need them. You will be too busy with your class to worry about them and when you get home you will be refreshed and able to fully enjoy your family. Let us know how it goes.

Disclaimer: Easier said then done

[chattyprincess]

Oh craft...no advice but I will be leaving dd2 with dh tonight for a few hours. she is 8 wks old and I am now back homeand our girls night is tonight. Its only "late show" at the movie theatre and I really want to go but am concerned about leaving dh and dd2! I will probably be gone 2.5-3hours max but I know it will be good for dh even though he whines about it! he really needs to spend some time alone bonding and figuring her out and just "parenting" her without me hovering. ugh I hope all goes well...the bottle is pumped and the ticket bought...
Let us know how it goes...Im sure it will be fine and im sure some times he will give your dh a hard time lol but I think thats just how it goes. Its always a throw of the dice for how they are going to act at any given moment.

[somegirl99]

How did it go?

[craft_media_hero]

They did fine

First dh tried spoon-feeding him (bless him), which went okay but ds drools about half of it out, so they switched to the bottle, and he apparently took it okay. I came home and he nursed without any difficulty, but I'm still going to get a bf-friendly bottle and freezer bags instead of the bottle that came with my pump, which is what we used tonight.

Then about an hour later, ds puked all down the stairs and dh was carrying him to the basement. I can't say if this was caused by sucking the bottle or not since he is pretty puke-tastic in general. But I do think his tummy was maybe a little upset just from not being used to the speed milk flows from the bottle?

The class was great--I really enjoy it. I'm glad to have a little island for myself once a week.

I had visions of ds crying the entire time, but not so. I came home to them cuddled in the big chair, reading consumer report together Dh even had managed to get dinner on (granted it was leftover spaghetti, but still!). Apparently dd was a great help and held the babe while dad heated dinner

My boobs were overflowing, though, so I double-pumped right away and got about 2.5oz which is great because I left them with a 4oz bottle, meaning I will probably only have to pump once more before the next class.

So yay!

My fellas were okay, and I was not replaced by the bottle!

[Terrilein]

Glad to hear that everything went well for you!

[Surfacing]

Great update!

[kosheng]

whew!! it really can be done!!

[somegirl99]

Yay, glad to hear it.