First full day back not going so well.

[greenmulberry]

Today is my first full day 8 to 5, back in the office.

DH is home with the 12 week old baby.

Last week, I did all half days, 1 to 5. I left made bottles with frozen pumped breast milk, and everything went perfect. DH was so proud of how they got along.

Last night, I made four bottles and put them in the fridge. This morning I got up plenty early, nursed her twice, and when I left, she had just fallen asleep on the bed with DH and he slipped her into the swing for her nap. She will only take long naps in her swing.

When she woke up later, he warmed a bottle, she took a few sucks, and all hell broke loose. She began a major crying fit which resulted in a huge breakdown. DH could not console her, she kept crying and crying until she passed out in his arms, and when she woke up and he offered the bottle and she flipped out again. Apparently this was a serious screaming at the top of her lungs.

He took off her outer clothes thinking she may be too hot. Didn't help. 

He says the bottle was the perfect temperature. This was previously frozen milk and she usually has the stuff pumped the day before, but she has had previously frozen milk before and was fine. She takes bottles from him great normally.

Finally, she was so upset he put her in the car and drove her to my work so I could nurse her. She nursed fine.

I had him bring the bottle to me and it smelled fine and I even tasted it (sorry I just had to know), it seemed OK. At least there was nothing that struck me as very off about it.

So they just left to go back home. I told him if he ever thinks there is something wrong with the milk I left, to go ahead and use formula!

The only thing that was different was I thawed the milk and put it in bottles in the fridge the night before. Do you think that is too long for thawed milk to keep? My little card that came with my breast pump said thawed milk keeps 24 hrs in the fridge.

I just feel so bad they were both having such a hellish day. I could tell she had been crying a lot.

[marinak1977]

- hang in there, when I had to go back to work DS started daycare and wouldn't take the bottle from the caregivers (he would even take it from me). I would come to the center to find him screaming for me. After a few days though he took the first bottle and never looked back, so hopefully your LO will adjust soon. It's tough when you have to leave them behind to go to work.

[Faither]

I'm not going to lie and say that going back to work is easy. It's not. It's an adjustment for everyone. That said, I have been in your situation. DH stays home with our now 16 month old. She will take a bottle from him but not from me. We're still BFing but I had surgery last year and couldn't BF for a few days. Terrible when DD nursed to sleep (still does) and was cutting teeth then so was nursing for comfort too. But we got through it and she doesn't hate me, although at the time I was convinced that she would.

The only thing I can say is that it will get better. It will just take time. Maybe bringing her to you during lunch would help ease the transition. Do you cosleep/bedshare? That helped immensely with us. DD spends all night snuggled up next to me and she loves it.

Good Luck!

[greenmulberry]

By the time I got home they were doing better. They were also both so exhausted from the stress of the day that they fell asleep together at about 6:30! It was so cute!

He did get her to eventually take some milk, although I was sad about the pumped milk that ended up getting wasted, I am still not so good at pumping and every bottle represents a lot of effort!

He said today is going better. She was still resistant to the bottle but he was gentle and patient and she ate it.

I do cosleep and lucky for me, she is an easy baby at night, goes to sleep easily (at night only, she really isn't an easy napper during the day).  I do enjoy watching her sweet face while she snoozes.

I told him he can always bring her to me for lunch, but he very much wants to show me that he can do this well and I think that will only be a last resort. We both would rather stay at home than work I just ended up with the much better job so I bring home the paycheck.

[Faither]

yay! So glad to hear that. Going back to work is stressful enough already that if things can go a little smoother at home, it makes the day just a bit easier.

My DH did remind me this morning that every time DD isn't feeling well she refuses to take a bottle from him and will just wait for me to come home. Now that she's walking, her running up to the door when I get home makes my day. It's adorable.

Double check how long you can leave milk in the fridge. I think if you put it in the back it's good for longer then a day. I know we have milk in the deep freeze since last year and our regular freezer for a few months. Kellymom.com says you can keep milk in the fridge for 8 days. (http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html#storage). What we do is put out one more bottle then she will normally take and freeze the rest. Because you are right, it's work to make it and it's a shame to have to toss it.

good luck! (hope i wasn't too much of a downer... )