How am I going to work this?

On Friday evening I have a black tie awards dinner to go to which starts with cocktails at 6.30pm. I have the dress, shoes and handbag and I've booked the hairdresser, but what am I going to do about the fully breastfed baby who normally doesn't go to bed till 7pm and expects a breastfeed then? Once she goes down she usually stays down no problem until around 11pm, it's just getting her down in the first place that is posing the problem. These are the options I've thought of...

1)Have the nanny bring the baby out to me at 7pm for a breastfeed, she'll go to sleep in the capsule on the way home and hopefully stay asleep till 11pm as usual. But this will disrupt her usual bedtime routine and she doesn't sleep as well in the capsule as she does in the cot so could wake and demand feeding half way thru the evening.

2)Try to get her to take a bottle during this week so I can leave her and the nanny can do her bedtime routine. If she'd take a bottle this would be the best option but she so far has stubbornly refused. I have heaps of breastmilk in the freezer, it's just getting her to take it that's the problem.

3) Wake her an hour early on Fri morning so her whole day is an hour ahead and then do her bedtime routine for a 6pm bedtime instead of 7pm. Problem is I don't know how well this will work, if I put her down at 6pm she might just catnap till 7pm then wake again

So what do you all think? Any better ideas? Or which one would work best? Staying home isn't an option - the dress was expensive!

Mmmmm that's a tough one. Dunno about option 1. You're right in that it would disrupt her usual bedtime routine, and you wouldn't want to run the risk of having breast milk spilt down that expensive dress now would you! Dunno about option 3 either. Might run the risk of a catnapper. Having a bub myself who absolutely does not like disruption to her routine I've tried it myself and it hasn't worked.

If it was me (of course it's not me but soooo wishing it was me getting to dress up and go out - so jealous ) I think option 2 would be your best bet. Maybe get the nanny to give lil'miss a bottle before bed this week and see how it goes. I know you've said so far she has refused, and I recall you mentioning the dramas you've had in the past with Maya and the bottle, but you never know, it might just work if after a couple of nights of leaving it to the nanny lil'miss might get the idea and [reluctantly] take the bottle. After all you have got ALL that frozen EBM to use

I would go with option 2. I did this with Lauren and left a bottle of EBM with my Mum and she refused to drink it until she realised if she was hungry that was all there was!! When I got home I topped her up with a dreamfed to ensure she was full and was still going to sleep through the night. Yes it did disrupt her "normal" rountine, BUT I got a lovely evening out (well till 10pm anyway) and she coped fine with the slight change of routine for one night!

Enjoy your night out, have fun

Bizzy wrote: seeing as you dont drink would it matter if you skip the cocktails and turn up a bit later?? feed her maybe 6.30/45... thats what i would do.

that what I would suggest as well...

 

ooh, good luck! Maybe if you're not there at all, she will be happier to take the bottle from the nanny. where can you get the chuchu teats? Just plunket or in a store somewhere?

and yes, want photos of the dress & hair!

well yes, but def need a photo of the hair AND dress together! I can phone and book if you like? I have 3 fewer people to look after, hence more time!

ok. any time still ok with me! I bet you are really looking forward to an evening all on your own! You so deserve it too.

And thinking about your options (assuming you go with option #2), worse-case scenario is that she refuses the bottle and has a disrupted routine for one evening, and as peachy said, you can make sure she's full with the dreamfeed. best-case is that she decides that a bottle is ok! Maybe give her an extra feed (if she will take it) before you go out?

I guess I don't really care even if the nanny has to put her in the buggy and rock her to sleep, worst case scenario like you say it's only one night and I can tank her up before hand and feed her when I get home. And yep, I sure will enjoy a night out - altho I'll probably spend the entire time stressing about her!

I can't take her with me, it's a black tie awards dinner and she doesn't have anything to wear

If you do try her with a bottle , can you get someone else to give it to her , so she doesnt smell your milk and say "gurgle gurgle gah gah goo goo " which means stop fobbing me off with this bottle mum and give me the real thing, its right there , i can see them ...now GIMME! "

Tho , its been a long time since i had a little baby , so i cant remember when they lose the ability to smell the breastmilk from your breasts...

Anyway, goodluck Emma, have fun at your fancy pants award

One book I read suggested warming the bottle nipple first .

Blasted child, doesn't she realise mummy deserves a few hours off.