how old was your lo the first time you left them ?... - Page 2

[elmh23]

I left dd for the first time when she was 9 months old. She was a very high maintence little girl, needed to be held pretty much 24/7, and I knew that would be hard on my mom. Around 9 months she calmed down a bit and started walking so we had my mom come over and watch her while we went on a date.

Ds was only 3 months old when I left him. It wasn't what I wanted but I was having surgery so he couldn't come. He stayed with my mom and big sister and did fine. Only took an ounce or two from the bottle, but it was okay (I was gone for about 6hrs.)

[georgiegirl1974]

When DS was a few weeks old, I left him with DH when I went grocery shopping. I was gone maybe an hour. I've done that a few times. Then when he was 3 month old, we had a date night (but DS refused to take a bottle), so we were only gone for 3 hours.

Here's the worst: When DS was 3.5 mo (in November), I was hospitalized for FIVE days with pneumonia, and he couldn't visit me. It was horrible. My DH and mom cared for him and DD. Poor DS was sick too, and I couldn't even be there for him. I pumped around the clock in the hospital.

With DD, I didn't leave her overnight until she was 3.5 (when I had DS and spent one night in the hospital.)

[Mal85]

I went back to school 3 days a week when DD was 4 weeks old. She she was with a family member for two long days and one half day every week for the next 6 weeks.

She hasn't been away from me a whole lot since then. Once on our anniversary while we went out to eat. She stayed with my sister a few blocks from the restaurant. Once for a friend's wedding reception. I went out of town and she stayed with DH for a weekend a few weeks ago (she's 9 months now).

I think the fact that I had to be away from her in the beginning has made it a little easier now when we do need a baby sitter. Easier on both of us, actually. She's very social and is really only clingy when I'm around. Any familiar face will do when DH and I aren't there. We've been getting more comfortable leaving her with a sitter, usually his parents or one of my sisters.

I think we're going to get a sitter next weekend for DH's company Christmas party. And my birthday is a few days after Christmas and I think DH and I are going to go out with some friends to celebrate, we'll get a sitter for that. I never wanted to leave her with anyone when she was younger, especially once I finished school. But, the breather is nice now especially since I know she does wonderfully.

[alaskaberry]

My ds2 is 10.5m and the longest I've ever left him has been 5 hrs, and that was at night, to go out with friends. But usually I bring him everywhere with me. DS1 is happy to stay at home with daddy (he's 3.5y), but ds2 refuses to take a bottle (can you blame him?) so the max time I can leave him is 3 hrs. DP works away from home, 3 weeks at a stretch (it used to be 4! that was really hard!), so he is always happy to do "daddy time" with the kids while I slip out for an hour (or more) to the library).

[Aufilia]

At about 1 month I left DD with DH at my parents' house for an hour. My parents dragged me to a high school basketball game so their groupies (yes, it's true, my parents have high school sports groupies...) could meet me. DD slept most of the time and took some pumped milk and was perfectly fine. I was a total wreck by the time we got back, though.

[liberal_chick]

We left ds2 for the first time at about 3.5 months (to go see Harry Potter, lol). He refused to take a bottle and cried some, but he was in loving arms the whole time. We left him for the first entire day over the Thanksgiving holiday when ds1 was hospitalized for several days. I'd pump milk and send it back with my sister or whoever happened to visit. My grandmother kept him and had a few different types of bottles and cups. He did really well with it.

[Erinz]

My son was 2 years old when I left him for the first time (with my husband/his dad) overnight. He was just fine. As in--- didn't miss me and I got a total blow to my ego

I just don't see a need to be away from my kids much when they are babes I guess. Sometimes I feel like I must be crazy, but then I have a solid conversation with other friends with older kids who did the same and everyone is healthy and happy. There are all kinds of ways to do this parenting thing

[angelachristin]

well, my now-3-year-old went to daycare at 3 months when I went back to work. it was an onsite daycare and I went to see him throughout the day, though. I quit work 4 months later because I missed him too much. As far as leaving him with someone after that, we never did until the night I had DD this past September. And even then I had planned a homebirth partially so as not to leave him, but I ended up transferring, and luckily my friend was already at our house to watch him during the birth and she was able to stay with him (I transferred at 10 pm) until DH got home from the hospital around 2am. That was the first time he had been away from me since he was 7 months old and still in daycare.

I haven't been away from my DD yet and don't plan to (I work from home now.)

[Auraji]

My DD is gonna be 7 months on the 8th. She has only been away from me 2-3 hours tops and I've only ever left her with DP. Im not really comfortable leaving her with anyone else or for a longer time.

I do plan to go work out at the YMCA and take advantage of their free child care, but I'll be in the building and it'll be tops 1 1/2 hour.


I also plan to start looking for a job after her 1st bday, I wish I didnt have to but we need the extra income, so a little before that I want to start getting her used to being with others.

[felix23]

DD1 spent her first six weeks in the NICU, so I left her a lot. And then a couple of months after we got home we left her with my mom for the weekend so that we could celebrate our anniversary. DD2 I sent to the nursery for an hour so I could get some sleep the day she was born. I left her again when she was a week old so that I could go to the dr.

[MsVyky]

this thread makes me feel guilty!

Im planning my first night out on Friday, for a few hours to see a band play. Lyra will only be 7 weeks

[DCMama01]

Originally Posted by MsVyky

this thread makes me feel guilty!

Im planning my first night out on Friday, for a few hours to see a band play. Lyra will only be 7 weeks

I left my DD at 2 weeks old this past Friday to have dinner with girlfriends. She stayed with my mom and sis and was an angel.

My mom plans to take her one weekend a month so that we can have a break. (It's not really about us, she just loooooves being a grandma.lol) I want DD to be independent and comfortable when I'm not there. I go back to work when she's 4 months and don't want to wait until then to introduce her to others.

[major_mama11]

I first left DS with his daddy when he was 4 weeks old, for about 4 hours while I went yard saling with mil. They did fine. After that, I didn't leave him for long enough to miss a feeding until I went back to work one day a week, when he was 10 weeks old.

DD (my first) I first left with my mom at 9 wks. One day a week, I had to be gone for 5 hours for a college class.

I've not been comfortable leaving babies w/ anyone other than dh or my mom. But I think letting other caregivers take them now and then has been beneficial to everyone involved.

[darcytrue]

My first child I left with a family friend who babysat him very early on, from 6 weeks old. He was at her house and was safe. He didn't stay overnight with anyone until he was 2.5 years old. I had to go out of town for work.

My second child stayed in child care beginning around 8 weeks old and then stayed overnight with family members at 4 mos old.

This baby hasn't stayed with anyone else yet in a sitting arrangement since I work at home, but she has stayed overnight with grandma and she was 9 weeks old.

[dachshund mom]

I feel it's natural to stay with your baby while breastfeeding. DD goes 4ish hours between eating and I'd feel ok leaving her with DH or my awesome with babies mom for three hours if needed, but I rarely leave her because it makes me a wreck.

I had a series of dental appts around that age and DH HAD to figure out how to keep her happy and get her to sleep. I'm sure that it was easier with a sleepy four month old who isn't really aware mom is gone than with a 9 month old who could be looking for her and upset the whole time. It wouldn't hurt to give the dad a chance to figure how to do the baby thing alone.

ETA: I totally understand life gets in the way and some moms have to leave their babies for work, or even for their sanity.

[tykys]

With my 2 month old DS, I have been out for about 5 hours, but don't plan on leaving him over night anytime soon. He was in the NICU for 3 weeks, and that was torture to my soul.

With our first child, I left her overnight for one night when she was 4 months old with her dad and his mom. She had EBM.