help! need advice for upcoming travel

[csteely]

I have a work trip coming up (in March) and will need to leave my DD for a weekend, which is by far the longest we've been apart. DH will watch her, and we're trying to prepare ourselves and her for the transition. Any advice from wise mamas here will be much appreciated!

DD is almost 8 mo, EBF (just starting solids), cosleeping. She never took to a bottle, and our current routine is that I nurse her down at bedtime on a futon on the floor in her room. She'll stay for an hour or two until I go to bed. If she wakes up and DH tries to sooth her, he has to pick her up and hold her -- she won't be happy just lying down (up until very recently, we were both having to hold her while she slept until we all went to bed). When she wakes up during the night, I usually just give her the boob and fall back to sleep.

DH is most worried about how to sooth her at night, and the best way to get her used to him helping her at night between now and then. We're going to work on getting her to take breast milk from a sippy cup (she'll happily take water from one). Any thoughts from other parents who have gone through this??

[csteely]

Anyone? Any help or encouragement? 48 hrs away from my DD seems like an eternity at this point! Is she going to scream the whole time I'm gone??

[Maluhia]

I wish I had advice but I never had to leave DD before she weaned, it seems like a bit challenge! Are you having any luck with the sippy cup? Do you have a plan to get DD and DH to come to you if it is going horribly?

[csteely]

unfortunately, no. I am in Oregon, and need to fly to Phoenix for work. If we could afford it, my husband would come and watch the baby while I'm working, but that's not possible. We do have friends we could call on, and I'm sure we will. However, she did take some breastmilk from the sippy cup today!

[Cetan Luta]

When my oldest son stayed at his grandmothers for the first time he was still nursing to sleep an I was worried sick about it. She gave him a foot and back massage (also how my Dad helped her night wean me lol) when he woke up, and let him sleep with her arm around him and him holding her hand. He never had a problem with it. I think he slept better than I did that night! Don't know if it will work for your child, but it might help?

[pacificbliss]

I had to do this when DS was 9 months old. He would take a bottle so DH would give him a bottle at night. They still coslept. I know all the literature said not to let baby sleep near Dad but DH always had very good baby awareness in his sleep and DS knew how to get and keep his space. Good luck. It was hard but it worked out ok.

[csteely]

Thank you! I am hoping it will work out like that... that without me there she'll just enjoy being with her dad (whom she adores). And yes she cosleeps between us so she and he are used to being near each other at night. I'm just hoping she will be OK with a sippy cup in the middle of the night or just being bounced/soothed...

Thanks all!

[momtokainoa]

I never had to leave my son for more than a few hours, but he also refused to take a bottle. I used to work the night shift and I would stress out constantly worrying about whether or not my husband would be able to get him to sleep or if he would be crying the entire time that I was gone. BUT amazingly our son knew that I was not there to nurse him and he finally took the bottle! You may be surprised at how well she will adapt while you are gone. It's great that your hubby is used to co-sleeping with her already so that won't be an issue to worry about. I'm sure she and your hubby will do just fine. Maybe a bit more crying than normal, but still fine