When was the first time you left for the weekend?

[Truckerdoo]

My girlfriends are planning a weekend away in October and I'd love to go - but I'm not sure if I can. DD will be 10 months by then, but right now, at 8 mos, he is still pretty boob-dependent during the night and relies on being nursed down (habits I'd like to change by then, but who knows).

Am curious when other moms left their baby alone for the weekend for the first time? How old were they? How'd it go?

[Abraisme]

I went on a camping trip for 2 nights when my son was 2.5yo. He was still nursing then, but made it just fine without for a couple of days (I pumped). Personally, I think that 10mo is a little young to be leaving a baby, bf or not.

[welsh]

I left DS with DH for a weekend at 26 mths. He had recently weaned and while I wanted to go away sooner, he just wouldn't have been ready.
It really depends on how dependent your child is on you at nightime.

[sunnygir1]

My dd was 2y 7mo when ds was born and I had to leave her for a hospital birth (not my plan). Ds is 11 mo now, and I wouldn't leave him over night with dh...maybe with my sister or a mama friend. Ds has pretty serious separation anxiety right now -- very common around 10 months.

I won't say you shouldn't do it, but you might not feel like doing it depending on your bedtime routine and your dp.

[MammaG]

I left my two older boys with my mother for a weekend last Summer when they were 3.5 and 5. Before that, I'd left one for an overnight with DH starting maybe when they were 2-ish. Maybe twice ever? Went OK but I missed them and boy were they happy to nurse lots when I saw them the next morning.

I had to leave my middle son for almost a week of nights when he was about 15 months. I was in the hospital. DH brought him in first thing in the morning and last thing at night and 3-4 times during the day to nurse. That was one of the hardest weeks in our family's life. I missed them dreadfully and DH had both boys co-sleeping and needing attention all by himself.

I'm getting hives thinking about leaving my baby (he's the same age as yours about...1 at the end of Nov.). Couldn't do it for another year or so! He's nursing lots at night and I think about 3 hours is all I'd be comfortable leaving him for...and that would be with my DH or my Mum.

That's not to say that it's not right for you to go have some fun, though, if that's what is the right thing to do both for you AND your child. Some kids night-wean early and don't ever look back, some need that contact in the night for years.

Good luck making you decision.

[Terrilein]

DD was about 20 mos old when I was hospitalized for observation for 4 days after a car accident. Nursing was put on hiatus during that time due to the pain medications I was receiving, but she picked right back up where she left off. She also seemed to understand the situation and gave her papa no problems at home about not getting to nurse.

[dahlialia]

DD1 I left (with DH) for a weekend when she was 3.5. They had a fantastic time.

Prior to that I left her with him for a few hours one night (she was 18 months I think) while I had to go see someone at the hospital. She woke and screamed for the entire time until I got back.

DD2 I think I could leave now (at 1 year) without it being an entire night of screaming. But I wouldn't feel like it would be a *good* experience for her, me, or DH for a while yet.

It really depends on the kid though.

[tzs]

i would do it anytime if anyone is offering!!!! help, get me outta here, i just want one night!

no seriously, i would miss her but i have a very independant girl, a good sleeper, and she maybe wakes once a night and while she doesn't need to eat she can actually be put back down easier with a bottle than with the boob at the moment. she's 11 months but i would have felt ok leaving her a couple months ago. she's just very secure and easygoing.

i dream of a night in a hotel with cable tv and sleeping in.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Mine are 9y and 5y both having bdays in Oct and though dd has had overnights with my parents ds hasnt. I have never had the opportunity go have a whole weekend away though or my answer would be different.

I can say though that I couldnt have left either one until they weaned at 2.7y for even one night.

[jenmn]

I think it depends on the baby's personality, but I can't see myself leaving a 10 month old, no matter the personality. I just couldn't do it. Maybe at 2 years old and just for an overnight, not a whole weekend. My older daughter would still have issues I think if I left her now at 3.5 years old. But I can see my younger daughter being ready maybe a year from now at around 2, but things can change.

[Tway]

My parents left me with my grandparents for a week when I was 7 months old. Nice!

I also have a friend who's never spent a night apart from her kids, who are 6 and 4.5.

So I'd say it totally depends on you and your child. Do you really need some time away to recoup and regroup? If you'll come back better for it, then think about going. Is your child really comfortable with your DH/mother/etc? You may be surprised at how well it goes. There's really no right or wrong answer, just whatever you're comfortable with.

There are moments when I have daydreams of leaving on vacation by myself and getting away from it all (mostly to sleep!).

[Carley]

Originally Posted by Truckerdoo

My girlfriends are planning a weekend away in October and I'd love to go - but I'm not sure if I can. DD will be 10 months by then, but right now, at 8 mos, he is still pretty boob-dependent during the night and relies on being nursed down (habits I'd like to change by then, but who knows).

Am curious when other moms left their baby alone for the weekend for the first time? How old were they? How'd it go?

Sounds like FUN!!!! We (DH & I) left DD1 overnight for the first time when she was 6 months & DD2 overnight at 4 months, both with grandparents. It's important to me in many ways for my daughters to have overnights with grandparents

You can ABSOLUTELY change the boob-dependancy and nursing down if you want to, and it wont take anywhere near 2 months. 2 days, 2 weeks tops.

[omelette]

I left my son with my husband for a weekend when he was 3.5yrs old. I was in town having a girls weekend with my mom and sister so I was very close if I was needed. It took convincing on dh's, my mom and my sister's part to get me to go. I had fun and they managed great without me.
He is now almost 4.5 and had an overnight with his Nana at our house when I was in the hospital having ds2.
That's it for us. As much as I crave a full nights sleep with only dh in the bed I don't really have a desire for a weekend away...yet.

[Carley]

Originally Posted by Tway

My parents left me with my grandparents for a week when I was 7 months old. Nice!

Interesting!


OP I forgot to add that we left DD1 for 3 nights when she was 10 months and not weaned. DD was fantastic & didn't ask for milk until I got home! By then she knew milk comes from my boobies, but love and security comes from grandparents too.

I highly recommend it

[snoopy5386]

We went away for 1 night in February - DD1 was almost 4 and DD2 was in utero.

[octobermoon]

my babe is 11mos tomorrow and i would not leave him. he is still BF.

[BtotheG]

DD is ten months old and I left her last week for four nights for a work trip. She is still BF, but wakes only once at night, and is used to taking bottles while I'm at work during the day.

I was really nervous to leave her. Other than the few hours a day I'm at work (part-time out of the house), I don't really leave her, and never overnight. But it went really well. DH and my MIL gave her all sorts of love and attention, and kept her occupied. I think it really good for both DD and grandma to have some time together.

I will say I felt very refreshed when I got back. I was able to read a whole book (!) on the flights to my meeting, took a couple long baths at the hotel room, got out to a few dinners with my co-workers, caught a show on one of our evenings off. I also got four really good nights sleep. It was really nice. Very re-charging. I spent the entire weekend after getting home just nursing, holding, and snuggling DD. I felt like I had a refilled well of patience, clearer head, and was just ready to give DD 100% of me....which was great because I was starting to feel drained before the trip.

Anyway, I think it depends on your babe and your babe.

[ACsMom]

I agree with others, depends on you and your babe. Go with your instincts. I didn't leave dd1 overnight until she was 3. It wasn't a breastfeeding issue, just an attachment issue, I guess. I just didn't feel right doing it. But that's me. Somebody said you could absolutely change his boob-dependency by then - I'm not so sure, I think it greatly depends on the child. Do you have to decide now, to make reservations or something, or can you wait a month or so to make your final decision? Babies change so fast.

[texmati]

my baby is about 10 months, and I can't imagine leaving him just yet. However, his dad just went on a 3 day trip, and DS was fine, so perhaps he would be fine without me for a few days as well.

I agree that it depends on the situation and the baby. DP is the WAH, so I was worried how DS would take it-- but he's been fine, but we've had a lot of grandparent and auntie time these 3 days so it's worked out well.

[JudiAU]

Personally, I think ten months is too young to leave a baby, especially a nursing one. DH would deal with it if I really wanted to but either of my LOs at that age and DH would have been miserable.