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By 20 weeks, I think you could do it. I left DS overnight for the first time when he was almost 9w; it was hard but we managed.

I went on my first business trip across the country for 5 days when my LO was 14 weeks old. I think it was harder on me than it was on her! You should be okay leaving her for a couple nights at that age.

LO is 10 months old and I still haven't been away from her overnight. I would hate it!!!

@Adira: We have friends getting married soon-ish and I thought they might do it this fall, which would be when LO will be less than 6 months. I didn't think I'd be able to leave the baby for a whole weekend so my plan was to hit up the groom's sister for her babysitter recommendations-- my family would be too far. So I've thought about it a lot already

@Adira: I look at this way, it is going to so hard to leave them the first time. So might as well just pull the "band-aid" off early when the baby really won't know the difference. I want our baby to get to use to staying with other. I don't want her to freak out when we do leave her with a sitter or over night trips to grandparents. We can't be there all the time. My relationship with DH is just as important as being a good parent. If we aren't happy, baby won't be happy. So time away for us, has to still be a priority. Granted I say this now before she is here, but I really don't see it changing. Plus I am sure DH will make sure we do stick to it since we both feel the same.

@Adira: I was pumping a lot from the moment my milk came in so I already had a stash built up at that point. I also bought my mom a little can of formula in case of an emergency...her freezer losing power, etc. LO was already sleeping through the night at that point and she didn't have any trouble sleeping at my mom's house and it was her first time there! She didn't have any problems adjusting back to her home routine...I think she was really too young to notice. Good luck!

ETA: I Facetimed with my LO when I was gone!

We left LO overnight when she was 12 weeks. Honestly, we missed her but it was nice to have some adult time. We've had a few overnights with out LO and its not a big deal (maybe because our first one went so well)!

I had a freezer stash, so LO got frozen milk and I pumped while I was away.

@Adira: Could your mom come with you to the wedding? We had a ton of EBF infants on our guest list and had to make the executive decision to have it be adults-only anyway. Most folks either had a parent stay with them at the hotel, or did a trade-off like that where mom and DH took turns. That was the out-of-town guests though.. the in-town whose LOs were still in daycare left them home for the 5 hrs with a sitter or relative.

If it were me, I'd book a room for your Mom at the same hotel and have her come watch the baby while you're at the wedding and then she can stay the night and won't have to drive home late!

I think the harder part if you are EBF will bring able to get the 16 or so bottles that the baby will need while you are away!

I want to do one night away and can't figure out how to have breast milk for him, and my freezer stash is down to only a few bags (LO is 15 weeks)

But besides that part, I think you will have fun and should do it!

There is no way I would have been ready to leave S overnight at 20 weeks, I was barely ready to leave him for a long evening away for DH's Christmas party at 7 months old. I wouldn't have enjoyed myself at all worrying about him. I have an exceptionally clingy/mommy centered baby though, and he would flip out and not sleep if I wasn't there.

I'd do it! I'd stay overnight, not the second option. We are leaving LO on a trip before six months... But we have someone we REALLY trust, and LO is FF...although if I were still BFing I'd just do it and pump.

I think a couple nights away from the baby when she's 5 months old will be awesome! It's going to be tough no matter what, but if you do it when they're a little younger, you probably won't feel as traumatized by it later on