I don't like leaving LO for any period of time. He's almost 9 months and I've never left him for more than 4 hours or so (for work or the occasional date with hubby). It just doesnt feel natural to me and I was raised in a attachment-type culture/community. I realize that may be a bit odd, but we bf on demand and co-sleep so it wouldn't be the easiest thing to leave him overnight. My MIL keeps pressuring me to leave LO with her for a night (which I would not do regardless of whether I left him for a night), but I'm curious to know when others first spent a night away. I should also note that hubby would love to spend a night away but he doesn't pressure me.
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Almost 8 months. My parents took her to their house and we went our for our anniversary. It was great for all. We got us time, she had a blast with her grandparents, and my parents were in heaven with all that time with her.
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I think the first time was around 4 months or so. Honestly, we wanted to get her used to sleeping over at my parents and my MIL's homes and we do like to have date nights/ meet friends. I say she sleeps over twice a month or so and I think it's good for all parties involved.
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LO was almost 9 months . . . I had to travel for work. I spent two nights away.
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I left LO with my parents at 2.5 months for 3 days. We went to a destination wedding. LO drank pumped milk the whole weekend.
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LO was 6 months when we went to a wedding where we stayed overnight. My parents watched him at our house and he did really well! It was a much needed break for both of us!
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She was six months old. I traveled for work and then a girl's weekend. It was awesome
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Just this past week at 16 months old were my first days away from him.
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When she was 12 weeks old! She was crazy colicky and we had a horrible horrible newborn experience, so it was a welcome break. My parents took her for 24 hrs so we could go away for the night for a mini-vacay, go out to eat, and sleep in a hotel.
ETA: I was (and still do) EBFing, so that wasn't a barrier. She got milk from my stash and I pumped the whole time we were away.
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When she was 12 months old I had to travel for work but she was with her dad so she was totally fine. She'll be about 18 months the first time we leave her with somone other than us. My parents will come take care of her at our house when we go to Vegas to celebrate our 30th birthdays!
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12 weeks so we could go away for the night for our anniversary. We co-sleep as well, and LO co-slept with my parents. I'm glad we did it early; I think it was good to get the "first away" out of the way early.
It's wonderful to get real alone time with your husband again, and just some real alone time by yourself.
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He was 14 months old. It was our anniversary. He stayed with my SIL, and my MIL stayed over with them as well.
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I work a few overnight shifts a month so I am already used to her being away from then (she is at home with DH). DH and I both left her for the first time for a two night anniversary trip. She was almost 12 months old and she stayed with my parents. It went great!
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A few weeks before his second birthday. We had to attend a wedding, and LO stayed with my in-law's for two nights.
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Date night - 2 weeks old.
Whole night away - 10 months old -
DS1 was 4 years old. DS2 is 23 months and hasn't been away from us overnight yet.
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10 months. My mom and dad kept her for our aniversary.
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5 months. we went to a wedding and stayed overnight, it was great!
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15 mos overnight with DH so I could have a girls night. Then 16.5 mos when we left him with our nanny for one night so we could go to NYC together.
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17 months and I have yet to leave him. Not sure when it will happen.
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DD was 18months before I left her overnight. DS was 5 weeks before I left him overnight.
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We want to leave her with my parents for our anniversary, and she will be 5 months then, but she isn't great at letting others care for her, so I worry she will be difficult. I guess that is all the more reason to get her used to it....
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Sunday-Wednesday will be my first nights away from her. She's almost 20 months.
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We've never left her without the other being there... the hubs went to spring training for a guys' weekend when she was 8 months old, and I left her for a few work trips when she was 16 months.
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9wks. Overnight with my parents while we went to a wedding. I wish I could say that I used the opportunity to catch up on sleep but that didn't happen.
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about 6 months old. but it's a personal decision and depends on the circumstances, so don't feel pressured to leave LO for a night if you're not ready (although i'm not saying you shouldn't take a break if part of you would like to).
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6 months and I haven't left her overnight yet, but only because we don't have anyone close that is able to take her. If you aren't ready, definitely don't pressure yourself! Like @edelweiss: said, it's a personal decision. I frankly would looove to get away with my DH for a night, but my Dad doesn't live close enough to take her right now! Darn!
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She's 5 months old and I haven't spent the night away yet. I just don't really have the desire to. She still wakes a couple of times a night to nurse, and I just don't feel right having her wake and me not be there (I am sure it would be harder on me than her!).
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I left LO overnight with my husband when he was 7 months old. My husband suggested that he take our LO to see grandma and I would stay home. They were gone for ~24 hours and I got to go to the gym and meet a friend for lunch. I cried when it was initially suggested but it was great. I went for a 2nd overnight a couple of months later. We were breastfeeding at that time.
The first time I left LO overnight with someone other than DH (which I considered a whole different ballgame) was this past holiday when LO was 22 months. He did really super great for grandma!
Whatever you decide, don't let someone pressure you if you're not comfortable or ready. But even as an AP mom, you need to remember to take care of yourself! I know I felt rejuvenated...and even a little more confident as a mother, after taking a night off.
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She was 3 months when she had her first sleepover at her grandparents. She's STTN since she was 1mo though.... I wouldn't feel comfortable expecting someone else to do MOTN wakeup since she can be hard to get back to sleep . Shes slept at their place a few times and done great.
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I haven't done it yet and LO is almost two . . . if we had closer family I probably would have left her with my mom by now but we don't really have overnight options. before she weaned I would have felt much less easy about doing it.
I'm thinking this is the year - hubs might get a new job in a different state and we might leave her with my mom to go house hunting. or if I get pregnant we might leave her with my mom and drive to Chicago for a babymoon.
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Haven't yet and he's 16 months.
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@fancyfunction: same here!
I wanted DS to be used to sleeping over at my sister's house. They love having him there. I also knew that eventually a new baby would be on the way and I didn't want his 1st sleepover experience to be while I was at the hospital.
He gets great quality bonding time with family and DH and I get date nights. And now that I'm pregnant again I get some extra rest.
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DS was 6 months old when we went on vacation for 4 nights, and he stayed with the grandparents
DD is 5 months and we haven't left her overnight yet
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LO is 8 months and we haven't done it yet bc she won't take a bottle and has been waking up a lot at night. Ugh. We are aiming for our anniversary in May, she'll be 13 months.
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LO was 12 months old the first time I slept away from him, but he was home with my husband so it wasn't a complete night away from both of us. Not quite sure when we will have a complete night away from LO!
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@SAMMYFAB - yeah, I'm definitely not ready yet, but I'm also the type of person to never give myself a break so its a tough balance for me. Thanks for the support
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At 3 months, I visited my family with LO and let my mom do night wakeups for 2 nights. I was down the hall and slep through the night. At 4.5 months, my in laws stayed with us for a month and also took a lot of night wakeups, so if you count those situations, I've been away at night a lot.
My LO is a terrible sleeper so I'm actually a much better parent when I take the "village" approach to raising children and get some sleep for myself.
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She'll be 10 months old; I have a bachelorette party to attend. Trying not to think about it, really. We bed share, and my presence in bed is really important to her sleep. Sigh.
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Good luck @DEERYLOU!
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