1st time you spent the night away from your lil one?

Amanda - posted on 10/21/2010

I have not spent the night away from my son either. In fact, a couple of weeks after he turned 1, I started taking him to daycare. I am a SAHM/work-from-home mom, and it's quite the transition not to have him around a couple of days a week. I don't know how well I'm going to deal when he sleeps at some else's for the the night.



I guess I am not 100% honest. When Daniel was 3 weeks old, I was hospitalized for 8 days to have my gall bladder removed. Being that he's my first child, I had a horrible time in the hospital. I guess I forget that because it was so traumatic for me! :)

Adebukola - posted on 10/19/2010

It was hard - i hadnt been out since i was pregnant and i just had to go out
i left him with my friend - he was brilliant because his sister was there too.
He was cool with that until night time - he managed to sleep well but then woke at 3am looking for the breast and then it was murder.
He managed to drink a bottle but was up again around 6 am but at that time i was home already and that was that

Allison - posted on 10/18/2010

My husband and I took a little mini vacation when our daughter was 4 months old and she spent the night at my parents house for 2 nights. Now she spends atleast 1 night a month at their place. They have a crib and all her favorite toys, foods and formula. So I have no worries when I leave her their

Chrissy - posted on 10/18/2010

Our daughter turned 1 on September 13 and we haven't had her spend the night anywhere, nor have we gone away from her. My brother in law's wife always asks, but I always tell her that I'm not ready, and I'm not. I don't think I would survive a night without her. We have a friend who lets her LO spend the night away probably once or twice a month-she says it's good for them. To be honest, to each his own, but I would rather her just stay with me all the time. Its bad enough (for me) that she has to be with a sitter (my MIL) 3 times a week, I couldn't stand sending her off for a whole 24 hours.

Amanda - posted on 10/18/2010

Parker was almost 3 months the first time we left him. It was for my boyfriends work Christmas party. He called the sitter all night to check on him. He now has sleepovers alot. We have 6 year old twin girls so we try and spend time with just them.

Lisa - posted on 10/17/2010

I am a stay at home mum of 2, and the first time we left our eldest son, 4 yrs now, was when he was 2 years and 3 months, and we went away for 2 nights, and i almost packed the car on our first morning away and came home, it helped alot that my parents looked after him, and as we were living with them at the time, nothing really changed for him apart from that, although I must say we didnt do it again, until I went into hospital to have my daughter, turned 1 on Sept 27th, but in the last year, he now regularly goes to my parents house for sleepovers and for holidays whilst he is on school holidays. My daughter has never been left, over night, as I am still breast feeding and I have no desire to leave her anytime soon. lol

Jess - posted on 10/17/2010

Unfortunatly Noreen, not everyone has the option of being there all of the time. I know that I couldn't have Ava stay with me when I was in the hospital last week. I don't think its harmed her in anyway.

With her being a "day care kid" she gets sick a fair bit, I just wouldn't be able to hold down a job if I didn't have her stay with my parents when she isn't allowed at daycare.

I think its one thing to leave her with someone occasionally for the sake of your relationship, or out of necessity due to illness ect. Its another thing to palm them off constantly for your own selfish needs and wants.

Noreen - posted on 10/17/2010

I just can't imagine leaving my baby (or kids) with anyone including my parents on wknds, once a month, or all the time. They are MY kids, MY responsibility! I can't imagine what would go through their minds if I did that to them. Don't you kind of think it's hard to have an attached relationship or close relationship with your baby if you leave them with someone for days??

Francine - posted on 10/17/2010

The first time we spent the night without her was when she was 4 months old, it was difficult, but we had something on. Since then, only one more time, we had a mini vacation & she spent 3 nights with Grandma, Grandpa, Great Grandma & one of her Uncles (they all live in the same house). She is very good with them. And they adore her completely. Even better, because she is just learning to talk, so by the end of the weekend she was saying Grandpa. My Dad was very, very pleased :-)

Jess - posted on 10/16/2010

I guess the very first night would have been when she was 4 days old and she was in special care and I was sent home from the hospital. That was awful !

And then the next time would have been at Christmas time, she played baby Jesus in a christmas thing with my mum. And since she started day care at 7 months, she gets sick heaps and stays with my parents so I can go to work while she isn't allowed at day care.

Plus, she goes into hospital a fair bit and has to stay the night.

I think we are both use to nights apart, just last week I was in hospital and she stayed 2 nights with my parents, that was hard on us both, we had never done 2 nights apart since she came home from special care.

Jessica - posted on 10/16/2010

my daughter turned one on sept 25 and the first time i stayed the night without her was around two months old and she stays with my mother in law every sunday night and i've gone on a fair amount of weekend trips without her

Lyndsay - posted on 10/16/2010

My daughter was just about six months old when I got sent overseas for a week for work. It was, admittedly, awful. But it did prove to me that my husband could handle things (with a little help).

KrIsTi - posted on 10/15/2010

My son is 2 and He started staying at his grandparents house at about 4 months of age. He slept straight through the night at that age, so He was good enough for them to offer it once a month. Before long, that turned into once a fortnight. It was nice to have a bit of a break and get quality time with hubby. My son was 14 months old when my daughter was born (she turned one on the 9th september) He started sleeping over at his grandparents less, and now he doesn't go there. He hasn't had any for the past 8 months. My little girl has only stayed the night at my grandparents once. I am with her all the time, and she is VERY clingy to me.. My son was never like that (and still is not) and I think it has alot to do with him having regular sleepovers when he was younger.

Melz - posted on 10/14/2010

My son just turned 13months old today.... I had my first night away from him last night. It felt weird admittedly and I missed him but, I think having a reason for doing it made it much easier for me. Today is my 4th wedding anniversary and my husband took me away for the night last night so having something to do and be at instead of sitting at home wondering how he is going made it much easier for me to have that night apart from him.

Krystal - posted on 10/14/2010

my daughter was 3 months when we left her at my moms for the weekend it was nice to able to get away you always need time for you and the hubby to have some adult time

Fiona - posted on 10/14/2010

jessica was 10 months when dave and i went to edinburgh for a few days it was ok but you do miss them i am going up to aberdeen for the weekend tommorow and dave i s lokking after her i am really nervous about leaving her but i am going to try and not worry about it

Debby - posted on 10/13/2010

I spent my first time away from my oldest when he was 6 months old I think. My middle boy was 2 and I was in the hospital so I don't think that counts, nor when I had the youngest.... They haven't spent the night away from us...but we don't have family members or friends to really leave them with.

Now last October I did take some of my Cub Scouts camping without my husband, that was great since he and the 9 year old had gone on cub scout camping events with out me and my 6 year old. I won't be doing that again.

Sophie - posted on 10/12/2010

The first night Finlay spent away from me he was 3 DAYS old, and it wasn't through choice. I was rushed back into hospital in severe pain (way worse than labour, they had to give the highest possible level of morphine). I was away from him two nights and it near killed me. I think it actually did me great in the long term though as if I could cope with that, I could cope with anything. I was taken back into hospital several times in his first 8 weeks, think I spent a total of 5/6 nights in there including overnight post-op when he was 8 weeks old - I'd been diagnosed with severe pregnancy induced gallstones. After that I went a while before I could let him stay away out of choice, first time was when I went to stay with a friend for the night when he was 3 months as I was taking her to a concert in her town (2 hours away), that should have been my first night away from him if the gallstones hadn't turned up. Since then he's had a few nights with grandparents (OHs parents) who live half an hour away. I love my "nights off" but love getting him back the next day too.

Kelly - posted on 10/12/2010

Hailee just turned 10 months old and we were visiting family at home (thousands of miles away) and she stayed at the mother in laws for the night and we never even went back there for the night we stayed elsewhere and it was hard at first where it was the first time but we were having a lot of fun and never thought about it all night. We kept those cell phones on though! We have never done it again since and she is 1 year, 2 weeks old now. Like you were don't really get offers and have no family where we live. It doesn't really bother us though honestly.

Tanith - posted on 10/12/2010

My son was born on the 17th September and tonight is the very first night he will be sleeping over. I miss him terribly already. My parents are the only ones I am willing to leave him with. Unfortunately I have to leave home at 2am to get my husband to the airport at by 6am, so I have no choice but to leave my son with my parents. My son is still breastfed and sometimes feed him for comfort if he wakes up crying after a bad dream. I hope he doens't have one of those tonight.

Kelly - posted on 10/12/2010

My little guy just turned a year and I haven't spent a night without him yet. I'm still breastfeeding and I haven't even spent more than 6 hours away from him in the day!

Heather - posted on 10/12/2010

It is hard to be away from them for sure but they need it as much as we do. It is also good to get them used to it incase there comes a time when it HAS to happen and it will be very upsetting for them at that time. My daughter has been away more than my son since him going away for the night takes so much stuff with needing a crib and stuff. They will be going more though to give hubby and I time alone to keep things good with us.

Debra - posted on 10/11/2010

My husband and I started our son with sleepovers at Granny & Grandpa from the age of 6 months, he loves it there and loves my folks. He turned 1 on the 18th Sept, my husband and I went to Indonesia for 12 days on the 24th Sept and he stayed with my folks - We missed our son very much but it was so good for us to bond with each other again, very important to keep the relationship strong, but it was fabulous to come home to our boy. Our son is confident and independent and not a clingy baby at all, Im sure its because of the sleepovers.

Kathy - posted on 10/11/2010

I've had 2 nights... hated being away from her for them both... She was 8mo, the first night was the night before mine & her daddys wedding, the second was our wedding night. She was with her grandma in her hotel room about 5 minutes away, so well taken care of BUT it ruins the wedding night mood when you keep saying "I miss my baby"

Sasha - posted on 10/11/2010

I have yet to spend the night without my daughter, not that I haven't been offered. My family would love to keep Ryleigh over night, but I can't let her go that long. My husband works nights and long hours and its usually me with her ALL the time at nights. (even as a newborn) Sometimes I think I would kill for some rest and to sleep in on the weekend, but just the thought of her being away overnight kills me and I know I wouldn't get any sleep knowing she was away????..

Meghan - posted on 10/10/2010

Heidi has never been overnight with anyone and she's now 13 months old. My husband has been away a lot since she was born (we're military) so it doesn't bother him, but that's because she's home with me, not at Grandparents'. We live halfway across the country from any family on a base so it's not really an option, although there is one family we know and trust well enough to leave her with. They will likely look after her when I am in labour with #2 (April 2011) , and that will be the first time I plan to have her overnight anywhere (except maybe a practice run beforehand!). However, when hubby gets home from this course (we haven't seen him since Aug. 29 and he comes home Nov. 11), I need a BREAK. I would like to go away overnight somewhere ALONE, and leave her with him, which would be a first for them both and make me a little nervous because he does not know the routine. But I'm sure they'll do fine. And I'll enjoy being waited on. :)

Jessi - posted on 10/10/2010

We let my husband's parents take our children for the weekend a lot. They live about an hour and a half away. Henry's first time with them was this past february. My oldest spent the weekend with them almost once a month her first year. We would probably do more, but we're just too busy anymore.

Valerie - posted on 10/10/2010

My oldest was close to 2 before he stayed the night with grandparents. He nursed till he was one, and they live 7 hours away. My second was only 10 months old and I left him (and big brother) two nights with the inlaws while my husband and I took a much needed rest on the lake. I was so ready to get back to them, but sleeping through the night was nice. :) You are going to think of and worry about your child no matter how old or who you leave her with.

Kassi - posted on 10/09/2010

I've only spent the night once away from my son... he just turned one on the 21 of september... but my husbands birthday was july 22 so i took him on a over night camping trip... we left at 6 that night then got home at noon the next day... it was super hard but since i'm stayin with my parents cuz of finical difficulties that made that much easier for me to leave him otherwise i don't think i could have but it was fun!

Laura - posted on 10/08/2010

The first time i ever spent the night away from my daughter, she was 11.5 months (shes a year now,sept 28th) and we were almost 4 hours away! it was hard for me. I kept thinking about her and if she was ok! Ofcourse she was fine and happy! i wont be away from her for awhile though!

Angela - posted on 10/07/2010

I haven't gone without my girl at night time yet! I don't think I would be able to handle it... I am a single mom and when I offered overnight visits once a month with her father and he declined (not for the lack of wanting to... just doesn't have the means for it).... In my head I did a happy dance! I love being with her at all times... going to work is hard enough! But everyone is different! :) Good luck Momma!

Danielle - posted on 10/05/2010

Sammach has spent the night at her Grandmas a fair amount or times. Sometimes out of necessity and others for our marriage (Need to put the hubby first once in a while =]). The first time was when she was 2 months, and she did so well, sleeping 9 hours all night, I wondered if she actually needed me. =] My hubby and I have gone on two mini-vacations, 3 nights, and man we missed our baby so bad by the second day we almost packed up and drove home.

What has eased my mind is where she spends the night away from us. She stays with her Grandma or Aunt, both of whom watch her regularly, since I am a full time student. Sammach knows them well, and I know she will be loved and safe.

Kellie - posted on 10/05/2010

We have yet to spent a night away from our son either. We even took him on our anniversary trip for our "night away" when my parents offered to watch him. I just couldn't do it. He was 5 months then. I always find myself thinking, I wish I could sleep in for one day but if the opportunity was given to me...I really think I wouldn't take it. Funny, isn't it?

Noreen - posted on 10/05/2010

I have 3 children. The first time I spent the night away from my 1st, he was 19months old. And that was because I was laboring with my 2nd baby. So that really doesn't count for me. The only time I count from staying away from my children was when the boys where 3 and 5. They flew to California for 3nights with their Daddy to go to their Uncle's wedding. I couldn't go because I was high risk pregnancy with Abby (9/23) and was about to have her at anytime.

I've never stayed the night away from Abby.

Karen - posted on 10/05/2010

hi there! the first time my son slept away at grandma's house (about an hour away) was when he was 4 months old. he has since been for sleepovers without us three or four more times since then. (he was 1 on sept 23)