When did you first leave your baby/ child overnight ?

[strugglingmummy2021]

Just that really.

Left with DH for a night: DS 10m old (but I drove back early to be there when he woke at 7am).
DD: prem & in nicu and scandalously, nope, you don't get to stay with baby when they are in NICU, so every night for 12 nights when she was born.

Not til her first sleepover at about 8

I am amazed that some people have waited years! What about work trips, anniversary trips, meeting friends, weekends away?

I left her with my husband fairly regularly from about 7/8 weeks overnight.

We both left her with my family when we went away when she was about 2yrs 9 months ish.

@LouNatics you sound like a wonderful person
@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland wow that is scandalous . How is your DD now?

About 3 months with best friend For a night

At 18 months was had frequent sleelovers with GP and her play friends.

I don't remember with DD1 but with DD2 she was about 10 weeks when I left her with my mum over night. I was lucky in that my mum spent a huge amount of time staying in my house when my DC were babies, so leaving them with her was essentially the same as leaving them with DH. Actually it was better as she was more attuned to them than he was.

From 6 weeks with grandparents or auntie

From 6 years old at Beavers

3, and never and never. Not likely now, either.

About 9 months old, DD went to my parents overnight so DH and I could have a romantic night away and we've done this a couple of times a year since then (highly recommend!).

I left DS at 5mths with DH for 3nts to go to Spain for my 40th! I missed him but it was amazing. He's stayed at Grandparents probably 50 times for the night (he's 3.5yrs now)
I haven't left DD yet but am having a weekend away in a cottage with friends in November so DH will have them Friday-Sunday at 3yrs and 9mths.

DD - Rainbows (5), Ds beavers (nearly 6). We've had 2 child free nights in 12 years. No family to have them. One friend who is happy to have them over night but she lives the other end of the country so we don't go up often.

@Cupoftea53

I am amazed that some people have waited years! What about work trips, anniversary trips, meeting friends, weekends away?

Only had evenings out, not overnighters.

@Cupoftea53 I don't think it's about waiting, we just don't have family who would be able to do this, and it's a big ask for friends all of whom have small children and jobs.

We have had separate occasions where we have been away on our own, though not since DC3 arrived (nearly three).

If I'm honest, I just don't think it's worth it, because frankly an overnight (unless for a wedding/ event) isn't going to touch the sides. I need a week in the sun being massaged, and waited on hand and foot with DH !

What I do fantasise about which is slightly more realistic is a night or two on my own at a spa - not having to talk to or be beholden to anyone. But then I think I would probably enjoy it in concept more than in reality !

@Cupoftea53

I am amazed that some people have waited years! What about work trips, anniversary trips, meeting friends, weekends away?

I had work trips and weekends away with friends from when DS1 was 6 months, but I've never been away for the night or even out for the evening with DH since he was born, we've had meals out etc just us but always during the day while DS1 was at nursery and we were both on leave. As I said this is in large part due to Covid but I don't think it's done us any notable damage so I can see why some people would do it entirely from choice.

My mom had DS to stay the night at 2 months old. He was pretty much sleeping through bar one feed at about half 5, and didn’t need contact naps (he just needed all his naps to be in his pram which my mom was happy to accommodate).

DS1 about 4mo. We went to Morocco for 4 nights and left him to scream at my mum, rather than us.
DS2 - would have been about 2 - we went to a wedding in Cyprus.
DD about 6 months (again a wedding).

3 months old left with grandparents so we could go Barcelona.

3.5 when I was in hospital having DD2.

Not left DD2 overnight yet... And have no intention of doing so for a long while either.

DS1 first stopped with GPS at about 8 weeks. Then fairly regularly from about 7 months. DS2 was about 1. He wasn't a very reliable sleeper. They are 9 and 7 now and stop out at GPS every Saturday near enough and have done for years

They’ll be fine, they’ll be asleep most of the time and it’s only one night. I honestly have no recollection of being 18 months old, and being left with my grandparents! I’m super close to my parents, so have not been affected!

11 months with friends so I could accompany a very ill DH to hospital. I'm very grateful to the friends; DD wasn't happy and it was far from ideal, but frankly everything about that situation was far from ideal.

After that, 6 when she stayed with a friend for a sleepover.

Family aren't nearby. When we've been invited to child-free weddings, only one of us has gone.

Haven’t yet (DC1 is at school and DC2 is a toddler). Wouldn’t be ok leaving the toddler, they’d be very upset, but I think DC1 would be ok even though he doesn’t always sleep through and would likely need some support.
It’ll probably be the first friends sleepover or school residential.

9 months. He was fine.

Still haven’t and she’s 2.5. I spent one night in A&E recently without her, but back at 4am and it didn’t feel like a night “away” as such – enough to know I hated it and I’m not ready to be away for the night!