Leaving 9month old for 5 nights - help!

[MrsT23]

Hi all, I'm after some advice...
we are due to be in Spain for two weeks in September staying with my husbands gran who lives there, he has since won an all expenses paid safari which happens to fall while we're away... it's a trip of a lifetime and one that we actually looked to do for our honeymoon but it was too expensive. The only way we can make the trip is to leave our 9month old daughter in Spain with his parents while we make the trip then return to Spain 5 days later.
I am really struggling with the thought of leaving her even though this part of Spain is home from home as his gran has been there for 30 years. Can I leave her there while we fly half way around the world?! It's the chance of a lifetime and one that we won't get again so I would love to go, I just don't know if I will even enjoy it or how it is going to affect her being left in a strange environment without us! I just don't know what to do any advice please!! X

Is she very familiar with his Gran OP? Will you be there together for a few days before you leave?

Yes she's stayed overnight with them a few times and we would be with her for five days first to make sure she's settled in. It's home from home there and I know she would be very well looked after and spoiled, it's the separation that bothers me and us being so far away

If you trust Grandma and you’ll be there for a few nights before to settle DD in then I’d definitely do it. But if you don’t want to then I’ll happily take the all expenses paid safari trip off your hands 😉

Haha brilliant. Yeah I think going is the right thing on he whole and I'm sure that I'm going to suffer more than her, but I just worry how much do they know at that age? I've read all sorts about them not having a sense of time and feeling like they've been abandoned?! Didn't do me any favours!

Different situation but I had to leave my 10 month for 6 nights due to having an operation - he was fine! No lasting bad affects.

I was in bits but actually did us both good as it gave him time to bond with other people.

If she knows and trusts the family you’d be leaving her with, has stayed overnight before and you know she’ll be well looked after then yes - GO! Have an amazing time!

Thanks both, it's reassuring to hear other stories etc too and that people think it will be ok. I've read a real mix. We're confirming all the flights today and once I've committed there's no gong back so I'll have to get my head around it. She's a very good baby and I've always tried to let others feed and hold her etc so that she's not too reliant on me and she's fine with it, think it's me that has the issue 🙈 especially with her being so far away x