Military family - partner on deployment

[Lulabelle2244]

Hoping I've posted this in the right place.

My other half has been deployed abroad for 2 and a half months and we have a 4 month old. We do video calls (baby doesn't really notice) and I show my LB photos of his daddy but I'm so worried about him forgetting him by the time he gets back.

Just wondering if anyone else has any experience of this and has any tips on how we can keep up their relationship as much as possible.

Thanks in advance

No he won't forget. Dh was deployed when DS was 2 months for 6 months (you can guess how delighted I was!), but it was fine when he returned. It was more an issue for me readjusting our finely honed routine.

My DD was slightly older when DH did 7 months away. (With 2 weeks off in the middle).

Yes, she did forget who he was. But within a couple of days it was like he was never away.

At the end of the deployment, when she 20 months... her family suddenly went from her and Mummy, to Mummy, Baby and her... and then Daddy as well. Massive change, but it was very quickly her new normal.

Long term, despite many absences (including Monday to Friday every week now) they are still very close. (Now 9&11).

Thanks to both of you for your replies. 6 and 7 months away is such a long time, it must have been pretty difficult. I should be grateful that we only have to do 2.5 months really.

@Icedbannoffee I may be the same way with the routine. It's only been a week but our routine has become much smoother in that time. It normally goes to pot on weekends when he's home.

@PuttingDownRoots We are the same with the Mon-Fri thing. It doesn't seem to have an effect on him at the moment which I'm pleased about but it dawned on me tonight that it's already been a week and baby doesn't even seem to have noticed any difference. It made me a bit emotional but I think that's probably my hormones!

Baby won’t notice at this age, it’s when they get older it’s a challenge.

Its going to be harder for you than the baby as you know what they are missing.

Can you get your partner to record himself reading a story? It used to be an official thing they could do before we had video calls etc, so they are used to the voice.

@PuttingDownRoots The HIVE have just sent us a talking tin that you can record messages on and send backwards and forwards so that could be an option. I hadn't thought of that, thank you 😊