Am I the only one?

valerie4977 · November 2013

Ladies, am I the only one here who has never left the house without her baby yet? LO is 5 months now, I'm a FTM and EBF. I've never once left her with DH or anyone else longer than a shower.
I have a pump, still in the box. I just don't know why I can't seem to open it up and use it. My in laws are right next door and my MIL is dying to babysit; I just haven't done it yet.
I'm also not eager to be away from LO yet. The only thing I would like to do but can't with LO is go to the salon and get my hair cut.
I'm rambling; thanks for reading my question to you all/and rant.

Murphie82 · November 2013

I don't know if you're the only one, but kudos to you for being able to do that. I need my away time. My brain will melt if I don't get at least a little time to myself out and about without LO each day or every other day.

valerie4977 · November 2013

My husband is a farmer and we live on the farm. He comes in during the day whenever he can and gets time with her. But when he's home we spend time together; I run my errands with LO before or after lunch to make sure we are home when he is. We just like to do things together, all three of us.

KellenHi21 · November 2013

I've only left him between feedings, he won't take a bottle (he did once but it was a fluke I guess) so yeah.... Short amounts of time only.

No longer the best · November 2013

He's not great at taking a bottle so I don't usually leave him longer than 3 hours. But I do go for massages/hair cuts/shopping while he is with Daddy or grandparents!

Cricket81 · November 2013

I've only left him a couple times. 4 times with DH (3 errands and one dr appt) and once with the ILs to go to a dr appt. into ok him to the dr once with me and he screamed the whole time.

However, we are going to a concert this weekend so my ILs will be watching him Saturday night. I am trying not to let it stress me out, but it's totally stressing me out. However, it's just one night and I'm sure he will be fine.

chelsmcl · November 2013

I have a baby who hates bottles too but I just went grocery shopping and left her with her dad because I need some alone time.

mrsmichigander · November 2013

I haven't, and have loved my time with LO, so it's not like I'm itching to get away. I think for some people it would actually be bad for them not to get away for a while. There's nowhere I've needed or chosen to go without her. We see family & friends almost daily. Plus, my husband is also happy LO is happy. We go out as a family.

La leche 8th edition gave me assurance society tends to question: "People are saying I need to get away from my baby. Mothers hear this a lot, but by this point in burgeoning breastfeeding relationship they don't usually feel like going. Did you feel you needed time away from your partner when you were falling in love? No, you probably couldn't be around each other enough...you don't have to leave your baby to get out of the house. Bring him with you and you'll both have a better time."

If you want/need time away, then go for it. But if not, this is a unique and temporary time with your precious newborn. And if daddy loves the family time too, it really is bonding bliss.

Once kids are older, spending some time away will be more helpful for LO, but for now it's mommy, daddy and lots of yummy milk for the tummy.

I say good for you, what a gift you've been able to give to your LO.

GalLaura · November 2013

I've only left my lo when I went to
The dentist which is right across the street from my house. He wasn't into bottles but recently my dh gave him one and he loved it. So I need to pump now too. Since we are confessing, I also haven't had any alcohol or coffee. I'm so nervous it will get in to his system. That being said, I've started to want a glass of wine.

daffy2k · November 2013

kellen&estevan said:

I've only left him between feedings, he won't take a bottle (he did once but it was a fluke I guess) so yeah.... Short amounts of time only.

+1

valerie4977 · November 2013

@mrsmichigander, thank you. I was wondering if it was weird but I feel assured now that my instincts aren't failing me . And thank you all ladies for your feedback. What a blessing to have a network of moms to discuss things with.

PinkPuffyHeart2 · November 2013

The longest I left her was 40 minutes with DH and she screamed her head off the entire time until I got home. That was also the only time I left her other than 20 minutes to myself for a shower- and she is always crying in her dads arms by the time I come out and doesn't stop until I take her back.

Western Diva · November 2013

kellen&estevan said:
I've only left him between feedings, he won't take a bottle (he did once but it was a fluke I guess) so yeah.... Short amounts of time only.

Yup, this for us too. I'd say 3 hours was the longest I've left him.

TristansMommy6357 · November 2013

Until I had to go back to work I was the same way. I didn't leave my LO with anyone. He went everywhere with me. When I'm not at work I'm always with him. I already feel like I'm missing so much working that all my time with him is precious!

numbersgirl08 · November 2013

I need time away, whether it's me time or date time with the hubby. It feels weird when I leave but freeing at the same time. I typically put her to bed and then head out somewhere so I don't feel like I'm missing much time with her. She hasn't nursed after bedtime before 2 or 3 in a loooooooong time, and I know my hubby or the babysitter can soothe her, and they have milk in the fridge just in case, so I'm not worried.

However, there is nothing wrong with not leaving her if that's what works and is best for you. Don't feel bad about doing what is normal or natural to you!

smittie417 · November 2013

I haven't left LO for more than 2 hours, and only 3 times. I love being with her all of the time!

abbity · November 2013

GalLaura said:
I've only left my lo when I went to
The dentist which is right across the street from my house. He wasn't into bottles but recently my dh gave him one and he loved it. So I need to pump now too. Since we are confessing, I also haven't had any alcohol or coffee. I'm so nervous it will get in to his system. That being said, I've started to want a glass of wine.

Me too about the caffeine! I'm dying even for a cup of tea but would hate to regret it later. Once, I had one beer when LO went to bed and I was up all night peeing! So...yea that's out too.

mrsmichigander · November 2013

GalLaura">I've only left my lo wheSince we are confessing, I also haven't had any alcohol or coffee. I'm so nervous it will get in to his system. That being said, I've started to want a glass of wine

+1!

Someone posted a pic of merlot being poured into a glass for reading her thread. I literally salivated like a dog.

LiLi23 · November 2013

I would probably go insane if I didn't get away from my kids from time to time. Granted, I work full time and that's technically "time away", but not quite the same as say going out for a drink with friends or hell, even shopping alone. (helloooo early morning Target run FTW!) I can understand the anxiety of leaving LO for any length of time, but for me personally I'm a better mom to my kids when I have some alone time to kind of regroup, you know? Sometimes it's not in the cards because we're just too busy as a family, but you can be damn sure if the stars align, I'm getting out for some me time!

JessicaKS · November 2013

@gallaura while we are confessing, here's mine...I have either alcohol or caffeine every day. It's never caused a problem.

Also, to the OP, I work so I leave LO everyday at daycare. I also have had babysitters for date night four times! I'm such a happier person when I get away sometimes.

kanga1622Wed220857 · November 2013

I work so I have to pump. But honestly, no one got to babysit DS1 until he was 18 months old. He was with me or DH unless he was at daycare.

LBeez13 · November 2013

kanga1622Wed220857 said:

I work so I have to pump. But honestly, no one got to babysit DS1 until he was 18 months old. He was with me or DH unless he was at daycare.

This is me. He goes to daycare but other than that he is home with us. My mom has watched him ONE time when my husband I left for a couple hours.

KMeredith82 · November 2013

JessicaKS said:
@gallaura while we are confessing, here's mine...I have either alcohol or caffeine every day. It's never caused a problem.

Also, to the OP, I work so I leave LO everyday at daycare. I also have had babysitters for date night four times! I'm such a happier person when I get away sometimes.

Ditto on the caffeine and alcohol! I never even thought about caffeine and breastfeeding at first so I just drank coffee when I wanted it. By the time I realized that maybe I should be limiting my caffeine amount, it had been a few months and we hadn't had any issues. So I just let it go and don't worry about it, having multiple cups each morning. I've also been known to have a beer with dinner, or a few glasses of wine after he goes to bed. I just try to follow the 2 hour rule.

My LO is in daycare full time, so I am away from him during the day. Like others have said, I think I need that balance of me time and mom time. We haven't had many opportunities for date nights, but I have no issues leaving LO with dad to go run some errands.

lioness13 · November 2013

Wow! That's pretty surprising. I left her to go to Target when she was a week old and I was still EBFing. If it works for you....

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