How many of you have had your LOs sleep at someone else's house for the night? How many nights? How many times? How did LO do? How did they get LO to go to sleep? If LO woke up early or MOTN, what were your instructions for the caregiver?
I know I'm probably in the minority, but DD has yet to do any nights away from me. Sure she's slept in a bunch of different places, including hotel rooms and other people's houses, but I've always been there.
We have a wedding coming up (September, but still...) where DD will stay with my SIL for 2 nights. I'm thinking I should maybe do a night or two in between now and then just to see how it goes? Then DH and I could also have a date night and sleep in past 6am...
We have left DD 3 times so far. She did fantastic all three times. the longest was for 5 nights. Luckily DD does not wake up at night but I made sure, during the 5 nighter, that they woke her up at 7:30 each day or else she would sleep until 8:30 or so. She can only do that on weekends so I did not want her to get too far out of her routine. I decided not to talk to DD while we were gone because I think it would be harder on her to hear/ see me on the phone but then go away again. She slept just fine and did great for Grandma
Post by mrssmith613 on May 19, 2015 11:58:28 GMT -5
Atleast 20 times. Always with grandparents though. I figure if LO wakes up in the middle of the night it's their problem, they've had/raised kids so they know what to expect.
Edited: never more then one night though. It's usually because we are going out for our birthdays, anniversary, events, they ask for the kids or just a break.
Post by younglove316 on May 19, 2015 12:02:29 GMT -5
We have had 2 sleepovers so far, the first was at 9 months and she stayed for 1 night at my in laws and the second was right before she turned a year and she was away for 5 nights split between my parents and my SIL.
As for instructions I just told them what we do at bedtime and what she likes to sleep with. She did wake up at my parents but they just kind of figured it out as they went.
Lo has spent the night with grandma a bunch of times. mostly single nights but we went to mexico last month for 4 nights and he did just fine. I don't think he even knew we were gone! lol. LO slept in a pack n play we had set up in a spare bedroom at grandma's house. the first night DH and I stayed at grandma's also since it's closer to the airport. I put him down for bed, our usual routine: PJ's, some quiet time with books/toys, then turning off the light in the room and rocking him for a few moments before putting him down. that first night he popped right back up and began to cry, but I just left him alone so he would pass out. he did; it took maybe 15 mins and he slept through the night. I also used a very thin blanket from our house in the pnp with LO so he had our 'scent'. grandma reported no problems during his stay, but she has 3 kids and 10,000 cousins so she knows what to do. I feel like you just have to remember that 'grandma' or whomever has common sense and can care for a little one for a night. Personally, when LO wakes up for us MOTN I'll just change his diaper in the dark and lay him back in the crib. usually he passes back out, but if not, I let him cry until he passes out (usually 10 mins tops).
Doing a trial run is a good idea. To get comfortable leaving LO DH and I would take LO to grandmas early in the evening and leave him with her to do some play and bedtime routine. we would go to a movie or whatever and come back late...maybe midnight-ish, and sleep in another spare bedroom at grandmas. we would sleep in and let her do the morning routine too. it worked GREAT and of course grandma never had any problems. we were comfortable because we were there and could see that everyone was fine. it was mostly our hangups that we had to get over - LO loved being with grandma and we practically had to pry him out of her arms at the end of the day, they love each other so much. lol. I wouldn't ever leave him with anyone I didn't trust.
When DD was 6 months old MH and I went to Jamaica for a wedding for 5 days. The first night she stayed with the woman who was caring for her in her in-home day care. Then MIL came the next day and stayed with her in our condo. We also left her at MIL's house for one night when she was 2 years old.
We have not gone away together (but I have traveled out of town alone for work) since DS was born, but we plan to get away for a night sometime this summer.
LO will have 2 nights with a nanny in July. I am not worried about it. I'm sure if he wakes up she will be able to comfort him if needed. I was scared. now i'm excited. Ready for ALL the cocktails!
LO stayed overnight with my sister when she was 7.5 months for two nights. We were only ten minutes away and we saw LO during the day. But it was a great way for us to spend our first nights away from her. My sister wanted lots of instructions so we told her exactly what we do with LO. She did not wake up either night. My parents are encourage us to take a vacation and they'll watch LO. I want to and I know LO would be happy and fine with them. My only concern is that no one besides us has ever driven LO or put her in the car seat. Even with explicit instructions, I worry that something would be done wrong with the car seat. I probably need to get over it and just trust it'll be okay.
Post by threetaboos on May 19, 2015 19:41:16 GMT -5
None. DS still nurses a lot and won't take a bottle/ drink enough cow milk during the day. I'm working on breaking that habit now so he could hopefully do a sleepover soon. (Definitely before the new baby comes.) I feel bad though, he still wakes 3-4 times a night.
I have never left DD for more than 4 hours. We don't live near family and honestly I'm not sure I'm comfortable leaving her with anyone, even family. We have a lot of family drama though so that makes a difference.
Post by RandomName on May 19, 2015 20:32:51 GMT -5
We have only spent 2 nights apart and both times she was with my BF. We don't have family near so it's not really an options. I really need to get on it tho so the first time she's away from both of us isn't when baby #2 arrives.
Post by angelsnight on May 19, 2015 22:44:30 GMT -5
Not much help here, we've only left her overnight once but she was home and my inlaws stayed with her at our house. But she did amazing...but then again she was 8 months old and still sleeping wonderfully then.
I hope to have her spend the night at one of the grandparents house this October. It's our fifth wedding anniversary and it would be nice to just have a night out and then sleep in the next day. I *think* I will be ready by then. We'll see.
Post by maganonymous on May 20, 2015 0:24:41 GMT -5
LO has had more sleepovers than I can remember. Last summer she spent a week at my parents' house without me, and she stays overnight at daycare 1 night every week. She does very well. She is always grouchy the day after she sleeps over at daycare though because she doesn't get put to bed early enough. I never did a trial run with her, we just kind of did it, and she didn't have an issue adjusting.
We have only spent 2 nights apart and both times she was with my BF. We don't have family near so it's not really an options. I really need to get on it tho so the first time she's away from both of us isn't when baby #2 arrives.
Oh, I forgot about this - I also left DD with my parents for three nights when I was in the hospital having DS.
None yet. Not because I don't want to, we just have no one willing to take them. DD1 is 2.5 years old and has only spent the night away from me twice. Once at 9ish months and once when I was in the hospital having DD2.
We are looking at going to a friends destination wedding next January. It'll be interesting to see if we can wrangle anyone into taking our girls for 4-5 days.
None yet. I nursed DD for a year but now that she's weaned, shes able to stay the night with grandma, who has been asking. So maybe within the next couple of weeks. I trust her 100 percent, I'm just going to miss DD. Maybe I'm not ready quite yet. Luckily my mom understands and doesn't push it.
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