# Leaving baby overnight at two months old? Too soon?



## lou_lou1979

I've been invited to an event with some girl friends which will be when baby is about 2m old. Would mean leaving baby and our two yr old with DH but he is fine with that and said he might ask his mum up to stay to help out (not that she'll actually lift a finger the whole time but that's another story).

I know DH will be ok but its the feeding I'm unsure about. I plan to bf but that didn't work out with DD so no idea how it's going to go this time. Is it likely that I'll have bf sorted and be able to express into some bottles when baby is 2m old? Or do you think it would be too early to leave baby?

I have to confirm whether I'm going to this event and book a hotel room in the next few weeks.

I'd like to go but not if baby won't take expressed milk from a bottle, assuming I can fill one that is


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## snowfia

I left LO for a few hours when she was that age but I wouldn't have left her overnight.
You'd probably have bf established and would be able to pump if you can. But whether LO would take it is another story aha.


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## seoj

That's a tough call hun... I guess just do what feels right for you. I know plenty of people who left their LO's overnight- and they were just fine with it, I see no issue long as your good. But the BM thing... that's harder to gage before LO arrives. Our LO was fine between bottle and breast from the get go- but we had to use bottles to supplement as she had issues latching properly and BF didn't work so great for us. So after several weeks- I exclusively pumped. I know not all babies are as easy when it comes to breast and/or bottle though... 

If it's JUST a hotel you'd need to book... I'm sure they have a cancelation policy- so if possible, maybe book the hotel, but tell your friends it may depend on how LO is doing etc... then cancel if/when needed? Sorry I've no great advise. 

Best of luck!


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## Meredith2010

I'm going to be having my first night away from DD at the end of July, when she'll be just under 2 months old. She'll be fine - I give her expressed milk from a bottle once every couple of days just to make sure she takes one (I've got to go back to work in a few months so she'll need to take a bottle then), the biggest problem is how my boobs are going to cope as I produce huge amounts of milk overnight. 

I know it isn't advised to give a bottle or express so early, but I have intentionally done so with both of mine to make sure that they also drink from bottles and neither have had any nipple confusion whatsoever. 

I'd think that in theory it could well be fine, but in reality you just won't know until nearer the time when you know how well she feeds. I know that's not particularly helpful, sorry!


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## Maidenet

Can't comment on bf.... But I have left my little one already. I don't feel bad about it and I didn't worry.... I don't want my baby to be a clingy child when she is older so like her to see other people etc... Xx


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## LittleOnes

Tough to decide in advance, so I would see about making plans but leaving cancelling options open. 

My LO is two months and I personally couldnt leave him overnight, though DH and I left him with MIL for a few hours at three weeks old. Its just totally a personal feeling! 

As far as BFing its also tricky - example my supply feels completely established, but I dont find time to pump at all for a freezer stash because I am totally still tired and trying to sleep when LO is sleeping, not to mention he has no schedule - he feeds at will and at random!


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## Casey3

Personally there is no way I could have left him overnight at 2 months.. Heck I couldn't leave him now at almost 6 months! :blush: Its def a personal decision but I know that at 2 months our LO was still waking up every 2-3 hours and boobs was all he wanted but he's never been given a bottle so I don't know how that works. Plus our BFing journey had a rough start and wasn't perfect til he was 10 weeks old, so the stress of that + exhaustion + getting used to a baby left he in no shape to go party :haha: If you are Bfing you'll still have to pump every couple hours too... 

I like the recommendations of booking and having the option to cancel, that way you have options. 

Good luck!


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## mamaduke

I left my LO at 4 weeks for 2 nights, and at the time I was BFing with formula top offs, as my milk supply wasn't strong enough. He took to the expressed milk in bottles just fine, but we started that within the first week of bringing him home so that DH could help with night feeds. No nipple confusion at all here. (LO cries horribly when he's been deprived of his favorite nipple - boobs!)


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## sherylb

My LO is 7 months and I still won't leave her overnight. I told my parents they can have her overnight when she's 1 and can have cow's milk. DD has never had any formula and won't take bottles and I prefer to keep it that way.


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## Mummy Bean

I left lo overnight for the first time at 9wks but with my mum but she often fosters babies...so i feel real at ease with lo there...also he as calm with her as he is with me. but we ff so made it alot easier there.


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## m0mmyCool

I left my youngest when he was 9 weeks old for a whole weekend. I even expressed more than enough milk for him by that time. I say go out and enjoy yourself! :D


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## babyhopes22

i cant really comment on breastfeeding but i left lo overnite at the age of 2 weeks old, i no this sounds bad but me and her dad arent together anymore and i felt i needed to establish their bond and routine from the get go, seems to have done wonders as she is 6months and knows who her daddy is. its hard leaving them the first time i wont lie to ya, but once its done the freedom you have is fantastic, everyone needs time to be who you are and not mummy even if its just for a couple of hours. my cousin bf and she had it well established but 2months old so you shud be fine, just do what you feel is right.


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## MrsM17

I left my LO at 3 days old, he went to my mums for an overnight and did the same every week until he was 11 weeks old. He was then diagnosed with cmpi and his 24/7 crying and no sleeping stopped! I feel 110% confident with my mum having him overnight, she's had him lots more for different occassions and is having him for 2 nights in Aug for a wedding and I am going to spain for 3 nights on a hen do next month.

It doesnt mean you dont care but you do have to remember to have a life. I am a better mum for it. I get out at least once a month now x


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## Gbobs

MrsM17 said:


> I left my LO at 3 days old, he went to my mums for an overnight and did the same every week until he was 11 weeks old. He was then diagnosed with cmpi and his 24/7 crying and no sleeping stopped! I feel 110% confident with my mum having him overnight, she's had him lots more for different occassions and is having him for 2 nights in Aug for a wedding and I am going to spain for 3 nights on a hen do next month.
> 
> *It doesnt mean you dont care but you do have to remember to have a life. I am a better mum for it. I get out at least once a month now x*

I agree with this! We first left LO overnight with the in-laws at 3 months when we went to a wedding reception and since then we have left him with them several times overnight. It means we get precious evenings to ourselves every so often and LO can bond with his grandparents. We are both going on hen/stag weekends in a couple of weeks and will be leaving him with them for 2/3 nights. I'm not worried at all about LO as I know he'll be more than happy and comfortable with them. I will miss him though but am really looking forward to a girly weekend away.

I can't comment on the BF part of your dilemma though as I FF from a month old.


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## MrsM17

Oh I do want to add I miss him like mad and usually spend the evening chatting about him and me and the hubby always look through all his pics when we go to bed - saddos!!

My mum is having him when I go back to work so their relationship is very important. Its a good thing to remember if you have to put them in childcare when you go back to work and have never left them it will be very hard, not just for you but for LO as they will go through seperation anxiety and wonder why you have left them. I know my LO will hopefully not have this as he's used to going to my mum, dad and sisters x


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## Citycroft

We left our LO for the first time when she was 8 weeks; my Mum came to our house and looked after LO and the dogs for us while we had a night out for my birthday. As she has always been exclusively bottle fed there were no problems what so ever. I was initially very tearful leaving her but was able torelax and enjoy myself after a few hours as I knew she was in the best hands. 
For me I felt it was the right time to do it and am glad I did else I imagine I'd have found it harder and harder the longer I left it.


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## Brookey

I would never have been able to leave LO overnight at 8 weeks old! I was breastfeeding for a start, so that would have been difficult.

But apart from that, for me personally it was waaaay to soon. When he woke in the night i wanted to be the one to comfort him and at 8 weeks he was still so tiny and newborn.

I still havent left him over night now though and hes nearly 11 months old so maybe its just me.

I think leaving your baby overnight is a very personal decision...what is right for one mum will not be right for another. I think as long as you are comfortable with the decision you make then thats the main thing.xxxx


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## Brookey

MrsM17 said:


> Oh I do want to add I miss him like mad and usually spend the evening chatting about him and me and the hubby always look through all his pics when we go to bed - saddos!!
> 
> My mum is having him when I go back to work so their relationship is very important. Its a good thing to remember if you have to put them in childcare when you go back to work and have never left them it will be very hard, not just for you but for LO as they will go through seperation anxiety and wonder why you have left them. I know my LO will hopefully not have this as he's used to going to my mum, dad and sisters x

Not necessarilly though, ive gone back to work 2 days a week and Lo goes to my SIL one day and a childminder the other. I have never left him overnight night and he has settled suprisingly well. 

We co-slept for a long time and we had so many people tell us how clingy it would make him....but he is the most confident, sociable little boy ive ever met!:flower:

I really think it depends on the individual baby


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## Siuan

Leaving your LO overnight at 2 months if FF isn't a problem. BUT if you're BFing, even if you've expressed enough before hand (which could be possible though could cause supply issues as it did to me) you'll have to express the whole time you're away so your supply isn't impacted. It could be very difficult. 

I left LO @10 weeks for an hour with MiL yesterday and she was hungry but wouldn't take a bottle of expressed BM (she used to take a bottle no problem, but since I've stopped expressing a few weeks ago after it started interfering with my supply it seems she's forgotten how). Poor little sod. I couldn't do it again for that reason even for an hour. It's not fair on her. 

Even getting my hair cut was a palaver. I just had to go for it and she still screamed for about half the time I was in the hairdressers! So hard to predict when they'll be hungry! 

BFing is a big commitment I've found. I don't resent it, but it does make leaving her with anyone very hard. There are a fair few things I've missed out on because I can't leave LO anywhere.


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## bumpbear

My LO was combination fed from day 1. At 2 months she decided that she hates the bottle and refuses to take it so she has been exclusively breast fed since 8 weeks. I'd live it if she'd take the bottle again but she point blank refuses. I can't even go out to get my hair cut because she feeds on demand and I have no clue when she'll be hungry. It's a pain.

I guess what im trying to say is that you can't predict whether it will be okay to leave such young babies overnight til the day itself.


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## MrsM17

Brookey said:


> MrsM17 said:
> 
> 
> Oh I do want to add I miss him like mad and usually spend the evening chatting about him and me and the hubby always look through all his pics when we go to bed - saddos!!
> 
> My mum is having him when I go back to work so their relationship is very important. Its a good thing to remember if you have to put them in childcare when you go back to work and have never left them it will be very hard, not just for you but for LO as they will go through seperation anxiety and wonder why you have left them. I know my LO will hopefully not have this as he's used to going to my mum, dad and sisters x
> 
> Not necessarilly though, ive gone back to work 2 days a week and Lo goes to my SIL one day and a childminder the other. I have never left him overnight night and he has settled suprisingly well.
> 
> We co-slept for a long time and we had so many people tell us how clingy it would make him....but he is the most confident, sociable little boy ive ever met!:flower:
> 
> I really think it depends on the individual babyClick to expand...

Yes 100% agree it depends on the LO. Some babies who have had overnights still get it anyway. I just speak from experience of my friends who have struggled with this problem x


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## nugget80

my lo was ff and i left him with oh overnight... was meant to be 2 nights but missed him so much i drove home early...!


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## x Michelle x

My daughter has stayed at mums once a month since she was 8 weeks old.. We miss her like mad but it's good for us to have a night off!
Now I have my son too, they have them both once a month.
My parents live an hour away so don't see them as much as they'd like but this way the kids get to spend lots of time with them and know who they are.
My mum sticks to both their routines, does everything I say and they settle no problem (although she says she wouldnt care if they were up all night as she would get more cuddles!)
They are going up on Saturday night, so we can chill out, clean the house and just relax for the evening :)


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