First vacation without child?

[sea_mommy]

Has anybody here taken a solo vacation (just you and your partner) during the first year of your child's life?

My partner wants us to go abroad for around 10 days this summer, right before our daughter's first birthday. He wants to leave her here with her grandmother (who watches her during the day and who she adores). Aside from feeling extremely guilty for leaving her behind, I'm worried about the effect it will have on her development, etc.

Am I just being a worry-wart or do I have legitimate concerns? I can handle me missing her, but I can't handle the thought of her suffering....

[mom2many]

Ten days is a long time, and an even longer time to an infant. I would not be able to leave my infant for that long. A day or two maybe...three or four possibly, beyond that my answer would be a no.

[bssage]

seems long to me. For what its worth we never left the kids any longer than a late night the first year.

[sea_mommy]

Thanks for your input! I decided there is no way I could leave her, so now we are taking her and her grandmother along. That way we can still have some couple time while Granny is watching her.

Thanks!

[bssage]

sounds like a great plan. Have fun.

[ElliottCarasDad]

Thats good to hear that you worked it out. Personally it just feels wrong doing anything without my kids. Last week on Presidents day, me my wife and daughter went to Lowes while my son was in pre-school and it just felt frickin' weird without him there with us. Granted he would have probably been throwing a fit because I didnt let him play with a sawzall or something, but it was weird nonetheless.

[bssage]

You dont let him play with the sawzall?


Thats sad

[Xero]

I agree with what has been said, and I'm happy for you that you came up with a good solution. My son didn't spend the night anywhere until he was two. Even at this age, I don't think I could go away from him for ten days... But we're getting married next year and he'll be three at that point, and we're going to take like a 3 day honeymoon and I know I'll feel guilty but I think he will be okay.

[IADad]

I think leaving is more healthy than staying. I don't think there's anything wrong with teaching that "mom and dad go away and leave you in loving care and they always come back." It teaches them to not be too bound to family to explore. Now, as for timing and amount of time, that's a personal decision, and I'm not saying you wouldn't miss them, but I don't think it hurts them one bit. FYI, we went on a 5 day vacation without DS1 when he was 7 mo old and 8 days when he was 2, and the only regret we have is that we had pretty much broken him of binkie habit when we vaca'd at 2 and we came back and he was chain smoking them., but meh.

I think it's also healthy to get away from your kids (maybe not so much as infants) every once in a while. And ECD, we call a trip to Lowes without the kids "Date Night."

[16th ave.]

i tend to agree with iadad about the leaving and staying. but its easier said than done. agree with everyone else too for the most part.
in my own experience: except for school and daycare, i have always had the hardest time allowing anyone else take care of the kids. it took until chloe was a year old to be comfortable with hubby taking care of the kids long enough to go get groceries or even just to take a shower. except for emergencies no one has ever watched my girls when they weren't in school or daycare. we tried that once and it didn't go so well. over night? forget it! i dread that day when it comes. but that's just me being an overprotective mom.

if what you figured out will work well enough for ya'll until the baby is older. then go for it! it will get all of you a vacation and yet have the baby close by for your own assurance.