There will come a day when you choose to leave your baby in the care of someone else to have a weekend away with your partner, because of work commitments or for some time away with the girls. The first time is always going to be the hardest so here are some pointers to help you get through.
Parenting on Female First
Plan well in advance
Ask the person you want to look after your baby if they can commit days, if not weeks before so you can prepare yourself. If you know it’s coming you can get yourself and your baby ready in a reasonable amount of time. Rushing will only make you stressed and more upset at having to leave them.
Leave them with the person/people you trust most in the world
This may sound like and obvious point- but don’t just pick anyone you know who’s free on that date. This special someone might be a parent, your sibling or a good friend- the more faith you have in this person to look after your little one, the easier it will be to walk away.
Make sure their carer knows their routine
The last thing you need is a phone call every few hours asking when their bottle is due, when they need to change them and when to put them down in bed. If you need to write it all down for them- do so and they can slip in with your baby’s natural flow.
Get everything ready for your baby
Make sure everything they will need is in easy reach and your babysitter knows where to find all the necessary items for the next day or so. This will make their life easier but also yours because you will be safe in the knowledge that your baby won’t be missing out.
Ask for updates
Make sure that your babysitter knows to send you a text or a photo to let you know they are ok. It’s little things like this that can put your mind at ease when you start to worry about every eventuality.
Facetime
If you really miss your baby, there is always Facetime. Have a video call with your baby and their carer so you can see them in real time and this will make you feel reassured that they are doing just fine.
Remember your time away is justified
All couples need time away from their babies at some point to rekindle the romance in their relationship, travelling for work is unavoidable and everyone is entitled to time with their friends so try not to feel guilty. Sometimes you need a break and that’s ok.