leaving 3 month old at home..!

[chasekenslee]

BEEN THERE! We had a baby boy in May of 04 and left for a cruise in Jan of 05 (not 3 months but still an infant). We also have a daughter that was 4 at the time we left. I cried like a baby when we left promising myself that I would not have a good time without them. When we got on the ship and unpacked I placed a picture of my kids on the dresser. When I saw their faces I cried again. Then I realized how exhausted I was and took a long nap. The first undisturbed sleep in 8 months!! My son was not a sleeper and therefore I was exhasuted. Anyway, I spent the next week sleeping and eating and having a great time with my husband. When we have infants, or kids for that matter, we sometimes forget how important our spouses are!!! That week was a real eye opener for my DH and I. After our time alone we decided that from then on every year we were going to take 1 week for ourselves. We are parents 24 hrs/7 days a week for 51 weeks out of the year. But 1 week we act like newlyweds!!

Enjoy your week and enjoy your spouse!! THe older kids will have fun too and will enjoy being with their parents during that time.

Also, my parents and in-laws loved being with the kids that week without mom and dad around!! Great time investment for everyone!!!!

Our trip this year is coming soon- May 13th on the Fantasy!!!!

[BlueHerons]

, I have to say that if it were me, I would cancel the cruise now and plan something else fun to do with the older boys and their friends, that might be more flexible and less likely to a problem with the baby.

 

Even something as minor as an ear infection.....

 

. Whereas if you have already changed the plans now to something else like camping on the beach or a condo someplace neat, then you could still bring the baby along and the older kids could still have fun.

 

.

 

I can't even begin to understand the logistics of taking a three month old camping but a three month old camping on the beach with an ear infection sounds like hell for everyone involved.

 

I'm not understanding this.

 

Who remembers life when they were three months old?

 

The mother is the only one who can make the decision and since mom is the one who has thrown the idea out there it seems to me she is looking for a little support.

[GoinCruisin]

I can't even begin to understand the logistics of taking a three month old camping but a three month old camping on the beach with an ear infection sounds like hell for everyone involved.

 

 

No, it's camping at a condo :p It seems the good ole days of camping are long gone... LMAO!!!!! :p

[iluvdoxies]

That said, I would have had serious reservations (no pun intended) about leaving one of my kids at 3 months mostly because of the breastfeeding issue. I wouldn't have missed nursing my kids for all the cruises in the world.

 

 

Yeppers, that's why I didnt breast feed.

[Timmys_mom]

If any of you had met Baby Sam at three months you would have been helping me pack!

 

XH and I took a 5 day vacation when he was an infant and he developed pneumonia while we were gone. Timmys_grandma swore she would never babysit my kids again. But she did. Then one time Timmy cut his finger and had to get stitches. She still babysits for me when I go out of town, but I always remember to leave the insurance cards!

 

I breastfed both boys, but there are such things as pumps to get around that issue.

 

Obviously, I would go on the cruise.

[AfterTen]

I didn't read this whole thread just the OP.

So, for the OP...

 

7 years ago me and my wife called to tell my best friend we had just gotten engaged and we were getting married on a cruise ship and were springing for their cruise as well. On the same call he told me, him and his wife just found out they were pregnent with their second child (1st child was then 2 1/2). When the cruise was planned the child would be one month old.

 

They didn't really hesitate. 10 months later they left both kids with grandmom and took off with us on the cruise. That kid is now six and currently does not have any criminal record or need the services of a theripist.

[JerseyGirl97]

We are parents 24 hrs/7 days a week for 51 weeks out of the year. But 1 week we act like newlyweds!!

 

 

I agree with this so much. You do not stop being an individual once you become a parent. You have to continue to be yourself too. I had my daughter when I was 21. I still went on to go to college taking classes three nights a week and graduated with a degree in Education. I never could have done this without help from my family. And it was more help than just a week! I do not feel guilty about this because I was bettering myself which in turn makes me a better mother and role model. I am still Erica - not just Mom.

Taking a one week vacation to bond with your husband, older children, and get some good quality YOU time is not a bad thing. The baby will not remember and will still be there when the week is up. Do what is best for you and your family. :)

[BlueHerons]

I agree with this so much. You do not stop being an individual once you become a parent. You have to continue to be yourself too. I had my daughter when I was 21. I still went on to go to college taking classes three nights a week and graduated with a degree in Education. I never could have done this without help from my family. And it was more help than just a week! I do not feel guilty about this because I was bettering myself which in turn makes me a better mother and role model. I am still Erica - not just Mom.

 

. :)

 

My hat is off to you and what a wonderful role model you are to your child!

[JerseyGirl97]

My hat is off to you and what a wonderful role model you are to your child!

 

 

Thank you! :o

[elleusion]

Always interesting to really read other peoples thoughts and opinions. Personally I agree with the "older ones" needing some bonding time and WOW those are some greats ages to do it. Not to mention as others have said You need Your time too. As long as the child is left in great care<cant imagine it wouldnt be> and all the other things are in order I would go and enjoy. When each of us children <5 of us> turned 7 years old for a birthday present we got to go to Disney. Well, when I turned 7 I got a lil brother......Even now as an adult I feel as tho I got ripped off LOL...We do joke about it sometimes and I call him Mickey Mouse....

Good luck in whichever decision you choose and Happy Pregnancy!!!

Elle:)

[nrdsb4]

After our time alone we decided that from then on every year we were going to take 1 week for ourselves. We are parents 24 hrs/7 days a week for 51 weeks out of the year. But 1 week we act like newlyweds!!

 

Are you kidding me?! You only spend 358 days a year with your kids and you call yourself a good parent? Don't you realize that the only good parents are those who "don't need to get away from their kids, or else why have them?"

 

Just joshing. My husband and I also take one week every other year to ourselves. It gives the kids a very valuable gift: parents who not only love them, but love each other and work very hard to keep their marriage fresh.

 

I have a friend who is a militant "we would NEVER leave our child" type. She insists that her marriage is just fine, that her kids need her more right now and she will have plenty of time to devote to her marriage later after the kids are gone. Her husband never contradicts her. Once he was at our house alone and said "I wish Lisa would go on a vacation alone sometime, but she just won't. I think she just uses the kids as an excuse." WOW. That certainly doesn't mean people who don't leave their kids once in a while can't have good marriages, but I do believe making quality time for your spouse increases the odds that when the kids finally do leave, there is still a good marriage left for the years ahead. Grabbing an evening out every now and then is just not the same as spending a week alone rekindling those fires. No phones, no kids, no work, just the two of you. Cannot duplicate that with dinner out. Just MHO and certainly not even feasible for everyone.

[BND]

My DH was active duty Navy when our oldest was born in 1983. He was deployed to the med and I went over to France to spend time with him when my son was 7 months old for 15 days and left him with my parents. I missed him, but he's 22 now and suffered no ill effects. We also left both our boys for several weekends while they were growing up and it's not a problem. Our relationship needed to outlast their childhood and it has. We're going on our second cruise in Nov to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We had our family vacations and our couples only weekends over the years. Spending 24/7 with your child doesn't make you a good parent. A good parent is one who is balanced and raises children to understand they are not the center of the entire universe. My boys are in college, one graduates in May, and they have had us as good role models of marriage and caring parents. And not spending time alone with your spouse DOES affect your marriage. How could it not?

[VentureMan_2000]

Yep... I have no intention of bringing my children on a cruise. This is my and my wife's one week together... alone. The other 51 weeks are devoted to the kids...

 

Leave the little buggers at home, I say...:D