Anonymous wrote:I would have a fall back plan if the caretaker can't come back after the week.

Reading all of this, sounds like baby will be just fine. But back injuries can be fickle and I would have a back up plan of what will happen if a week passes and the caretaker isn't better.

+1 unless the week long period is because the company that manages the caretaker needs that time to find her replacement. Otherwise, there needs to be a contingency plan in place in general for when scenarios like this arise. What was the plan if the caretaker got the flu, let alone covid? You have a little baby, you can't drop everything every time and be the fill-in.

But you should never trust someone's self-assessed time off to handle something as terrible as a debilitating back injury--it's going to be longer.

I would have a fall back plan if the caretaker can't come back after the week.

Reading all of this, sounds like baby will be just fine. But back injuries can be fickle and I would have a back up plan of what will happen if a week passes and the caretaker isn't better.

OP, as someone who didn't leave her babies alone until they were a year old (twins, other complications, long story), I'm telling you your baby will be fine. Is it the ideal situation? No. Will there be issues to deal with when you return? Maybe. But it's okay to do this. Baby will miss mom and maybe be more fussy, but you are leaving her in loving, capable hands. Her surroundings will be the same and you will be back shortly. It will seem as if she has changed while you're gone and you may blame yourself. But know that at that age, they change very rapidly in normal circumstances. Life will go on and you all will be fine.

No way would I leave an 8-week old for an entire week. And my husband rocks - his is very involved in all aspects of parenting. That's a really long time to be away from a new born. Its still pretty crucial bonding time.

An entire week of bottles will make it very difficult to reestablish breastfeeding if you want to continue.

If your dad's caretaker hurt him/herself, what makes you think it will only be a week?

Why don't you or your husband drive and bring your dad back with you? Whatever inconvenience that would be would be well worth it to not be away from your baby for an entire week.

If the baby was 6+ months, I would not think it was too bad to just go ahead and go. But 8 weeks... no way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd be taking baby with me too. Newborns need antibodies. If your baby has a fever and is <3 months old, they are supposed to go to the NICU. You should not be traveling. The safest way to travel is to at least give baby your antibodies.

What if the baby was exclusively formula-fed?

I wouldnt leave a baby that young even if I didnt breatfeed! I would bring baby or find another solution. I cant believe her siblings wouldnt step up. And yes my dh had to fly to see his sick mom and he was fine! Mom was fine too.

Op wants to do what she wants but when you ask others you have to be prepared to hear things you dont want to hear.

Translation: "My husband flew to see his mother, and neither of them got Covid. Therefore, OP's siblings can fly to their father and he definitely, absolutely won't get sick either."

It's idiocy like this that leads to infection rates skyrocketing. Moron.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd be taking baby with me too. Newborns need antibodies. If your baby has a fever and is <3 months old, they are supposed to go to the NICU. You should not be traveling. The safest way to travel is to at least give baby your antibodies.

What if the baby was exclusively formula-fed?

I wouldnt leave a baby that young even if I didnt breatfeed! I would bring baby or find another solution. I cant believe her siblings wouldnt step up. And yes my dh had to fly to see his sick mom and he was fine! Mom was fine too.

Op wants to do what she wants but when you ask others you have to be prepared to hear things you dont want to hear.

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Anonymous wrote:At 8 weeks I would not do this. If YOU needed life-saving surgery I would do it, otherwise no. If somebody is dying, they are going to die. Your baby's life has JUST started. They don't have vaccines, they only have the immunity they got from being inside your baby and maybe if you've been nursing. Somebody else can help with the family emergency. You have to prioritize your newborn.

Sorry. I know this sounds harsh and isn't what you want to hear. But it's absolutely what I would do.

I agree with the PP. At eight weeks I’m bringing baby with me, and if it’s an emergency that can’t be handled with a baby in tow, then I am not equipped to help either. Unless one of my other children were in dire circumstances I can’t imagine it.

I agree. The baby would be coming with me, no question.

It's good that you all view the baby's fathers as equal parents.

FFS.

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Anonymous wrote:I’d hire a babysitter or get a family member to help your DH. The same as what I would have wanted if my DH had to leave for a week!

OP here. Why? My husband is capable of caring for his child. He is a grown man, not a child. Why do you feel men can't care for their own kids without a babysitter? He is very capable of handling our son for a week.

Does he lactate, too?

Have you heard of formula? Or pumped breast milk?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d hire a babysitter or get a family member to help your DH. The same as what I would have wanted if my DH had to leave for a week!

OP here. Why? My husband is capable of caring for his child. He is a grown man, not a child. Why do you feel men can't care for their own kids without a babysitter? He is very capable of handling our son for a week.

Does he lactate, too?

Anonymous wrote:Are you willing to give up breastfeeding and possibly have your baby not recognize you when you get back?

Jesus christ you women are uneducated cows.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does he already do with the baby? Does the baby already take a bottle? How many weeks old is the baby? How many days before you go on your trip?

OP here. He is 8 weeks old. He does almost everything. He is on paternity leave still. He feeds, changes, burps, plays, and puts him to sleep. He is combo fed and takes a bottle. I will be gone for a week.

So he's got this. Pre-prep some meals and go do what you need to.

Are you willing to give up breastfeeding and possibly have your baby not recognize you when you get back?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At 8 weeks I would not do this. If YOU needed life-saving surgery I would do it, otherwise no. If somebody is dying, they are going to die. Your baby's life has JUST started. They don't have vaccines, they only have the immunity they got from being inside your baby and maybe if you've been nursing. Somebody else can help with the family emergency. You have to prioritize your newborn.

Sorry. I know this sounds harsh and isn't what you want to hear. But it's absolutely what I would do.

I agree with the PP. At eight weeks I’m bringing baby with me, and if it’s an emergency that can’t be handled with a baby in tow, then I am not equipped to help either. Unless one of my other children were in dire circumstances I can’t imagine it.

I agree. The baby would be coming with me, no question.

The baby would prefer to stay in her routine, engaging and learning with her loving and capable dad!! Bringing the baby would only benefit the mother.

That said, pumping sucks so I'd much prefer to have the baby with me for that reason. But don't guilt trip this woman for absolutely no good reason.

The baby would prefer to stay with it’s mother. But babies don’t think like that (of course.) This is not a dire enough emergency in my book, and it does seem like you could all travel there together. You are driving and dad is on leave, right?

OP here. My dad lives in a very small house and there isn't room for all of us. It is important I go because my dad has health issues and can't risk him getting exposed to anything. My other siblings will have to fly and that is not possible. I'm the only option. My husband is capable of caring for his child for one week.

So why are you asking here. You have already figure everything out. If your DH is fine with this, then go. I would want my husband to find an Airbnb nearby or a safe hotel option, but that’s me. I left my kids plenty of times, but never that young

He will be fine. Baby will be fine. They can order in for food, and at eight weeks, the schedule becomes more regular. Dont worry about the breast milk, pump and dump if you have to. If you have a freezer stash, build it up a little more if you can, but you may also find when you return that it’s time to switch to all formula and it’s just fine.

Some of you women shock me. It's a week. OP will be gone for a week. it's not like she is leaving for a month. Men leave for a week on business trips and no one says anything. Her child needs his dad just as much as he needs his mom. Her husband sounds like a great dad who will be able to handle things for a week. No need to make OP feel bad.