Preparing Baby For Time Away From You

It’s not easy to take those first steps AWAY from your baby, but every mom needs that time away to refresh and recharge. I’m sharing a couple of tips for preparing baby for time away from you and to make that transition easier on both of you in this post sponsored by Philips Avent!

My parents are coming back into town this week… and along with celebrating Christmas with family, my mommy heart is looking forward to a date night. While my children are literally the highlight of my day, I also look forward to (and need) those bits of time of adult conversation, eating a warm meal and just in general being able to focus on one thing at a time (instead of trying to listen to/focus on four little ones at once).

I always feel like I’m straddling a line of two very different opinions here… and for some reason I feel the need to choose my words carefully. I love my children and wouldn’t want life any other way than filled with their spirits and laughter, and yet, there are days in every mama’s life that we feel the weight of their bickering, laundry, crumbs (see my latest Instagram post!) and constant need to eat (are my kids the only ones?). Having a baby in the picture is no different, and I hear from mamas with babes all the time who haven’t time to themselves or a few moments away in months. It’s easy to do; easy to let time slide and before you know it, it has been months… but it’s also important to get those minutes to yourself to recharge and refresh. Yes, my choice du jour is a date night, but even getting a shower and a nap, or going out for a pedicure or a massage all sound like little bits of heaven in the midst of a bustling household.

Like all things in life, we feel better and more confident when prepared, right? The same goes for those time of leaving your baby in the care of others. It will happen eventually, but the more prepped you and your little one are, the easier the transition will be on you both! For some, this happens when you step back into the work field and for others it’s setting yourself up for a time of respite… and it’s definitely easier when you’ve made yourself ready for it. 

Start Early.

And I don’t mean to start early in the morning, although with babies, that’s always a possibility!

Getting used to a change or even building a habit around around something comes easier when started early. With all my babies, I’ve breastfed them… BUT I’ve also introduced them to the bottle early on as well. I wanted them to be able to take both, transition easily from one to the other and be able to be fed by others when I was working or needed a little break. It has worked out SO well for every single one of them! We’ve definitely made our way through different bottles, and with some I’ve found that it’s left them gassy. While important for them to take to a bottle, it’s also important to find one that helps them stay comfortable during and after their feeding. We recently started using a Philips Avent Anti-colic Bottle because it’s designed to actually vent air away from baby’s tummy to help reduce gas, spit-up and burping and overall giving them a more comfortable experience. Plus, with a built-in venting system, the bottle has fewer parts which means easier cleaning… Only four total: bottle, cap, nipple and ring which holds the nipple in place.

With Aliyah, my first born, we went through a couple of months of colic, and it’s no joking matter. I’ve been happy with the change to the Anti-colic Bottle, because any way that I can help to provide a more comfortable feeding experience while helping to avoid colic is a huge win in my book, and easier cleaning is the icing on the cake for me.

Do It While They’re Young.

Another place to start early in preparing baby for time away from you, is leaving them for short periods of time in the care of someone else… maybe it’s with dad or grandma. Whoever it is, let them help take care of baby while you run out for coffee or a quick trip to the grocery store (alone, yay!). This just helps your little one adjust to the fact that they’re okay with someone else and mama will come back.

Make Them Comfortable.

Of course, making sure they stay fed is a HUGE part in keeping baby comfortable, so nursing or feeding them before you go, and making sure they have milk ready in the Anti-colic Bottle is a big help. But you don’t want to forget their other comforts… a favorite toy and/or blanket, clean diaper and comfortable clothing are all contributors to a comforted baby. Once they have their own needs and comforts met, they can enjoy the new world around them, whether that be a new person taking care of them or a different environment than they’re used to.

We’ve also been using the Philips Avent Natural Trainer Cup to help when we’re ready to start moving Aria off the bottle and towards sippy cups. It helps them to have something familiar as we transition.

You can see more about our tips in our newest YouTube video below… and I’d be ecstatic if you check out our YouTube channel too! And join the conversation! What tips do you have for getting a few moments of mommy-time in your life or preparing baby for time away? Tell us about it in the comments!

Actress and new mom Sarah Chalke has partnered with the brand to share her experience with the Anti-colic bottle as well.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Philips Avent. All images, text and opinions are my own.