Help! Baby hates when I leave for RCIA!

[tapiocapudding]

each week I leave my 4 month old EBF baby for 2.5 - 3 hours to go to my RCIA class. For the last 3 weeks my mother watched him twice and DH once. He has been worse each time I’ve left. (although apparently he’s been better for my mother than DH, a fact which my DH takes very personally ) This time I left him with DH. I left at 6:45. Apparently the baby cried from 7:00 until 8:30, would not take a bottle, would not allow DH to rock him and would not calm until DH put him down in the crib alone where he sucked his thumb to sleep .
I’ve noticed that lately he refuses a bottle even though he used to take one with no problems.
I really enjoy RCIA. It is the highlight of my week. And I really enjoy having some ‘me’ time without the baby. But only if I know he’s okay! And crying for an hour and a half is not okay! I’d hate to drop out of RCIA.
What can I do??

 

[kage_ar]

Take him with you - we always have a baby or two in each RCIA class Maybe your mom or DH could go along too, to make sure you CAN concentrate, but, you are right there so he can see/smell you.

 

[Jennifer_J]

Take the baby with you (that’s what I do for most meetings dealing with Church things sling the baby and attend)

Does baby sleep in the car? Have dh take you to RCIA and then he can drive around til baby’s asleep then park at the Church and read a book until you are done.

If you can’t stand all the crying, drop out of RCIA for now and rejoin next session, when baby is older. OR speak with your RCIA coordinator and see if you could do some self study at home and do less actual meetings.

That’s all I can think of. A 4 month old baby is pretty sure he only wants momma, and that’s normal

 

[monicatholic]

hey, tapioca,

i’m sorry babylove is making leaving hard. i tripple the suggestion to take him along. a 4 month old baby is ususally easier to tote quietly thaN a 10 month old. as for his bottle refusal, well, that’s commo enough, too. sometimes when babbies get older, they get to having their own ideas about things…

he prefers his mommy.

as for alone time, maybe there are better ways to get it-- ways that allow more flexible time.

here’s what i lived for: for the babyhood of three of our babies, my husband and i would go to the library a couple times a month. baby would be well nursed, daddy would take him in sling. mommy (me) would wander the aisles in pure bliss. if baby needed me, i was nearby. if baby didn’t need me, i’d hike the walking path around the library, wander, think, breathe and get some clear-headed time. maybe a few times i was disappointed, but many times i was relieved and refreshed.

i’m happy, overall though, RCIA has been a good experience. and i hope you’re feeling more rested than last week.

ps. i can’t private message you as there’s no contact info on your account anymore. did you want to make plans for the women’s conference? or did you want to try again next year? please, when you have a minute, let me know.

 

[tapiocapudding]

hey monica weird that you can’t pm me, I was wondering about that! Can I fix my account so that you can? What weekend is the conference again?

 

[monicatholic]

it’s october 25.

i would have to drive out on friday morning and bring you home sunday night. how far from the ambassador bridge are you?

we’d have a very clean, private room for you, big bed for you and baby or a porta crib if you like.

 

[dulcissima]

I took my 6 week old with me, 3 hour classes, and he was wonderful. I often wondered if he might have learned something there.

 

[whiteyacht]

Take him with you - we always have a baby or two in each RCIA class Maybe your mom or DH could go along too, to make sure you CAN concentrate, but, you are right there so he can see/smell you.

This is excellent advice. Since your hubby and mom seem to be free at that time, it isn’t too much of a stretch for them to just tag along.

 

[Brenda_V]

hey monica weird that you can’t pm me, I was wondering about that! Can I fix my account so that you can? What weekend is the conference again?

Your contact info is up again. There may have been a glitch and unless you have a full PM box Monica- go for it. Otherwise you can change your contact info.through your profile (at the “bottom” of the top - right bellow the ads )

As for the topic, I agree with everyone else, take him along, bring dh with when you can so he has baby so you can concentrate but otherwise you are free!

Brenda V.

p.s. I am a bit envious yet happy that the two of you can get together! There are a few of us on the CAF here in NM and one relatively close by - someday we will get together as it turns out they come to my city to do their big shopping!

 

[tapiocapudding]

it’s october 25.

i would have to drive out on friday morning and bring you home sunday night. how far from the ambassador bridge are you?

we’d have a very clean, private room for you, big bed for you and baby or a porta crib if you like.

I sent you a pm. Google says the drive is 2 hours and 12 minutes from the bridge (I hope that’s not too far… I thought it was less!)