Sows and their litters are typically housed in a farrowing crate/pen until weaning, with no provision for the sows to escape their piglets, nor for the piglets to interact with other litters. The experimental treatment in this study provided an escape area for the sows, in which they could interact with two other lactating females, from day 12 to weaning at day 27. Piglets had a creep area that allowed them to interact with two other litters from day 14 to weaning. The control treatment allowed the sow similar amounts of space, but they could not escape the piglets, and the piglet creep area was not shared by other litters. Sows made extensive use of the escape area, in excess of 14 hours/day prior to weaning, and nursed their litters less often than those that could not escape. Feed intake was reduced in these sows, but weight loss during lactation was similar in both treatments. Piglets of sows that could escape consumed more creep feed, but weighed less than the control litters at weaning. Consumption of feed post-weaning was greater in the ‘escape’ treatment piglets, such that by day 42 their weights did not differ from the control. Piglets allowed to interact with other litters prior to weaning were less prone to aggression after weaning. The get-away housing system allows sows more control over their lives, reduces their lactational stress, reduces aggression among piglets and has no net effect on production measures.