Overnight

Recently my daughter had a stroke and had to leave her then 9 month old daughter at home while she was in hospital. Her partner looked after the baby at night. She was used to being breast fed back to sleep several times a night, but on looking round and seeing Mum wasn't there, she accepted a cuddle as comfort and went back to sleep happily without the breast feed. At this age, it is just comfort not food that is needed in the night so the important thing is probably to find out what comforts your grandson other than the breast. Good luck with your overnight. I hope you enjoy it.

Fearless so sorry to hear about your DD hope she is making a good recovery. My DS had a stroke 5 years ago-bit of a shock but a full recovery. Will PM you if you want to know more.

Serkeen, I'm a mum who doesn't have baby chairs and cots at any of the grandparents homes. My children have never to this day slept over at either of the GPS homes. We've on a very odd occasion left our children for a maximum of 3 to 4 hours for a dinner or a movie night...but I can count those on one hand.

Children prefer their own beds to fall asleep in.

And I agree with you, many today do palm their kiddo off when the going gets tough...how will they ever learn to cope if it's that easy for them to do so?

I had a breastfed baby overnight to allow Mum & Dad to go to a wedding & stay over. I received lots of little plastic bags of expressed & dated milk. She fell asleep in the top of the pram. I carried it upstairs like a carrycot rather than move her. One 'moon' feed & all went well. Happy baby,parents & I had a ball.

Is the baby used to taking expressed milk from a bottle? Have you successfully fed him using a bottle? We had our grandson overnight when he was about 4 months old and both of the questions I posed were affirmative. Other than me being anxious GS was fine and parents enjoyed the night off.

It's a privilege to be able to look after grandchildren. Don't understand those who moan about it or even charge for childcare! Had my gd overnight for first time at 10 weeks old. Slept in carycot at side of my bed and just gave her expressed milk when she woke. Gs at 10 months took a bit if settling first time but was fine. They're babies for a tiny amount of time- make the most of it . Disturbed night's sleep is a small price to pay for cuddles

We had our twin Granddaughters once a week overnight from about two months old. They were in a travel cot at the end of our bed. When they could stand at about 8 months we could hear them moving around at around 6am and then both their gorgeous little faces appeared at the end of the bed with big smiles and squeals of delight as we all laughed. When DD returned to work I looked after them every day and my house was full of toys. I loved every minute and have looked after their brother, born ten years later from one year. The twins are now at Uni and I still pick their brother up from school once a week and take him to his music lesson and rugby. It has been a privilege to be so involved in all their lives.

I'm with Serkeen. At 73 I wouldn't do it but thankfully my grandchildren are adults now.
I do remember having my grandson for a week twenty four years ago while his parents went away for a wedding in Turkey combined with holiday. At that time my own son was only four so I was mum to young child as well as a grandmother. My grandson was a nightmare to feed and would only eat those Petit Filou yogurts or weetabix. I tried everything, including filling the empty washed yogurt pots with puréed veg and chicken. He'd eat one mouthful then refuse. In spite of that his nappies were stomach churning!
He's now a strapping 25 year old who still only really likes pizza or anything chocolate and he spent his first working years in an Italian restaurant.

Have parents and child visited your house together before the big night? Ie is baby used to being at your house? Even sleeping in the travel cot?

I m sure she'll express some milk for you, you could always ask for some spare that you can freeze, our dil used to make it in ice cube trays, don't want to run out on your first sleepover, their favourite cuddly blanket and toy is essential. I m sure you Ll do brilliantly, don t expect to be fit for anything the next day, you Ll have had one eye open all night long.

I changed my work pattern so I worked five days over four so that I could have a three day weekend when my grandson was born. I had him stay overnight on a Friday night from when he was a few weeks old and he was a breastfed baby, I was given bottles of expressed milk for him to have. He was no bother at all. I also had my granddaughters from about the same age - and by then I was having my grandson from Thursday after work through Friday handing him back with his sisters on Saturday morning. My daughter and (now ex) son in law both worked shifts and it made things much easier for them and gave them some time together alone, something my husband and I didn't get when our two were little. If you are able to help out then I don't see why you shouldn't - there are lots of posts on here from Grandparents who say they hardly see their GC and how upsetting that is. I loved have my GC to stay, yes it was tiring as I was working full time and doing 10 hour days to get my long weekend but I had Saturday afternoons through Sunday to recover!

A young child sleeping with you for the first time may well be tricky, but that's only to be expected. My main way to calm one of them down was a tight hug (of the kind that makes them feel safe, not suffocated) and LOTS of singing. My DGDs' favourite was the "Winnie the Pooh" song, which they all know by heart to this day.

My credentials? When my son's family were still in the UK, for about 2 years I was the childcare provider for one DGD from 8 months, then her sister too, from 3 months. I often had them overnight too, and for longer when their parents were away on school trips, etc. Hard work but unbelievably fulfilling and worth every second (and every penny!).

had all 4 of mine overnight from very young ,one that has lived half the week with us since she was just over a year old.My daughter went back to work when GD1 was 3 weeks old to avoid the PND she had with her first baby and as GD was breastfed I walked the couple of miles to her work three times a day for the feeds rather than express,as she was told it would be better for the PND.Its almost 15 years of babysitting ,the youngest is 6 now and I do miss having a baby about the house .I used to love nightfeeds with them when the house was quiet and it was as if we were the only two awake in the world and yes my home has /had cots buggies toddler beds toys ,paints and all the things that children have .Its tidied away when they aren't here so its not invading anyones space .I'm very lucky my children have always had a close relationship with us and my grandchildren have a close relationship with us too.I wouldn't have it any other way

I've had my twin breastfed GDs overnight since they were a year old. We followed their usually bedtime routines and when they woke gave them bottle of breastmilk and they settled. You need to ensure before he overnights, that your GS happily feeds from the bottle. It'd be too much stress for you both otherwise.

I have had all 3 of mine from a young age. The eldest and her mum lived with us until she was nearly 4 months and I regularly had her crib in my bedroom. Middle one was breastfed for 6 months but had expressed milk from a bottle he was 9 weeks the first time I had him overnight. Little one is 14 months now and I have got her now and picking 10 year old big sister up from school and am having them both overnight. I too have highchair, cot and toys, I have had Prams in the past but not with this one

I have had all three grandsons stay overnight from about six months old, they slept in our bedroom, we never had to do night feeds they all slept through although I'm not sure I did when they were small. I loved it theres nothing like seeing their little faces first thing in the morning. Try and relax about it and enjoy having your Grandson to stay.

If he has been breast fed why does eveyone think he will find comfort in a bottle. More likely and especially after one year he will drink from a cup. Also he must be use to normal cows milk by this age and other foods and flavours including lumps and chewing. This is not a little baby.

I think the mother must give you guidance especially if she breast feeds him back to sleep rather than to sleep the first time.

Fearless's experiance is very helpful and hopefully when he sees it is not his mum he will just go back to sleep. Hope all goes well.

In my experience they sleep better at Grans than at home, a warm bath, milk and into cot, if he won't settle stroke his head with any luck at one years old he might sleep. I had all the grandchildren at one time or another and just did what I did with my own children. Good luck and I hope you get to put your feet up the next day.

Christine5 - It's completely unfair of your daughter to ask you to do this as she has no evidence whatsoever of how your grandson will react when he doesn't have mummy's breast in the middle of the night. And he may well be very upset which means you too will be upset and you'll both lose sleep. Your daughter MUST have a 'dry-run' before she puts you and your grandson in this position and that should entail her not feeding him in the middle of the night (and not being near him either). She should express milk into a bottle and give it to hubby who should take on the role of mum. The evidence from this will show whether it's her breast or the actual milk he wants. If it's the milk then she should repeat the process for a few nights so that you are able to be the stand-in milk-giver. If it's her breast that she wants, there's no easy solution. I do know what I'm talking about here as both my grandchildren were breast fed until they were 5 years old!!! Yes, I couldn't believe it. My granddaughter was quite happy to take a bottle of breast milk when my daughter wasn't around, but my grandson wasn't as it was the smell and feel of my daughter's body he was more interested in. In fact he was never left during the night with anyone, and even when we were babysitting I had to pretend to be mum, cuddle him very close to my own breast and try to fool him with the teat of the bottle of expressed milk. There were times when this worked and times when it didn't. Glad all that is in the past as it was very stressful when he was unhappy. Nonetheless, well done young mum for persevering with the breast-feeding - I guess she deserves a night off.

If you have been in your grandsons life since his birth he should be well used to you.
I would expect his mummy will provide you with expressed milk so enjoy this opportunity as the start of many more .

Realise I must have been unusual reading most of the replies. Had my eldest grandson since he was a couple of weeks old, he was a very good baby and slept right through. Others from a few months old, so for me it was usual. Never had a problem. Also had grandson for a week when he was coming up to two years old, then for a week every year afterwards, my daughter liked time to herself and her husband and I didn't question it. My granddaughter, who was just a joy to have, has been kept from me since she was
six, that has been hell.

I'm trying to find a comfy riser/recline for my arthritic friend. Any advice from Grandnetters with experience, please. They all look so bulky and clumsy, and there are so many on line. I'm lost!

I'm just back from my daughter's house. I went, at short notice, for four days to babysit my three granddaughters during the day, so mum could work on job hunting. The original plan was she would leave the girls with us for two nights when she went for the job interview. It was decided the girls should stay with me for three nights. The girls are nearly 4 and 2 1/2 year old twins.
It is nerve wrecking as one twin has a peg and suplimentory feeding overnight.
You don't realy sleep when it's not "your" children. I'd my ears open all the time for crying, squabbling and the wretched pump alarming. There was the long list of medication for wee willow to do and sort out the " I want my mummy".
It was a lot and a huge imposition, I ended up staying for 11 days! It was just expected but I love the girls to bits and it did give me the opportunity to bond with them. I don't live close, I stayed to save them from a 7 hours drive to me.
I supose it's good for children to have other adults who can "do bedtime" and "kiss it better" and if we grandparents want that to be us we have to supply the demands if our offspring.

The moment I was told my grandson was 'on the way' I started gathering toys/ books/ a high chair a portable cot, and other paraphanalia of grandma-hood. Love it.. love it all. And just when I was bemoaning the fact he was starting school... out popped his sister....now she's started school... I gave my daughter a long stare!! She stared back and sorry to say I blinked first. Ah well.... It was wonderful while it lasted . A de side of fun, fun,fun.

Sorry that's 'a decade of fun'