Overnight

What a lot of fuss about grandchildren staying overnight! It's not a problem. Once they are asleep they don't know where they are anyway. 1 year is not too young. I have had my grandchildren off and on since a few days old in order to give their mothers a rest and a good night's sleep. If mother feels nurtured her baby benefits too.

I agree with Serkeen and Starlady
At the age of 72, I refuse to have 2 year old gs overnight.
It's exhausting enough looking after him during the day, and he won't go to sleep easily. He has now taken to climbing out of his cot and coming down stairs.
So, no, I can't do it.
I also have a house full of baby equipment, but am gradually selling stuff of that he has grown out of.

My advice is, only do the over nighters if you are strong and able.
Our offspring seem to think it's ok to offload their children.
Would never have dreamed of asking my mum to look after mine.

Twenty five years ago my daughter was expecting her second child on boxind day. In the September before she asked me ,if this baby was born before New Years Eve,would i lookafter it so she could celebrate NYE.Of course i said yes. He was born on 29 Dec and I thought oh that lets me off the hook,but no, she brought him round at6pm and I didnt seeher again mid afternoon next day.Her third baby I had for a week at five weeks old so she could take the other two to aholiday camp for half term with other family members.She was talked out of taking her because the rest of the family said there would'.nt be any heating.I think it was a priveledge that she trusted me '.with them being so young. I even had to take aweeks leave from work for the third one.

Sorry about all the errors in my post,trying to eat tea and watch the clock at the same time, and I only type with two fingers, also.

I'm not sure about this. My mother died shortly before my first child was born and I only had a brother in America and a sister 400 miles away in Wales. She had raised 4 children so knew her stuff. She came to stay and was helpful in the daytime but refused to get up at night. I felt a bit let down but now see that she had done her bit with her four and now it was my turn.
I think you are great to be taking this on. Remember to look after yourself too !

I've had my darling GD to stay for weekends about every third week since she was 3 months old. She always brought her favourite cuddly & nightclothes from home. Lots of wakeful nights when she was tiny but I always got her back to sleep in the same way I did with my own children. Nappy check, milk or water, cuddle & rocking. I was often exhausted when we took her back home ( 100 mile round trip picking up & dropping off due to DS & DIL being tied to their business) but it never crossed my mind not to have her here. I've always felt honoured that I am trusted to care for her and now she's 6 years old we are really close and she asks to stay with us. Neither my parents or in laws ever offered to look after my children for even an evening and they never had a close relationship with my kids. So sad. BTW my OH is not hands on. Apart from the odd story or board game the caring has always been down to me!

We have looked after our DGC for one night a week since he was 5 months old, he is now 10 months, and have never had a problem if he has woken up a nappy change and cuddles and he was back to sleep.He was not breast fed, but if was thirsty some cooled boiled water did the trick.He was sleeping through the night before we started looking after him so has never needed a feed at night.
His mum sent his blanket with him for cuddling and that worked to settle him, but he is fine now without it.
We have loved every minute of it, but perhaps we have been fortunate because he is so good.
Good luck and hope you enjoy the overnight stay as much as we do!!

I remember the first sleepover for our first grandchild. She was 6 months old and not still breastfed. We had her for a long weekend. She arrived with sheets of instructions and believe me I needed them, I followed them word for word!! There have been more grandchildren and too many sleepovers to count. None of the following ones came with instructions so I must have passed my test ?.

Enjoy having your little one over night- just get plenty of sleep the day before and the day after. However good the GC s are its not easy to sleep as you will be on high alert all night. A night off is like a wonderful gift for new parents.

This thread has really made me think about what I took for granted. I have had all my grandchildren overnight ever since they were a couple of weeks old. I have bought cot, pram, car seats, sterilizers, nappies, wipes, extra clothes, toys etc etc. I take them and pick them up from school or out of school activities, have them when they are ill, take them to the doctor or dentist and attend school functions or assemblies. Homework is also done here!

I love them to bits but they are more like my children than grandchildren. I was a single parent and am now a single grandparent. I think I may have been 'used'! Still some grandparents don't even get to see their grandchildren so maybe I am also lucky!

I had my eldest grandson to stay for weekends from the time he was 3 months, he wasn't breastfed and I don't remember any problems. It didn't do him any harm. He is a healthy, happy 25 year old now.

Hopefully your grandson will happily take a bottle. My grandson has often stayed over night from about nine months, I did have to get up in the night sometimes but the joy of having him far outweighed the tiredness. Don't plan too much in for the week during which he is coming to you - you can soon catch up on your rest when he goes home. Happy days, precious memories to be made.

Loved having my twin grandsons to stay.We had two cots,two high chairs and lots of toys and books for them.They all came from Charity shops or friends.Still have a lovely relationship with them and they are now 20.We were younger grandparents just in our fifties then .I know lots of grandparents are older nowadays and perhaps don't have the same energy.

I wanted to be the grandparent that my kids never had. I love the sleepovers, and the closeness.

A Dopler app on phone is invaluable. That and/or a baby sleep app which has white noise as well on. It worked almost immediately with my grandchildren. All of whom were breast fed

I've looked after grandchildren for 20 years including babies. I'm only sad that I can no longer carry a child upstairs or lift them from a travel cot.
At times I admit I felt put upon but overall it was a privilege and a pleasure. I have wonderful memories and an enduring closeness with my grandchildren.
As my tiny great granddaughter gets older I look forward to being able to do more with her. At present I can do bottles, cuddle her, and, just about, get down onto the floor to wave toys about to amuse her and occasionally change a nappy.

I have had my GD overnight from about 6 months, we had only the occasional broken night but she wasn't breast fed. I think that's why we are so close. She's with me now. I too have a house full of baby equipment that I bought, most second hand. Luckily nowadays modern baby equipment being mostly plastic is so easily disinfected. Good luck with the baby who is breast fed

My dh and I helped bring up my dd son, he was a pleasure to care for. (sadly we hardly see him now, as he is 17) and out with his friends . My ds son has 3 toddlers, 4, 3 and 1. As you can imagine they need lots of help and we give it willingly, but oh do we feel it when they have gone home. We have had two sleepovers with all three, but now 2 are all we can manage. My parents never offered and we did not ask for help with ours. The pleasure we get from knowing the grandchildren far our ways the tiredness.

All my grandchildren are way past the baby stage now. In fact two of them are now parents themselves and another one is expecting a baby due to be born in December. But I did look after them when small and as I had also adopted a very young sibling group they loved to stay over at Nana's because of that. But I think my lovely Mum was the star when on Christmas eve with a month old baby I went down with a nasty bug. My DH couldnt cope so rang my Mum. She got on the bus and came over. She packed my big pram with everything my DD would need and then pushed the pram with baby back to her house which was an hours walk. None of us had a car then. It was a pretty miserable Christmas for me but DD was more than happy with Nana and Grandad. It was a bond they shared right up until the end.

I really enjoy having babies sleep over, make me feel younger.

I have had my GD overnight many times since she was 2 months old. It creates such a close bond and I wouldn't change it for the world. My daughter lives in another country and often comes to stay for several days. We always take our GD into our room so mum and dad can have a well-deserved rest. It can be tiring but you can always catch up on your sleep when they leave.
The idea to have something that smells of Mum is a good one. Together with some expressed milk, lots of cuddles and plenty of love, you will be fine!
Good luck and enjoy!