Do you look after babies during the night?

i find it an honour, too. thinking that my daughter trusts me with her baby is the greatest honour i can imagine.

I think whatever is thrown (well not thrown lol you know! I mean throwing the baby lol) we just accept it and get on with it..we don't really think about it do we! we just do it

redblue it is an honour to be asked and trusted to care for the precious little ones. The day after may have to be a rest day for granny to recuperate but that's okay.

Any grandma who offers to have very young babies and/or toddlers and feels confident to do so - and thus allows the mum a night off or just a few hours to catch up on sleep - what a huge blessing you are! Your lucky lucky daughters / daughters in law!

I'd have to take out extra insurance! Life and property.

I've come over all peculiar just thinking about having 4 grandchildren on the same premises at night Good luck!!

Nanamac You deserve a medal!!

Draft in reinforcements!

Having four of my grandchildren to stay overnight in May when their parents go to a wedding reception. The two youngest are 9 month old twins recently weened. Should be a interesting weekend.

i've done an overnight at daughter's house in the first few weeks when she was exhausted. i'd do more, but i'm working full time and she and her husband have things pretty well organised between them. any time i can be with them and/or the baby is a good time for me!

Our grandson has stayed overnight many, many times; sometimes for as long as a week or more. We have a cot, high-chair, pushchair, car seat, books, toys etc. here, so he's well catered for and my home is as familiar to him as his own. Now that he's two and so grown up he doesn't stay so often, but I love it when he does and so does he.

Often have 5 year old DGD no 1 to stay overnight, she has her own bedroom here (mummies old room). I've yet to have her 3 month old sister but I have offered and I think my DD has been tempted, but not quite ready to leave her overnight although I think the time will come soon. I think my DGD was about 6 months old when we first started having her overnight. I love it, especially as now she's at school we see less of her.

I have my three grandchildren (6,4,2) overnight for 2 nights every week and have done from them all being only 6 weeks old.

Both parents work full time and shift work so makes much more sense to have them at mine although it is VERY hard work. Term time is very difficult as I have to get three little terrors up, breakfasted and out of the house by 8.15 which is no easy task.

Wouldn't change it for the world although an occasional thank you wouldn't go a miss !

We had our GD to stay when she was just 14 months old. She slept like a baby in her travel cot but woke in the early hours of the morning. DH was out of bed like a shot (as naked as the day he was born) to soothe our little darling. He lost his balance and landed half in/half out of the cot, definately not a sight for sore eyes. I haven't stopped laughing since .

She now has her own 'pink' bedroom in our house (her dads old room) and is never any trouble when she sleeps over. She always insists on breakfast in our bed the next morning. A lovely happy time for us all.

I love having GS overnight - we wake up to hear him making jolly noises in the corner of our room.
I know that parents appreciate the occasional night's sleep!

Loved the occasional 'night shift' with my DGD but that was 10 years ago and I think if DS2 produces in the future I might not offer to do an overnight on my own until the little one is a bit older.

Yes I looked after GC overnight even when they were very tiny. There is nothing nicer than snuggling up to a baby during the night feed and putting the contented, sleepy little person back in their cot. I feel very priviledged that my DIL trusts me to look after the most precious things in their life.

I love waking up to a smiling face too MaureenM - must have a word with DH about that once he is better

When my youngest grandchild was born, nearly 4 years ago, my daughter-in-law suffered from really bad post natal depression for quite a while afterwards. I helped out in the daytime as much as possible, but when my son went back to work after 2 weeks, he asked if I could have the baby at our house whenever he was at work. As he works on a 3 shift system, it would have meant quite a lot of night-time babysitting, and I had to regretfully say no, as I just didn`t feel up to the task, not being particularly fit and agile myself. She coped by having her dad, then 77, stay overnight whenever my son was working nights, which was one week in three, but this went on for several months, and I know I just couldn`t have coped, much as I loved the gorgeous little mite, and still do, as I`ve had him with me each day for just over 3 years now, whilst his parents are at work.

Hi Tanith, just to say that my daughter has never asked me to look after the baby during the night. I have always offered.

I live too far away for daily visits and stay about 3 days a week or as needed - always by invitation. After a difficult delivery my DD was very poorly, and in the first few weeks night and day blurred for us anyway. It was lovely to be able to do night feeds so that both DD and SIL could recover (SIL was heroic in the early weeks and got quite exhausted as he was working too). And I can always go home and sleep for the rest of the week if I need to.

My DD and SIL are amazed and so grateful that I offer to give them a night off. But oh, that precious, quiet time with my smiley little grandaughter showing her the stars and moonlight....... And the pleasure of getting back into bed knowing (hoping) she will sleep soundly for the next 3 hours, 4 if I'm really lucky!

I have had the grandchildren sleep over baby, toddler or older. My three have two children each and the most we have had sleep over at the same time is four. I love waking up to a smiling face, but I find I don't cope so easily with my day starting at 5 am as I did when mine were babiew.

I've had the grandchildren overnight but I don't think either of my daughters would let a newborn be looked after by anyone but themselves.. I wouldn't of minded I guess but I don't think it would occur to them to even ask.

Oh yes I have walked the floor with GS singing Morning Town Train over and over but now he is 7 and half when he stays overnight i still worry about him and pop to see him whenever i get up in the night.

I've had my youngest gd now 5 months, several times overnight, the first time when she was only a couple of weeks. My dil was only in hospital for 8 eight hours, then she came home and carried on as normal.
Poor girl was exhausted so I offered and I was honoured and thrilled that she let me do it.
I have plenty of time to recover and the cuddles are the best!!

I sometimes had GD1 to stay as a toddler but never as a small baby. I live too far from the younger ones to have been asked to do night duty - something to be said for that.