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Grandparenting

Daughter's first baby: am I being selfish wanting to be around to help?

(156 Posts)
Rosierary Mon 01-Nov-21 15:30:42

This is my first time on Gransnet, so thank you for listening.

I'm feeling really perplexed and ​would really appreciate some advice/opinions on what is felt to be a reasonable amount of time to be with my daughter and son in law after the birth of their first child?

My daughter and I are very close and I just presumed she would like me to be around to help with things after the birth of her's and my son in law's first baby. She is due in two weeks.

I live over a five hour car journey away so would need to stay somewhere. I said I would not expect them to put me up even though they have a big house with a separate en suite guest bedroom on it's own floor. I accept they want to be just the three of them so wouldn't intrude even if I was allowed to stay.

I have spoken to my daughter this morning and she tells me that she would like me to visit her the day after they get back from hospital and then stay in self catering for a couple of days before leaving. She has been very specific during these two days that she would like me to shop for them, cook a meal on one of the nights and then she would tell me how the labour had been. This is all absolutely fine but I had expected that she would like or need more support for longer and also perhaps have some involvement with the baby. She had been in tears last week saying she was worried that she didn't know how to look after a baby and her husband didn't know either.

She also explained that because of this arrangement it would mean that my son in law's parents and his brother and partner would see the baby first as they live locally. I add that she doesn't get on with them very well as they have been prescriptive about the pregnancy and after birth with very outdated ideas which have upset her. I know I am childish wanting to be the first grandparent to see the baby, I'm just more upset that my daughter hasn't realised that this might be the case.

I am trying not to feel upset and am, of course, accepting my daughter's wishes. I'm just really surprised that she doesn't want me to be around for very long especially as I live such a distance away and we have been so close during the pregnancy as she was very ill with hyperemesis gravidarum.

I know this sounds as though I am entitled to more and I'm wondering if it is based on my own experience of my Mum being around for much longer to help me when my daughter was born and this is now not what happens, 33 years on. Saying that, my daughter in law's Mum was around for three weeks after the birth of my granddaughter so perhaps it is not that outdated.

Am I getting in a selfish stew over nothing?

Thank you so much anyone who might be able to help.

Crossstitchfan Fri 08-Aug-25 20:19:13

Rosierary

Thank you so much everybody for all your words of wisdom. I am particularly touched by the more compassionate and empathic posts and..more relaxed! If I could work out how to comment on individual posts, I would, but hope a general appreciation will suffice.

I’m sure that everyone agrees with me that no-one expects you to reply individually. Sometimes, there are lots of replies to something you have asked and if you answer them all, you could be there all day!
Now and again there may be a response to one of your posts that you feel really does need an individual reply, and that’s fine, but mainly, a reply to all will do.
Enjoy Gransnet. Some people can be a pain on occasion but ignore them! It’s meant to be fun!
Welcome, by the way!! 💐

2409A Fri 03-Oct-25 09:06:57

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

petra Fri 03-Oct-25 09:16:13

Claremont

It's hard, but it is not about you.

The child will be in school by now look at the date.

Cambsnan Tue 07-Oct-25 14:50:52

Go along with whatever she wants. Take more stuff than you need for a couple of days. Mums make plans and babies don’t read them. She may feel differently once baby is here. My daughter was all geared up to manage alone but the birth was difficult and MIL overstepped. In the end she asked me to stay and protector from intrusive visitors.

theworriedwell Tue 07-Oct-25 14:56:32

I stayed for two days after DD had baby. She looked totally panic stricken but I said see how you get on and I'll be back in a couple of days. I think it helped build her confidence. I was second to see the other seven GC. They still looked new.