Long night ahead of me I think!

[Jessicasmummy]

I have an 11 mth baby arriving in 10 mins for overnight care...
Mum says she cuddles him to sleep then he wakes 2-3 times during the night and she cuddles him bk to sleep again. I had him for 4 hrs on fri morning and he was fairly clingy, couldnt really put him down. Mum called me in the afternoon to say he had been very sad in the afternoon after leaving me. I was surprised at this because we hadnt actually had any tears in the morning, I asked her to describe his behaviour, she said it was hard to explain, so I asked if he was being clingy? she said yes, i said that he was probably behaving this way as she had left him and this could be quite normal. Then she began to cry - feeling upset that it is going to be too long he is with me (tonight will be overnight til 12 lunchtime tomorrow, and again tomorrow night). This has left me feeling really nervous about tonight and I'm worried he is not going to settle with me cuddling him to sleep. I think its mum with the problem leaving him more than the child to be honest, but im not used to cuddling babies to sleep! What if he just wont settle :( it's her first night back to work since having baby I really dont want to have to call her!

[beccas]

:panic: good luck:blush:

[Carpet Monkeys]

Ask her to leave a cardi or jumper that shes been wearing, and pop it one when you are cuddling him to sleep, that may help.

[mamasheshe]

i find background noise used to work with mine so get the hoover out

[Jessicasmummy]

I've asked her to bring his own duvet, then he has the smell of home. Good thinking - background noise, I also have a cd that plays 'wave' music, nice and soothing I'll dig that out ready. He was meant to be here at 8 and still isnt and ive given myself headache with worrying!

[Ripeberry]

Yes, a well-worn jumper or cardi will be great (for baby) and maybe make a 1hr tape or CD of hairdryer/vacuum noises? Good luck.

[Pudding Girl]

Best of luck x

[funfunfun]

Good luck with that :)

[sarah707]

Hope it goes ok for you both! :D

[ZoeAlli]

The advice I would give has already been given. The only thing I will say is to try to stay calm as the baby may sense if you are nervous or stressing, which may cause them not to settle too well!
I am sure you will be fine, and as you've said it is probably more the mum than the child! All the best. :)

[Jessicasmummy]

Thankyou all.
Mum arrived at about 8.45pm and has put him to bed herself. Took her about 20 mins, she says he normally settles really quickly but he's upset because he knows she is going to leave him. She left about 15 mins ago. She told me they moved into a new house at the weekend and his first night in the new house he woke every hour :panic: I think should take myself up to bed in a mo and get as much sleep as i can!

[francinejayne]

Sweet dreams - I hope they're long ones!!!

[MrsT333]

oh my god, you are so brave to be taking him on.....i wouldnt be able to function in the day if i was up thru the night working as well.
:clapping: well done to you
let us know how u get on in the morning

[miffy]

Hope you have a peaceful night :)

Miffy xx

[Heaven Scent]

All the very best for a peaceful and sleepful night.

[TheBTeam]

Bit late to wish you a good night, cos hopefully you are snoring peacefully!:laughing:

Look forward to hearing about your good night in the morning!:rolleyes:

[Desi-101]

Yes looking forward to reading up how it went! keep us posted :)

[singlewiththree]

How was it????

[Blaze]

Hope it went ok:)

[sonia ann]

hope it went ok:)

[miffy]

Hope it went ok:)

Me, too!

Miffy xx

[edayhouse]

Hope baby slept at least most of the night for you
x

[Spangles]

Oh blimey! Hope you got some sleep last night!

How did it go?

Could you get the mum to make a tape of herself reading little one stories or singing songs that might help too?

Hopefully he was okay though? Fingers crossed for you.

(Mind you, sounds like it might upset the mum if he was okay with you as she seems to need him to want and miss her!)

xxxx

[Jessicasmummy]

well.....I went to bed at about 10.30pm and i woke at 7.00am...The little darling slept all night, not a peep out of him! He woke at 7.40am shouting and then greeted me with a big smile :D I had him til 12pm - at about 10.45am he became very clingy wanting to be carried all the time but i imagine he was really missing mum by this point.
So a very successful night, i'm chuffed to bits.
I have him again tonight, mum is arriving at 8 and wants to put him to bed herself again which I'm not keen on as he will not learn to settle with me if she keeps doing it, but i guess i have to be understanding as she is finding it so difficult leaving him. My other issue is she turned up at 11.40 to pick him up...took her shoes off and then sat him at the table and started giving him lunch which she had brought with her! It gave us the oppurtunity to chat but i hope she doesnt make this a habit.
Am just about to start a new thread about overnight sleep checks with Lo of this age if anyone can help?

[Spangles]

That's good news! You must have been really pleasantly surprised! Lovely that he was so pleased to see you in the morning too.

x

[Gizmo]

Fantastic, I think I will send my dd to you to sleep she is 2 1/2 and is still up through the night :thumbsup:

[Twinkles]

well.....I went to bed at about 10.30pm and i woke at 7.00am...The little darling slept all night, not a peep out of him! He woke at 7.40am shouting and then greeted me with a big smile :D I had him til 12pm - at about 10.45am he became very clingy wanting to be carried all the time but i imagine he was really missing mum by this point.
So a very successful night, i'm chuffed to bits.
I have him again tonight, mum is arriving at 8 and wants to put him to bed herself again which I'm not keen on as he will not learn to settle with me if she keeps doing it, but i guess i have to be understanding as she is finding it so difficult leaving him. My other issue is she turned up at 11.40 to pick him up...took her shoes off and then sat him at the table and started giving him lunch which she had brought with her! It gave us the oppurtunity to chat but i hope she doesnt make this a habit.
Am just about to start a new thread about overnight sleep checks with Lo of this age if anyone can help?

I think I may have my coat on ready to ;collect from nursery/pop to shops/go to lunch with a friend.....take your pick !

[The Juggler]

glad it went well.

I think I'd be telling mum the putting to bed is a no-no. you don't want someone invading your house - what about your little ones won't she disturb them?

[Spangles]

Coul dyou say to her that you really think you need to be able to put the baby to sleep so maybe she could let you do it tonight but she wait downstairs incase it gets manic?

That way, she's there if he really needs her but hopefully she will also be able to see that you've been able to settle him happily yourself and she has no need to worry.

[Jessicasmummy]

Coul dyou say to her that you really think you need to be able to put the baby to sleep so maybe she could let you do it tonight but she wait downstairs incase it gets manic?

That way, she's there if he really needs her but hopefully she will also be able to see that you've been able to settle him happily yourself and she has no need to worry.

What a great idea! I did say to her this afternoon that i need to be able to put him to sleep. when she arrived tonight she said that her husband had also said to her that i should really be putting him to bed, she said she would feel better if she does it until he has been with me longer and knows me better. i didnt even think about suggesting she waits downstairs whilst i try. tho she may find that really difficult. i think if it was my own baby upstairs crying with someone else i dont know if id be able to stop myself from going up knowing that i could settle them instantly.

[Jessicasmummy]

Oh my word what a long night!!!!!
Baby was awake at 11pm, again at 1.45pm and did not settle til 3.40am. I am so tired as u can imagine, worst of it is the arm ache after cuddling him for so long.
Mum picked him up at 7.30am and again brought in his bottle, took off her shoes and continued to feed him.
How can I politely tell her she is is to drop him off at the door and pick him up at the door? :panic:

[Spangles]

Wow! You must be shattered!

Poor you and poor mindee!

Not sure how you can say to mum about picking up at door. You might have to just be direct but nice and say you really need to get on - you have got your own life!

Are you going to keep cuddling him at night to settle him? It's very hard, I don't envy you this job at all. It's different if it's your own child, when it's someone elses you can't do the same things so easily.

What's your plan of action for next time he stays?

[Jessicasmummy]

Wow! You must be shattered!

Poor you and poor mindee!

Not sure how you can say to mum about picking up at door. You might have to just be direct but nice and say you really need to get on - you have got your own life!

Are you going to keep cuddling him at night to settle him? It's very hard, I don't envy you this job at all. It's different if it's your own child, when it's someone elses you can't do the same things so easily.

What's your plan of action for next time he stays?

Next plan of action I think is to have a chat with mum and encourage her to let me put him to bed and not her. I am going to sleep in the room with him too, I'm thinking if I can jump up quick enough when he stirs I can pop his dummy back in / stroke his head etc before he wakes fully. I really want to discourage the picking him up in the night.

[bexcee]

Are you doing this as well as childminding during the day? If so you deserve a medal!
Hope mum starts to relax when she sees what a good job you are doing. Must be hard for her leaving him but if she has decided to (or has to) return to work then she needs to realise that you are a professional and will care for him.
Good luck with keeping her from making herself too comfortable at your house, not easy to tell her but as she is paying you she should be letting you do it.

[Jessicasmummy]

Are you doing this as well as childminding during the day? If so you deserve a medal!
Hope mum starts to relax when she sees what a good job you are doing. Must be hard for her leaving him but if she has decided to (or has to) return to work then she needs to realise that you are a professional and will care for him.
Good luck with keeping her from making herself too comfortable at your house, not easy to tell her but as she is paying you she should be letting you do it.

Aww thankyou for your kind words, that makes me feel better. Yes I am still working during the day. Last night I cried I was so tired :blush: . All back to normal today though :)