2u2 + babysitting for a friend overnight

chelms0919

DD1 will be 17 months old when DD2 arrives. Recently, a friend of my MIL asked if I would be interested in keeping her daughter (who is due the same week as DD2) when she goes back to work. She is a paramedic who works 12 hour night shifts and she will go back to work after six weeks. I don't know the exacts bc we haven't sat down and discussed everything yet, but I think it will be like 3 on, 4 off and 4 on 3 off (or something close to that). My husband works swing shift: One week of days (5:30a-3p) One weeks of Nights (1:45p-11p) and One week of graveyards (9:45p-7a) because of his craziness everything at night is on me. 

I'll be EBF dd2 and dd1 currently sleeps from 9p-8a with a good nap or two during the day.

 

Am I crazy for thinking I can take on two babies 6 under two months old on top of my 17 month old? What would it be reasonable to change for something like this? 

 

kcisthebombdotcom

You couldn't pay me enough money to do this. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

jesselayne8

How bad to you need the money???

ebp913

KC_13 said:

You couldn't pay me enough money to do this. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Hahaha me too.  If my second baby had been like my first I *might* have considered this but DS is a handful and there's almost no amount of money that would make me want to do this.  I would strongly consider waiting until you have had the baby to decide.  If you have a kid who doesn't sleep or has colic or whatever, I doubt you will want to do this.  

memali26

Overnight? No way I'd do it. I can't even fathom trying to take care of two babies that young overnight, potentially on different feeding/sleeping schedules.

During the day? Totally doable. After DD2 was born, I had DD1 (20 months) DD2 (3 months) and a friends dc (7 months). I'm still doing child care for that family, my kids are now 3.5 and 2, and the others are 2.5 and 3 months. It wasn't, and still isn't, easy caring for that many kids so young and close in age, but it's a heck of a lot easier during the day than over night.

chelms0919

Basically what I've told her is that I'd have to see how things are when the babies get here. DD1 started sleeping through the night at 6weeks (I have a feeling dd2 will Never sleep lol) . She ate well and there were no problems. It was a breeze with her. I was also babysitting my nephew when she was little (he was 4) and from the time she was 5 months I had 2-4 others on and off (ages 18months - 4) SO day time, I have that down fine. 

I'm just worried about nights. I can't imagine a bigger nightmare then dd2 feed/sleep being opposite of the friends baby. I guess we will have to see...

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with over night child care? She's a single mom with no family & I just want to help her, even if I can't watch the baby. 

The money is not needed terribly. It would all be for savings. 

jf198400

Personally I don't think I would want to do it. It's hard enough getting up at night with one baby that I can bf. I think it would suck to have to get up and make a bottle for another baby. I could see doing it when babies were older (like 6 months) but at 6 weeks, no way. Obviously people with twins do it, but I would not want to do it by choice.

nawlinsgrl

chelms0919 said:

Basically what I've told her is that I'd have to see how things are when the babies get here. DD1 started sleeping through the night at 6weeks (I have a feeling dd2 will Never sleep lol) . She ate well and there were no problems. It was a breeze with her. I was also babysitting my nephew when she was little (he was 4) and from the time she was 5 months I had 2-4 others on and off (ages 18months - 4) SO day time, I have that down fine. 

I'm just worried about nights. I can't imagine a bigger nightmare then dd2 feed/sleep being opposite of the friends baby. I guess we will have to see...

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with over night child care? She's a single mom with no family & I just want to help her, even if I can't watch the baby. 

The money is not needed terribly. It would all be for savings. 

That was the same situation with me and my DD.  DS is a very easy baby overall, like her, but is 7 weeks today, and still waking once a night (time he goes down for the night changes a bit each night, but for example, last night he was up to eat at 11:30, asleep at midnight, up at 4:30, then down again until 8:30).  I am always up with him in the MOTN, and DH only does last feeding a couple times a week, which makes for a tired mommy some days.  I feel like we are in the home stretch, as he just started becoming more alert/staying awake longer during the day, but it could be a few more weeks before he STTN.  Until then, I find taking care of him and almost 16 month old DD more than enough right now.  I can't imagine adding all the added work, especially with a child that's not mine.