Does this happen to anyone else?

Question

Does anyone else have constant pressure from in-laws/grandparents to baby-sit their newborns? My In-laws will not leave me alone about it!! My son is only 3 months old and I work full-time - the weekend is the only real time I have with him.

Answer 1

Aw yeah i know what you mean, the baby is new and just got here not long ago so everyone wants their own time with him while he is still little..you should take advantage of it and let them watch the baby for a hour while you go out for dinner with hubby.  

Answer 2

My in laws are always telling people that I never let them watch my son. They want to keep him all night. I am a SAHM so I wouldn't mind them keeping him now and then, not overnight though. The problem is every time we call them they are like oh we are going out tonight.Even if we call a week before. They go out every Friday and Saturday night. They get angry if we don't bring him over to visit every weekend. And if we come we they aren't home they call us when they get home and get mad if we don't come over. They pretend as if we have no life.  

Answer 3

i would do as alyssa mummy suggest and use it to your advantage. get somone to come over at bath time to bathe the baby dress him and give him his milk before bed so that you can have dinner in peace and then take a bath yourself.

but be strong and make a point that the weekedns are yours and your partners time together with the baby.

inlaws do think its their god given right, and  have been there before with new babies but seem to me they have very short memories.

Answer 4

I think it's strange. My parents want to see my son (he is 3 months too) but they are happy seeing him with me there. They understand that my time with him is precious and they don't have the overwhelming need to be alone with him. It gives me the creeps. Don't let them pressure you... go with your gut. If more women went with their gut feelings there would be less child abuse out there.

Answer 5

Yes!!! My daughter is on a heart monitor, and I hate when my MIL asks to take the baby. She's always insisting I take a break and have a few hours to myself to get stuff done. But then when I leave, I end up just fretting the whole time, fighting the urge to call and see if everything is ok, and wondering if she's being monitored properly. I am getting better at it... I know she means well.  

Answer 6

I have the opposite problem. My in laws are a five minute drive away and I never see them.

Maybe would it be possible for them to mind your son while you work just for a day a week? That should keep them happy, while you still get time with him on the weekend.

Count yourself lucky though, honestly. I think its great that they are so willing and interested in him. I wish my MIL was!

Answer 7

Yup, everyone is always bugging me to go out w/my friends and stuff on the weekends so they can watch my son.  But, like you, I work during the week so the weekends are really special for my son and I.  

Answer 8

Yes, just go with your gut and dont give into their pressure. Do what feels right.  

Answer 9

My situation is a little different than yours my daughter is a preemie and she has been in the hospital for 6 months.  But my parents are pressuring me to come up to see her at the hospital.  But my husband and I feel as though this is our time with her and they will have enough time with her when she comes home. So yes i feel the same way. I work a full time job too.  So weekends are the only time I have with her also.

Answer 10

My dear mother has resorted to full on bribery to try and get me to let her watch my 8 month old son for an evening. She keeps sending me gift certificates to my favorite restaurant (which happens to be not far from her house) with little notes that say "I know where you can find a good babysitter." I have enough of them now to take a small army to dinner. The one time we took her up on the offer she had my stepfather (jokingly) lock us out of the house when we came to pick him up because we didn't stay out long enough.

I work full time too and I hate spending any time on the weekends away from my son. I can really sympathize.

Answer 11

Totally know what you mean'

She goes on and on about trust and how i obviously dont trust her

For god sakes he only turned one month old yesterday give me a break i havent left him with my own mother yet

I said to her yesterday- when she was going on about how i have to leave him sometime

I said ' No matter how much pressure people put on me to leave him i am not going to until i want to and until it is necessary i am not leaving him unless there is a reason. And no matter the pressure im not leaving him so im sorry but you will have to wait

I know i sound rude but i am a stay at home brand new mummy and i am not leaving him argh

Answer 12

Yes.

Everyone wanted to babysit my twins.  I did end up letting everyone who wanted to have a turn at some point when my husband and I wanted to go out and do something.

My twins are 14 months old now and I can't get anyone to babysit them.

They quickly discovered that it's hard work and not just all fun and games.  *sigh*