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AIBU?

It's all too much

68 replies

UnabletoCopewithEverything · 17/09/2016 18:42

Posting here as I know i'll be given the slating I need.

I posted a few days ago under a different NN on Chat about my DH being in hospital and needing an operation (my selfish mum wouldn't look after my DD).

Well unfortunately the temporary operation hasn't worked and he's been back in hospital twice this week. Hospital won't budge on letting DD (15m) into the ward so she's been with PILs/Nursery Workers/My DB alot.

Poor DD only started Nursery a few months ago, so it's still pretty unsettling for her. And it's all come to ahead today when I picked her up from nursery.

Nursery Info: They have 4 rooms; Babies which is 12wks-Crawlers/12months, Teenies which is Crawlers/12months to those walking outside/22 months, Toddler which is Outside Walkers/22months to 3 years, and Preschool which is 3-4 and a half year olds.

DD is currently in Teenies, she can crawl when she wants to and does a lot at home but won't at Nursery. She sits and cries until staff pick her up, if they ignore her she'll throw toys, kick or bite other children. When she's held by staff she won't play with toys, she just plays with their hair/jewelry/t-shirts. She just physically won't settle properly on the floor. She also refuses to nap or eat or take her milk. She will drink water.

At home she won't sleep at night unless it's on the living room floor which I don't like letting her do regularly as she sleeps curled up on her knees and looks uncomfortable, plus I'd have to supervise all night and I need sleep. So she's shouting and screaming in her cot until she finally exhausts herself sometime between 3 and 5am.

So with my permission Nursery trialled her in Baby Room to see if she was happier with the slightly younger children (she's tiny, still in 6-9m trousers/9-12m tops/dresses and compared to my friends children who're similar age she's still a lot more a baby than a toddler in looks). She's been going there for her last two weeks at Nursery (she goes 3 days a week), she still won't crawl in the Baby room but she is happy to play with a book and stops demanding staffs attention. She still wouldn't nap or eat but started to take her milk over the last few days.

She still wouldn't sleep at home so I was still exhausted but coping.

That was until today. I'm hoping it's because of the situation with DH, because she's been unsettled as MIL dropped her off at 8am while I went to work. I got a phonecall at midday asking me to pick her up. She'd bitten a member of staff while they were feeding her her lunch, apparently she was crying and thrashing about in the highchair and when the staff member went to give her some food she bit the workers finger hard enough to scratch and draw blood. Nursery have been aware of the situation with my DH so I was upset when they told me they're considering whether to ask me to find alternative childcare for her.

I have to work. DH is off atm, and is only getting SSP, my work is covering Rent/Bills/Other Expenses and CC Vouchers where covering Nursery. DH cannot look after DD until after his big operation. What the hell can I do? I looked at Childminders and there's a 6 month waiting list for them, and the only other Nursery in town that's within a 20minute drive of my work is only open term time 9-3pm and I work 8.30-6pm.

On top of that, the cat who's shy and doesn't like new people who've been feeding her has got stressed with the situation and stopped eating. So she's been to the vet which has cost nearly £70 to be told she's fine. We've bought some air diffusers but she's still stressed I know; scratching furniture (she never does this), meowing loudly at random times, and biting me/DH when we fuss her.

And we've just been told that DH's operation can't be done at either of the "local" hospitals (I say local, they're 20 and 30 miles away respectively) so he'll need to go to the big specialist hospital 80 miles away. He has to have someone with him so that means time off work for me/MIL/FIL as he'll be there for 6-8 weeks as he'll need physio and recovery time afterwards and non of us have enough holiday time left to do the whole lot. And DD may not be able to visit him until week 3 or 4 as until that point he'll be on a mens only surgical recovery ward, and the rules are visitors must be over 18, apparently no exceptions have ever been made.

It's just too much. I can't quit work and neither can DH, if nursery ask me to take DD out what the hell am I gonna do?

I just want to walk away, not forever, but just until I can cope again.

Please give me the beating I deserve. DH is terrified, as the Op could mean he'll be infertile. I need to be the strong one for DH and DD, but I don't think I can be.

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Lemonlady22 · 17/09/2016 19:42

theres always someone at hospitals to chaperone patients....unless he is terminally ill you wont be allowed to stay all the time (especially if he is in a bay with other patients) even in private hospitals relatives are not permitted to stay...i think your main concern is your child care arrangements/issues.....your child will only sleep on the lounge floor!....get in touch with your HV....the other things will work themselves out....what sort of op is he having that will require him to be in hospital and in bed for 2 months that might make him infertile.....even cardiac surgery you are discharged in 7 days (if no probs).....enhanced recovery is the big thing nowadays in hospitals....and what sort of hospital doesnt allow your own children to visit .....if this is in the uk it doesnt happen (unless hes in ITU and ventilated)....

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Lemonlady22 · 17/09/2016 19:45

i think you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and genuinely need help....you cant do it all and your PIL and husband shouldnt be expecting it of you!

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SlightlyperturbedOwl · 17/09/2016 19:46

Might it be worth looking for a local child minder? Just wondering if a more individual home from home setting might be better for your DD while everything else is so unsettled? Hope everything improves for you all soon Flowers

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Fruityflapjack · 17/09/2016 19:46

OP, I'm in the Midlands, near Telford. Is that near you? I can't practically help as I have a 3.6DD and 9wo baby but I could offer you some RL tea and a sympathetic ear. Failing that huge big hug you really are up against it.

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Lunchboxlewiswillyoumarryme · 17/09/2016 19:47

Where do you live approx....unlikely but if you are near me I will help

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Believeitornot · 17/09/2016 19:48

Will your dd sleep in bed with you?
Can you get a childminder instead of a nursery?

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UnabletoCopewithEverything · 17/09/2016 19:48

FruityFlapJack Telford is closer than Nottingham which another poster offered, but still quite far. I'm about 40minutes from Telford.

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UnabletoCopewithEverything · 17/09/2016 19:50

Believeitornot Haven't tried Co-sleeping, don't really want to go down that route unless I have to.

CMs have a 6month waiting list, will ring round again but don't know how much will have changed in the 2 months since DD started Nursery.

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disneyprincesswannabe · 17/09/2016 19:50

LL doesn't need to know. The housing benefit is paid directly to you not them. Besides it would just be temporary until dh is back on his feet anyway. You are entitled to help

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lasttimeround · 17/09/2016 19:52

Organisations like homestart can offer help in these situations. Is there family or other you can borrow money off to take the odd day off to help organise things. Your gp or social care call service may have info on other organisations that can step in and provide practical help and support while you make a plan. Good luck

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LIZS · 17/09/2016 19:52

If you contact your HV and explain the circumstances, they may be able to find a cm with short term spaces.

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Lunchboxlewiswillyoumarryme · 17/09/2016 19:53

Is yr husband going to be going to the Jr. Hospital ? Thats near me...you could drop dd to me while you visit...I'm know I'm a stranger ..but I've 4 kids and nice when you get to know me😆

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UnabletoCopewithEverything · 17/09/2016 19:54

LemonLady I know I can't stay all the time with him. It's a bladder operation specifically on his penis and that's why under 18s aren't allowed on the ward I believe. Both at the hospital he attends locally and the one he'll go to to have the op they've been known to ask children to leave, I've been there when they have.

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youarenotkiddingme · 17/09/2016 19:54

Bloody he'll woman you don't need a beating - sounds like you've had quite enough of one recently.

I'm actually shocked a nursery would suggest excluding a small child for biting. She's hardly behaved in a way that wouldn't be entirely expected and understandable for a baby who's going through what your family is. They have protocols to follow in this situation that includes support to meet her needs.

With regards HB. It's paid to you. Your LL wouldn't know. Plus you aren't a family on benefits - you are a family who will receive a benefit payment as a top up due to circumstances. If signed off sick you are still classed as employed.
I'm pretty sure unless your tenancy states that if you receive HB benefits of any kind your tenancy is immediately terminated he could do it. And I'd also want to find out if he could legally do it any way - because individual policies and contracts do not trump law.

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rackhampearl · 17/09/2016 19:55

Where do you live? I have a 18 month old girl and I'm a SAHM. Would love to help you out. What a horrid, stressful situation for you to be in and through no fault of your own. Flowers

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Justaboy · 17/09/2016 20:03

UnabletoCopewithEverything Not wishing to add anymore burdens to what you are having the put up with but try talking to your landlord and explain the situation he/she'd have to be a really heartless barsteward to not let it go for a while after what your putting up with.

Your in a good place here 'tho theirs is a tremendous amount of moral support from the posters here and fer Christ sakes you don't need a beating more an award for coping with that lot.

Hope the old man gets well 'ere long and the little madam calms down a bit bless her;!

And a ((()))) is it? for you too!"

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Didiusfalco · 17/09/2016 20:03

Ive got a biting 15 month old too. Seems crazy that nursery would exclude for this, it's really not unusual for children of this age. So sorry you're in this situation, sounds massively stressful.

Can you narrow down where in the Midlands you are?

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UnabletoCopewithEverything · 17/09/2016 20:06

Didiusfalco As said above about 40minutes from Telford

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hawaiibaby · 17/09/2016 20:11

I feel for you so much and would also offer help if I lived closer to you.

Please please please try cosleeping. You're not committing to it forever but it is so worth a shot to get some much needed sleep for you. It will probably do your dd a lot of good to get a decent stretch too - if it works of course.

Everything must be piling on top of you. Good luck talking to the nursery and hope you can get a bit more rest tonight Flowers

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marie200 · 17/09/2016 20:13

Was about to write exactly the same thing Little. More than happy to help, if I'm near you I will, 100%. Where are you love?

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marie200 · 17/09/2016 20:14

Sorry stupid phone took ages to load other messages!

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Crispbutty · 17/09/2016 20:22

If you have always been a good tenant then in your circumstances I can't see a decent landlord refusing to let you use housing benefit while you are struggling like this.

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marie200 · 17/09/2016 20:25

Apologies, I'm nowhere near, sending you hugs, what a tough time for you. i hope you manage to sort something out. I think your nursery are being a bit ridiculous in terms of phoning you because a 15 month old bit a member of staff! She's still a baby! They're a bit quick in wanting you to find alternative care and don't sound like they are doing enough for her. No useful advice really, just perhaps to tell you to not be afraid to ask for help. ❤️❤️

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HollyCarrot · 17/09/2016 20:28

Could you ask job to spread parental leave across several months so you still have money coming in?

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Littleelffriend · 17/09/2016 20:29

I'm north of the border so no help. I'm so sorry for your situation. If there's anything at all I can do to help from far away please let me know xx

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