To hire a night nanny once a week?

[Pinkfirefly]

Every night is beyond us but I’m desperate for an uninterrupted nights sleep.

Would a night nanny just think us mad / lazy?

If you can afford it, do it. They wouldn’t judge as that is literally their job - to do a night shift with a baby. Even if they do judge, do you really care? Just take the opportunity to catch up on precious sleep and enjoy every minute 😀

Oh god that sounds amazing. Do it!

@MotherOfCrocodiles

Sounds like a good idea but will DC accept them? I thought night nannies were more for newborns who don't care who is picking them up in the night

I heard night nannies can sleep train your kids so getting one in for a week to Try and sort sleep could be another option

I absolutely think you should do anything that would help but this was my thought too for a one year old - even if you introduce the night Nanny in the day beforehand isn't the DC going to go absolutely nuts when she goes in at night? But maybe you should approach some and ask - I suppose they'll know whether or not it's viable.

@Pinkfirefly I'm trying to say if you have DH can they not have one night with the child and the next night you - giving the other person a night off?

So two parents - one does one night and then switches?

I think its a great idea and would have loved one for some sleep though I think I would have still been awake if I could hear crying so would have to have disappeared to a hotel to.

Problem is it doesn't sort out the other 6 nights, maybe what you need is someone who can help your child with sleeping. Its tough but it makes for happier baby & parents and sometimes when you are so tired you need to be told what to do as you just are not thinking straight enough. I was that person.

My normally extremely frugal friend did this and swears it was the best morning she ever spent as that one night saved her from losing her mind. Nanny did 9pm to 7am. Think she plus husband wore ear plugs.

Are you able to get a night at the weekend when your DH takes over?

I can’t think of a better investment in your mental health, quality of life, appearance and general well-being

Is your child crying for long periods of time or just doesn't want to sleep? Absolutely get a night nanny if you can afford it, but in the mean time have you considered one of you co-sleeping with the baby so that they (and then everyone else) sleeps better? We did this and it was a lifesaver.

Hire one to sleep train your dc. Forget one night a week. Crack the sleep if you have the cash.

I think in hindsight it sounds great but for me personally I would still end up waking constantly worrying whether the person was setting the baby OK and listening out ect

P.s in my household my 2 year old still wakes several times a night. Me and my husband take turns so we each get a full night's sleep every other day

I would 100% spend money on fixing the sleep issues rather than 1 night of sleep which you could easily get by taking turn with your partner

I wake up whenever DC does.

We co sleep now. That’s a huge part of the problem. I just feel if I had a night ‘off’ once a week I could cope much better.

Tbh the problem with ‘fixing the sleep problem’ is assuming it can be fixed (probably not) and won’t just keep resetting itself when teeth / cold / illness becomes a problem (definitely not.)

But surely you have to try! You're obviously at the end of your tether with sleeping, and fixing the root of the problem will help although there will always be blips in the road, it will be better than this never ending cycle you're in now?

It can be fixed. Teething and illness are minor blips. You're all consumed by it bow because you can't see any alternative. There is a better way!

Do it!

I think even the harshest sleep training methods are going to be kinder in the long run than leaving a one year old who's used to cosleeping with a stranger over night. Sorry.

@Hercisback

It can be fixed. Teething and illness are minor blips. You're all consumed by it bow because you can't see any alternative. There is a better way!

I don’t believe it can and in any case I didn’t really post for advice on sleep training, there’s a wealth of info on here, thousands of books and websites and if I want to go down that route again I’ll look into it. For now, I dont. The problem is my lack of sleep and I need help, not an argument about sleep training.

I’m not sure he’d mind to be honest, @Hardbackwriter - as daft as that sounds, I’ve never really had the impression he minds who is holding him as long as somebody is holding him. But time will tell.

It isn’t about whether sleep training is harsh or not, of course I don’t want to treat my child harshly, but it has to work and I’m not convinced at all it does. Maybe for some kids.

Ignore the judgement on here. My goodness. If you can afford it hire a night nanny.

All this nonsense about single parents doing it etc doesn’t help you. Get a night nanny, get some sleep, then think about longer term solutions.

This won’t last forever.

Why is getting a night nanny any different to any other form of childcare?

Do it op!

@eeek88

I can’t think of a better investment in your mental health, quality of life, appearance and general well-being

This is the most helpful and supportive comment on this thread.👏👏👏👏👏

I had two non sleepers and it broke me. With my first i couldnt afford one and with my second my dh didnt want one (he has always done his fair share of nihhts though). Now a couple of years down the line we often say how we should have just gonr for it.