How experienced in childcare were you before you became a mother?

[Gemini]

This is inspired by Daisy's thread about educating parents about early childhood.
Daisy and I both began to talk about or pre motherhood experiences (or lack of). I thought a thread on this topic may be interesting.

So - did you have any experience of looking after babies before you had your own? Younger siblings, cousins, nieces or nephews, babysitting or nannying jobs? Or were you a complete novice?

I was indifferent to babies until my mums friend and our neighbour had a baby when I was 14. I thought he was the most wonderful creature to ever draw breath! All my maternal instincts date back to Patrick's birth, or more correctly once he started to smile. His mum made no secret of the fact that a 3rd baby arriving when her others were 6 and 11 was not what she planned. She was very happy to let me look after him and I spent a lot of time there. I soon became adept at feeding and nappy changing, and was allowed to take him all over in his pram. It was a wrench for us both when I went to London to college when he was 5.
My cousin and his wife had a baby when I was 15 and they asked me to be godmother to her. I babysat quite a bit for her, and got a bit more feeding and changing practice.
I did various babysitting jobs while still at school, but none were babies as such.

Once I had my first baby at 21, I felt confident at handling and caring for a baby of my own. My mum was hundreds of miles away so it's good job really! Bathing was the only thing I was nervous about as I had never bathed a newborn.

[Gemini]

MOVED FROM ANOTHER THREAD

There was so much to learn wasn't there Daisy?!
My mum learned Mothercraft at school (with dolls) so she and her generation knew all the practical stuff, even if they hadn't put it into practice on a real baby (which mum had)
A neighbour my mum was friendly with and whose kids I played with had a third baby when I was 14. This seemed to kickstart my maternal instinct and I was besotted by him! I watched and learned to change and feed him and looked after him a lot. His mum wasn't too impressed with the arrival of an unexpected baby so was happy to let me!
I didn't bath him a small baby, and that is what I was nervous about doing for the first time, in hospital with my first baby.

I agree about mums on the phone while pushing prams, taking children to the park etc, I see that a lot.

[Daisy]

MOVED FROM ANOTHER THREAD

How lovely to have had a new baby next door just at the point when you became interested in babies, and his mum being delighted to have your help.

I don't think my mum learned mothercraft at school - they learned how to do laundry, clean and cook. My mum was ill after I was born so my Auntie bathed me etc, so my mum never did learn those skills. I did Latin - which wasn't a lot of help with a new baby! Anti-natal classes were good for the basics - changing, bathing etc but nothing beyond newborn, or how to work out what different sorts of crying meant or weaning or anything really! As for toddlers - that was a closed book.

[Daisy]

Gem - shall we move those posts into this thread to keep the conversation in one place?

[Gemini]

Yes, I'll do it now Daisy.

[Nanto2girls]

When i was 10, 2 of my older cousins had babies within 2 months of each other.
I used to go to their homes quite often, and i got used to being with the babies.
Changing nappies and bottle feeding them became 2nd nature to me.
When i was about 12,my Auntie and Uncle who lived on the same street as us,had their first baby.
I spent hours taking him for walks in the pram. living so near to us,he spent a lot of time at our house.
So, when our first baby came along, i felt confident in looking after him.

[Lizzie48]

I did a lot of baby sitting, pram pushing from an early age. I used to baby sit for a couple opposite us, I would have been only 11 or 12 at the time, they had 4 children then they had another, the little boy was born on the Friday, the husband was a dictator and everything he demanded had to be done, I went across to their house at tea time on the Saturday, the lady was cooking tea for the whole family then he said they were going out to the working mans club and they left me with a day old baby!!! luckily my mother came across to see what was keeping me, she couldn't believe what they had done, I was only a child myself, she stayed with whilst they got back home then told them what she thought of them!!

I looked after more children so when I had my own it came to me naturally.

[Oma]

When I was 13 my Sil had 4 babies under the age of 2 1/2 , one 21 month one 10 month and then twins ,
When the Twins were 6 month old my SIL miss carried with Twins again and was rushed to Hospital
I stayed with the children and took over for almost two weeks as my Brother had to go to work ,

I did everything a mother would do even night feeds ,
I wouldn't say I was a natural mother but it just seemed to come to me ,

So when I had my DD at 16 I didn't find it difficult at all ,
I had never bathed a new born before but between hospital lessons ( then you were shown how while in Hospital ) and my Mother I soon got the hang of it ,

I loved being a mother and felt it was the best thing even at such a young age of 16 that had happened to me

[Daisy]

You were all experienced mums before you even had your first borns! I had had no contact with babies at all, apart from my cousin who was 5 years younger - I saw him when he was born. Then don't remember anything else about him until he went to senior school. My "mum gene" was conspicuous by its absence. OH's older siblings all had children when we got married but we didn't see much of any of any of them and I was never in a situation where I was caring for them in any way.

I found it very difficult. I adored my little baby but hadn't got a clue how to look after him, poor soul. By the time DS2 came along I felt much more confident, and quite relaxed with looking after my two grandsons. Then a grand-daughter arrived and I was virtually back to square one!

[Plantaholic]

I was the youngest of six children so there were several babies around, I don’t remember feeding or changing nappies but when I had my son we were sharing a big house with my Mil and she was very helpful. My DS was born with one club foot so he had an aluminium bar between his feet which was taped to his legs, this was on for 5 months. The midwife came in for 2 weeks to help me.

[Daisy]

Plant - that must have been hard for both you and your DS. Thank goodness you had help for a while. xx

[WeeGranny]

I remember being allowed to take neighbour's babies for walks in their prams when I was a youngster, but had no real experience of dealing with babies.

My DM died when I just had my pregnancy confirmed, so I sadly had no help there. My MiL and I were very different in our ideas and I had little help from her. We had no family near by, so it was a case of learning on the job. I took maternity leave and in those days you had to go back 7 weeks after the birth. I managed a couple more because it was half term and then DD went to a childminder who had her own little girl Used to drop off on way to work and pick up on way back. We also had dog at time so OH would take her for a walk first thing and I'd take her when I got back, complete with DD in sling! It was hard work and I used to spend Sunday, preparing veg etc for the coming week. To top it all, OH was often away for work, so it was all down to me!!

After I'd worked the time to qualify for for my full salary and back pay, I handed in my notice and took some time off!