Arrangements for your other children while you are in labor?

[mags]

Just wondering what you are all doing in terms of childcare arrangements while you are in labor. I know there are some women here doing homebirths, but there are also many of us going to hospitals and birth centers too.

[ChiroWife]

I will be at home, but will still need someone to watch after DD. My Mom is coming up the end of July. If I happen to start labor before she gets here then SIL and/or MIL are coming up. We also have a couple of friends who would watch her if we needed.

[Kaitnbugsmom]

The girls will likely be in the room with me most of the time. Our hospital says they have to have a caregiver apiece, and we're kind of wavering on who that might be. I guess as the summer goes along and we see how things go, we'll know. Of course, if Em's placenta doesn't move, I'll get stuck with a C-section, so that will be a moot point. In that case, they will stay with my dad and step-mom or one of my sisters during the actual pre-to-post op part, probably at the playground or the zoo or something. After the birth, they will be with us and Em as much as possible, and probably sleep at my sisters.

[RaggedyAnn]

My daughter will be there with me. I will have a friend also there in case she decides that she has seen enough, even though I doubt that since she has seen the video of her birth many times and never had a problem with it.

A cute little story, while we were watching Make Room for Baby (not a show I like all that much but she likes to watch it with me) and the Mom had a c-section, which I felt was rushed. My dd asked me "why did they do that?" I told her I had no idea. Then she said, "I hope that doesn't happen to you" I then explained to her that Mommy isn't going to labor like she did I'm not going to have the epidural or any drugs, she asks, "Why do you like pain?" LOL I told her no, but Mommy knows how to handle the pain and work with it and that I want to do what is best for my baby and that is what I did with you too. I think I might be raising a natural childbirth Mommy one day. I'm a proud Mommy!! Sorry for going OT.

[Jaimep]

My mom.

My mom lives only 1.5 to 2 hours away from us. So I plan on calling her when we are in labor and having her come to the house to stay with DD. We are planning a hospital birth, but I would like to labor at home as long as possible.

With DD I was in early labor all day. It wasn't painfully. From like 5am to 5pm. Then I started really labor and it was pretty textbook. This baby could be much faster but I think I will still have time to call my mom. If not we have a neighbor that would watch her for me right across the street. So that is the plan.

Jaime

[rainbowmoon]

another homebirther here I not only will have my own toddler but also my 2yo nephew will be here as well. my sis has decided to come for our birth and she's almost 3000 miles away so she's bringing him too (plus my ds will have a blast with his cousin for 2 weeks). my mom is also coming as well so between the both of them & DH, hopefully they will be able to entertain the boys while I labor. though if worse comes to worse my SIL lives around the corner and may be willing to babysit at herhouse for a bit too.

[heldt123]

I've been wondering about this one too....not sure yet. If I go into labor in the evening, we have a neighbor that would gladly watch Nathan.

[Momsteader]

My REALLY want to be there, especially my 5 yo, except that he says "I am not touching the baby until it's unslimed!" But, I think that'll be too many people! So, they'll like be with hubby if he's home by then (as hubby doesn't think he wants to be in the room for the actual delivery) or my cousin or other family if needed.

[CandyApple]

My MIL is just down the street, and Eli loves being there . She's planning on taking him as soon as things get serious during labor, and thankfully she doesn't work and easy to get ahold of. (altho he's never spent the night, hmmm... might need to practice or something in case of a nighttime delivery)

Hopefully Eli will be back with us soon, but I want labor to be over and some calm, recovering time with just the new baby and my dh before we introduce Eli. Does that seem wrong? I want it to be a special family experience, but I know how possessive he is now (we spent the weekend with some infant cousins, and he was so cute trying to get on my lap everytime I held one) and I'm afraid of a melt down. I just know I'll need a little time to get all my emotions in check in order to help him adjust and make it a special time for us all. KWIM?

But thats the current plan...

[alexia_i_aa]

My 6yo stepson might go to his moms or just stay home with us. We have a live-in au pair who's excited about everything and will take care of my 1yo DD and maybe DSS if he's there. Guess it depends when things start hoppin' :-) Hope the kids will sleep through most of it.

DSS was just asking what we're going to do with the baby "when we go to the hospital". I told him Cindy would take care of her. I didn't tell him we aren't going to the hospital. We aren't telling anyone around us because we don't want any negativity (I'm worried about his crazy mother, not him.)

Alexia

[littleeagle]

all depends when i go into labor.. the kids are scheduled to start back to school the 8th of aug and I am due the 11th. I am not sure when the youngest will start preschool but i think it is around then. my oldest will be almost 11 and she hasn't made up her mind weither or not she wants to be there or not.. my dad is retired and my mom works 3 days a week at a daycare so they will probably stay or be picked up from school by my dad. My MIL would love to keep them but because of her health problems and no transportation a long stay might be difficult. Hubby works 30 min away and we are roughly about 10 min from the birth center. He is has 2 1/2 weeks vacation which will start the day i go into labor. Mostly we are playing it by ear. I want to labor at home as long as possible. Since i know for sure barring some natural disaster that i will have one of my 2 midwifes there (unlike my last birth where i wound up with a new doc trying to decide if he wanted to stay here to practice ..long story).and the nurses are super supportive of a natural positive birth i feel good about the situation. I tend to be really laid back during labor, laughing and cutting up and then zoning out when i need to

[JohnnysGirl]

My mom will be here in Finland with us this summer from TN. My MIL who I adore and who is AMAZING with my son will also be available of course. So my son will have ample amounts of grandparents to entertain him.

[AugustLia23]

We have a friend who is designated to take care of him. He'll only be 15 months so I don't really want him there watching, and I want somebody to be able to focus all of their attention on him when I also need attention on me.

[Oklahoma Mama]

My oldest ds was 2 when my youngest ds was born. We had no family in the area and had not been able to leave oldest ds with a babysitter. So we hired a doula to help me and my dh and my oldest ds hung out together with me in the hospital room. They were all there when my youngest ds was born. My oldest ds was a little concerned about what was going on, but my dh was there with him to comfort him and help him realize things were okay. I went from no noticable labor to a baby in less than 20 minutes My oldest ds showed no resentment of his younger brother and bonded with him quickly. We all slept at the hospital overnight too.

[carrietorgc]

she'll be at my aunts right down the street she has playdates with her 3 yr old twin cousins (we trade off friday afternoons so we can get a break and will be fine there.

my mom is 3 hrs away and will drive up for the birth (birth center attached to hospital) and then stay at our place for the 2 days I am at the hospital. She loves my mom so that is good.

[EStreetMama]

My 9 yo DSD may be with us when it's time to go to the hospital, so my husband's parents will come and get her, bring her to visit when the baby is born, and then keep her until we are at home.

I am hugely worried about the week after the baby is born. She is really dependent on her father entertaining her, and I am really going to want his attention as well. I am pushing him to make arrangements to spend days with friends and relatives, but he is concerned that she will feel rejected. I think she will have more fun anyway--I'm just going to be nursing, bleeding and sleeping anyway. I would appreciate any ideas on how to make the 9 y.o. feel ok about being out of the house for a few days after birth.

Thanks--
Adrienne

[Calysto]

So far we are planning on my mom being here for the birth and for a week after, but if for some reason she can't make it up in time, we have a pretty good network of friends who live close by that we can drop the kids off with.

[Anguschick1]

We're planning a homebirth and my best friend will watch ds. Depending on how labor goes and when it starts, we'll either call her right away or wait a bit. They'll make a cake and go to the park, play in our inflatable pool, the sandbox, just basically have a good time and if ds wants to watch/be around while the birthing is happening, that's great - but we'll let him lead.

[TanyaMT]

My in-laws will likely watch my DS (he will be 3 then). The birth center has a play area and he is welcome there with someone with him, and we will just see how it goes on how he does. If it bothers him or he is just plain bored, they can take him out for walks in the neighborhood, to eat, whatever and check in.

[Mama Coltrane]

Ugggh- I have to start thinking about this. My DS will probably stay at home and I will have someone come over until my parents or sister can get to the house.
At the birthing center, they have a queen size bed, etc. - so DH and Ds can sleep over if they want. I just don't want him at the actual birth, but will be so excited to show him the baby immediately after.
I will have a couple of neighbors on call if I go in in the middle of the night.