What do you think about this? Will you (or DH, or another support person) update your friends/family on your progress while you're in labor?
If so, how will you do it? Text message? Phone calls? Facebook? Twitter?
When my cousin had baby #2 recently, I started getting text messages from someone (I think it was my aunt) that cousin was x cm dialated; she was getting her epidural; she was ready to push; and then a pic message with stats when the baby was born. Cousin and I aren't close, so I was kind of surprised to get those kind of updates.
We won't be doing that. I personally don't feel like sharing the state of my cervix with anybody but DH and my doc! Depending on time of day, we will probably call the grandparents to let them know I'm in labor; and then they won't hear from us until she's here. My mom will be in town to take care of DD#1, so she'll know when we leave for the hospital but no additional detail. (Although I'm sure she'll still be on the phone as soon as we're out the door.)
We did the same thing the first time; our closest relatives (BIL/SIL) are 1.5 hours away and everyone else is out of state, so it's not like people will be waiting to come visit.
We'll do quick phone calls and a picture message with name and stats when we're settled in the recovery room.
What about you?
Re: Will you update friends/family while in labor?
I don't think I'm even going to want to know how (freaking!!!) dialated I am, let alone anyone else.
MIL will be here in town, so she'll have some idea about what's generally happening, and "D" H will call my parents, and our sisters, but everyone else can wait until the bebe has arrived, at which point they'll be getting basic stats, I guess.
We have a close friend who has an email list and will send out a quick email to let the others know that the bebe has arrived, which team we're on and if my DH and I are still speaking to each other.... (heheehhe...)
This is why we're waiting... my family are swarmers. The call goes out and everyone starts driving in from everywhere. We're talking from 5 hours away. My dad planted himself at the hospital the second my sister went into labor and didn't leave until she did. He also kept popping into her room while she was in labor to see how things were going.
This wasn't even for gc #1. She's married and that was for her third kid (their 4th gc).
People are SO different in what they are comfortable with- with my dd, I didn't even tell my parents until 40 minutes after she was delivered because it went so fast and it was in the middle of the night and there are a couple complications that made calling the least of my worries.
They knew and visited me in the hospital, but I was in the first part of being induced so it was supposed to be at least 12 hours later. I called and said "She's here!" they were suprised, but I didn't want anyone else there anyway other than dh, so it was all good.
My cousin aaaaaaaaaalways updated her FB status about her contractions and how many cm dilated she was (3cm for a few weeks). I thought it was disturbing, as did the rest of our family!! They made it quite clear that they don't think I should be doing the same.
That stuff is private. The only people I will talk about that with is J, my mom, and my bff (who's a nurse). My brother even told me, after my cousin's FB TMI, that he does not care to know any details.
I'm sure my mom will go bananas on the phone when she's born, calling every person in her phone list, family or not.
I'll most likely have a witty FB status about going into labor (if I can think about something witty during the pain) and an update sometime after she's born with her name/weight/etc. Same goes for J.
Maybe i will wait too. I know all hell will break lose if i do. my mom, mil, sil's and sister keep saying your going to let us know right as soon as it happens???
I am SOOO glad that my family doesn't care enough (or respects each other's privacy enough) to wait until they are told they are allowed to visit. I am also glad that DH's family all live on the east coast and there is no way they could possibly show up at the hospital.
My fiance is going to be calling my aunt and grandma when we're about to head out the door to the hospital. My aunt and grandma are letting anyone/everyone else know. Then, once LO is here and things have calmed down and I have the energy I'll be calling my mom, grandma and aunt and/or uploading the pics and stats on FB depending on what I have the energy for. Thats the plan anyway, it might turn out that we don't do any updates til we're back home and have a handle on having a LO in the house.
i dont think we need to update people every hour. I have a ton of family, so i might send mass text to some family members "in labor"... or "baby boy, xx lbs xx ounces, dd/mm"
We'll text the immediate family and my BFF only when I go into labour. The moms will be there and hopefully the dads and the siblings will come after the baby has arrived. Afterwards DH's brother and my sister will text all our friends about the new arrival. Ok - this is the ideal situation. Let's hope it actually happens that way and that everyone doesn't completely lose the plot!!