If you had a hospital birth, how did you and your older LO(s) do with being apart for a few days?
My DS is about to turn 2, and DD is being born tomorrow. My mom is staying with DS and we will have to leave before he wakes up in the morning. I didn't realize how emotional I would be about it. I'm not worried about my mom watching him, they're very close, but I feel horrible leaving for 2 days, hopefully no more, when I can't explain to him why. He will come up to visit once or twice; I want him to but I feel like that will make it even harder.
I know I am a little over-emotional about it. I hate how I feel like I'm not looking forward to tomorrow because of it.
Just wondering if any been-there-done-that moms can say how it was for them, or if any other moms who are about to have LO #2 are feeling the same way.
Re: Moms of 2+ or about to be 2+...
DS1: Quinn - 10.22.10 and DS2: Cole - 01.18.13
Eli 6.18.09 35.5w
Silas 1.25.13 35.4w 10 days NICU, allergies/asthma, gluten intolerant
i know how you feel Luckily, my bunny boy LOVES grandma/grandpa time (prob bc they spoil him rotten ahaha) so I'm not too worried about it...I'll just really miss him it's nice to have a night with just the hubby, but the next am i'm always so anxious and excited for the grandparents to bring him home!! haha my poor kid-he never gets to stay long at grandparent's houses haha
I'm worried about the transition of a new baby into the family...my 2 will barely be 14 months apart...I feel like my oldest is still too little to understand the concept of a new baby sister...
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We had to leave DS on Christmas morning before he woke up. (We were stayinig with my in-laws an hour away from home to celebrate the holidays when my water broke.) It was a lot harder on me and DH missing him opening his presents and stocking, than it was on him. My in-laws are great and sent us lots of pics and videos throughout the morning, but it was sad to miss. DH left the hospital in the afternoon to go get DS and bring him down to meet the baby, etc. and my in-laws brought "Christmas" to us in the hospital later that evening.
DH ended up staying the night at home with DS and coming back to the hospital in the morning while his sister stayed at our house. That was our plan all along, and while I was a little lonely, it made me feel better that DS was able to have his same bedtime routine. FWIW, we live 5 minutes from the hospital.
ETA: Best of luck to you tomorrow!
If you know you're having the baby tomorrow, why can't you explain to him that you won't be there before he goes to bed tonight? I know that he won't truly 'get' it, but I do think that toddlers can understand more than we give them credit for. It can't hurt to prep him and explain what's going on. I'm sure there will be a small connection somewhere in the back of his mind.
I think it'll help you feel better, too.
I do understand the emotion behind it, though. When DD1 and I do stuff together, sometimes I get emotional because our truly alone time together is coming to an end.
GL!
BFP(4) DD2 born 2.14.13 @ 35w5d due to pPROM
Definitely explain to him what is going on, he will probably understand and retain more than you think. I understand though, I'm still a couple months away from having this LO and it's already stressing me out. DD stays overnight with the ILs occasionally and does fine, and for the birth, my parents will be coming to stay at our house with her while I'm in the hospital so that we dont have to disrupt her routine any more than necessary. I know she will be just fine, I think its more the thought of ME missing HER that is upsetting for me. We live really close to the hospital though, so my mom will be able to bring her up as much as we want.
I figure it wont be that bad, people do it all the time and I've never heard of any toddlers being scarred for life from being away from mom for a couple of nights