STM: who will watch your child(ren)?

purtz

Second or third + time moms: who will watch your child when LO arrives? We have a 2.5 year old and are planning a scheduled c section. We do not have family that lives in state. Not sure who to ask to watch our DD? DH is particularly worried if I go into labor early, in the middle of the night or over the weekend and we don't have daycare or our occasional babysitter who can watch DD. Was happy when our dr gave us the option to schedule a date today- but now I am stressing out over the details! TIA.

chickpea912

Good question.  DH's family lives nearby-ish, so maybe one of them.  I guess I'll have to think about this at some point - hopefully I'll end up with a RCS, so it'll be easier to plan.

MSUMands

@purtz I'm in the same situation as you. I will have a scheduled C, and my mom is flying in for it, but if I go into labor before then I will have an emergency C and I'm not sure what we will do with DS. We don't have any family around us, and it seems like a big task to ask friends to watch DS for an extended period with zero notice.

My DH keeps saying if it happens, we will just have to figure it out, but I've already lost several nights sleep over this

MollySm

We have formed a very close relationship with family friends who consider our children their grandchildren.  They have taken Lucia overnight for us on a couple of occasions, and are our primary babysitters for my doctor's appointments and things.

If I didn't have someone like that, I would try and do what @mtgrizgirl suggested and try and choose a friendship and work on making it close enough that it would work.  I'd probably try and find another mom, who might end up in the same situation someday, or a similar one where knowing that in a pinch you could call each other would be helpful.

If that's not a possibility I'd try and find a for hire babysitter (maybe a local college student) who would be willing to babysit now and then until June and then for a decent pay when the time came, be willing to be on call.  

elsa1688

I am a FTM but when my little sister arrived, I stayed with my moms close friend.

owlcup

Do you have anyone that could watch LO for a few hours? Your DH could be there for the birth, etc then go back home to your LO.

That is what we did when I had DS. DD stayed with the in-laws for a couple hours then DH went home to her. Then whenever he came to visit as my stay ended up being three days, he just brought DD with.

fsumom

We're fortunate that both mine and Dh's parents live in the same city we do.  My parents will probably watch DD or maybe a friend that lives down the street depending on when I go into labor or if I have to have a repeat c-section.

Are you close to any of your neighbors or have any girlfriends that can watch your DD?

flerlgirl

My parents will be watching DS. What about a neighbor? That way they could just come over whenever you are doing your c/s (or if you go into labor earlier than you expect) and it wouldn't be a huge switch for your kiddo. 

snowpants

My inlaws live 15 minutes from us so they're our #1 plan.  My mom is about 90 minutes away and will drive up once LO arrives and probably stay with Roo at our house for the night or two we're still in the hospital.

I think previous posters had good ideas.  Since you can schedule a date already definitely see if a family member can drive/fly in and plan to be there around that date.  For a back-up plan, just in case labor comes early or whatevr, do you have friends from the nighborhood, church, work, whatever that you can ask to take your DD short term just in case?

DaisyHeadMayzie

My brother screwed up my initial plan. I'm due the 22nd but went early with DD. Since he and his fiancé are both teachers and wouldn't be working, I was going to ask me to stay with DD. But.....the dummies just booked a trip to the Dominican Republic on the 16-23. My parents will now take her if it is overnight but I need to find someone to stay with her during the day as my parents both work. We don't have a summer daycare option

Hairstylist16

I'm really worried about that too. I had my son a month early and he came really fast and my dr is worried that this baby will cone even faster but both my brother and parents live 45 minutes away. I think I might have to do delivery by myself so my husband can wait with my toddler for my parents to show up

becomingmommyagain

Mine are teenagers and will probably be responsible for themselves for the night.  My sister lives a little over a mile away and will probably offer the kids to hang with her and her family, but I'll leave it up to them. 

My sister had moved over a two hour drive away from family while she was pregnant with her #3.  When the baby chose to come they had no one in the immediate vicinity to care for the older two.  My parents had started down as soon as my sister was admitted.  The hospital was very caring and understanding and allowed my sister's kids to stay in the delivery room until my parents arrived.  They told my sister that so long as everyone was well behaved they could stay, and it ended up that my niece and nephew were napping while my youngest niece was born.  My sister enjoys being surrounded by family during the labor/birth so she was quite pleased that everyone was able to stay.  Her older kids were 18 months and 30 months.

Mrs_D_in_KY

We are lucky that my family and DH's family live within 10 miles of us. With the health issues my FIL has, I'm thinking the in laws would be out of the question. My parents will most likely watch DS while I am in the hospital.