Relocation AND adding a sibling?? Too much??

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

DH was just offered a promotion that involves relocation half-way across the country.  We aren't sure if we will accept it yet... but if we are considering it, we would have to travel there to check out the area... look at apartments/houses, etc.  

I'm due ANY.DAY.NOW... so this would mean that we would have to travel down there with DS2 being less than a month old.  My MIL would travel with us and stay with the baby while we looked at apartments, etc, if need be (since I could pump a bottle and buy myself a couple hours)... DS1 would stay up here with my parents while we did this.  

Am I crazy to consider this move?  Or traveling with such a newborn??  I would babywear, obviously....

Is this too much change at once for DS1??  He's 2.5... and this would mean moving away from ALL of our family and friends to a location that we are unfamiliar with.... as well as the birth of his brother, all within 3 months.  

I'm super stressed out....

1026pumpkin

I normally lurk on this board, but thought I would chime in.  I think moving and new siblings are always tough, but kids are pretty resilient.  I think the biggest factor in deciding this is whether the promotion is really worth being half way across the country.

We live half way across the country from most of our family, but do have a few family members close by.  The distance has been a big issue since we had DS- the grandparents are always upset that they don't see him as much as they would like, and he obviously won't have the same kind of relationship with them as he would if we lived closer.  It puts pressure on DH and I to use all our vacation time to visit family or have family come and visit us, and doesn't really leave time for us to go on a "fun" vacation or a vacation with just DS.  It's also hard if you need any help or support.  Luckily the few people we do know are very willing to help out with babysitting, etc. every once in awhile, but if you don't know anyone, you're going to have to hire a babysitter for everything.  It's also hard around the holidays- dragging small children through crowded airports around Thanksgiving and Christmas is expensive and it's a nightmare.  It's also no fun to be missing out on family festivities. 

I'd sit down with your DH and think about the pros/cons of the move long term.  The short term logistics of a big move are always stressful, no matter when you do it.  If he's super excited about the promotion and he's going to be a lot happier in the new position or the money is so lucrative that it will enable you to do a lot of things you might not otherwise be able to, maybe it would be worth it....it does come at the expense of  family relationships, though.

Not trying to be a Debbie downer here, just wanted to offer another perspective, since the distance from our family is something we struggle with on a daily basis.