how do you handle appointments?

Mama Jan · July 2009

My mom lives locally and is a SAHW - I am incredibly blessed to have her so close and have her help. She is happy to babysit whenever I need her to so I often ask her to watch one of the boys while I take the other to a doctor's appt. But I'm looking at the dates I just emailed and it's 1-2 appointments each week in August (between doctors for all 3 of us plus my own stuff - hair, dentist, etc.).

I know she doesn't mind, but sometimes I feel like I rely too much on her. I don't know how people do appointments when they don't have the help I do. She's actually going on vacation next month and I'm trying to decide if I should reschedule my appointments or suck it up and handle both.

What do you do for:

1. well-baby appointments

2. your own doctor's appts, hair appts, dentist appts, etc.

TIA!

howleyshell · July 2009

For well baby appts we just go. When the toddler was younger I tried to get him to stay in the single stroller and entertain him with books, etc and I wore the baby in (Bjorn or Moby) to keep my hands free to chase the toddler.

For my hair - a neighbor and I trade baby sitting.

For my doctor - I've taken them or scheduled first or last appt and DH either goes in late to work or comes home a bit early to watch the kids.

For my dentist - I've been lucky that he'll see me on weekends.

I recommend looking for someone for back up - either another SAHM you can swap time with or someone on Craigslist that does occasional sitting.

GL!

Halo79RN · July 2009

well, I don't have my mom around. when they were younger, the 3 of us would go together. ds in the stroller and dd walked. there were times I'd carry him in the bjorn and she'd walk (his appts) depended on who's appt it was... we also enrolled dd into a MMO program, I would attempt to schedule ds's appts during that time. But that didn't always work either. Now she's in preschool and I do the same. I have taken them to the gyno with me. fun fun. Now, I keep them in the double stroller for my MD appts... just b/c they are both mobile and can get into trouble together. for hair appts, I rarely get my hair cut anymore! booo hooo! I wait until dh is available to watch them. For dental appts, same b/c the kids cannot be in the room when they do xrays. somehow we figure it out... it's been tricky at times though.

HappyTXChick · July 2009

My DH pretty much makes his own work schedule and can work from home too. So I schedule visits first or last thing in the day so he can either come home early or stay home late in the morning and keep kid(s) while I run to appts. So far I try to avoid taking them both places together.

wendybnola · July 2009

I, like you, am lucky enough to have a mom that doesnt work. But insted of her just babysitting, she comes along and we make a date of it. Me and my mom are super close, so we enjoy whatever time we have together...even if its sitting in a dentist office waiting room.

LauraandMatt · July 2009

We don't live near family anymore, so I have been taking DS to the OB w/me...lots of fun, he screams the whole time.....OR I force DH to take off (which stinks b/c he doesn't get a lot of time off) Fortunately our meetup.com mom's group is starting a babysitting co-op for just this reason...mostly they are military away from family and we all need babysitters for appts...hopefully it is in full swing when DC#2 arrives!

jnksmom · July 2009

We live 5 hours from family and don't have anyone to watch DS and DD so I take them with me wherever I go. For DS's appt I put DD in the stroller so I don't have to hold her but she is not on the floor either. DS is older and walking so I just let him walk or he will sit in the chair in the room at the dr for DD's appt or my appts. For my dentist appts I still go to the same dentist I went to at home so my mom is usually with me or she keeps them. I do my hair appts(very rare) when DH is home to watch them.

Pesky · July 2009

1. Well-baby appts: I work FT so the kids are in daycare (well, DS will be in a while), so I just schedule them during the weekday and thus far have left one at daycare (or in DS's case, at home with a grandma) while DH and I took the other in. That's likely how it will work in the future unless both are sick. Then if DH is home and not traveling, one will stay at home with him and one goes to the dr with me. If DH is traveling, I'd probably drag both along unless I prevailed upon a neighbor to help me out.

2. I usually leave the kids with DH or in daycare. The only exception will be my 6wk pp visit with my OB where I will bring DS with me so they can see him.

soon2Bmrspower · August 2009

We don't have family around unfortunately, so ...

1. For well-baby visits, I take them both with me. I use the double stroller.

2. If I have a quick check-up, I will take them with me in the double stroller. For hair, dentist, etc I find one that has evening and/or weekend hours so DH is around to watch the boys.

I would definitely consider you blessed to have her help as well, and if I were in your shoes, I would probably choose to reschedule the appointments next month while she is on vacation, unless of course you just want to see what it is like )

how do you handle appointments?

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