What to do with older kids?

augbride87 · December 2015

So I know I have awhile before this is an issue, but I like to plan. Plus the last thing I want to worry about the last few weeks of pregnancy is what to do with DD. So moms with little ones what did you do, or what do you plan to do with them during delivery? My parents and DH's parents both live in a different states so they are out of the question. Our closest family is 2 hours away. I just don't know who to enlist help from, especially if peanut comes in the middle of the night!

m8881 · December 2015

We live far from family. My mom is flying in and staying with us a couple weeks to help with my older boys.

Bear14+ · December 2015

What about friends close by? If my family wasn't close, I'd probably ask my good friend if they could be on call.

augbride87 · December 2015

Bear14+ Yeah DH and I will just have to figure out who!! This is when a planned delivery would be awesome!

m8881 I would love if my mom came for a couple weeks to help out!!! Are you having a C-section or vaginal birth?

NicknShan · December 2015

I would go with friends/neighbors in the mean time if your family is far away. Do you have a babysitter that you use that you could have be "on-call"?

My family is all close by, and we will be a planned c section. So, if I make it to my c-section date, my DS with be with one of his grandparents. If I go early, I will just call them up and adjust on the fly.

Huskerfanz · December 2015

My parents so not helpful.

I've been on call for a friend. You could ask some friends.

fishwife799 · December 2015

We live in the same town as both sets of grandparents. My mil will come stay at the house so the kids can sleep in their own bed. We were only at the hospital for 28 hours last time so I'm hoping we have a similar experience again.
I've heard depending on your area you can get a sibling doula. Which is basically an on call babysitter who you get to know during pregnancy to watch your older child during delivery.
I also have friends who flew their parents/in laws in to watch siblings too.

BLM10 · December 2015

I am planning on my son being in the room unless/until he becomes uncomfortable, at which point a close family friend can take him.

ahernandez16 · December 2015

^ I'm a FTM so this isn't an issue for me this time, but I'm also the oldest of 4 and with the exception of my littlest brother who was a C section, I was in the room when each of my other siblings was born and I sat in a chair and colored throughout all of them, haha.

VikingGirl12 · December 2015

My SIL is keeping him when we have this one. We will Prob do a few practice nights since he's never spent the night anywhere before. If I didn't have them I would try to find an on call babysitter like others have said.

NLewis1 · December 2015

Both my parents and ILs are in town, so if we go in the middle of the night, my MIL will probably just come stay with little man. If it's during the day we will have my mom pick him up from daycare at the normal time, or drop him at MILs (her house is just down the street from us) if it's the weekend.

A friend of ours had a baby in March and they have two older boys and no family. My mom went and got the boys at 5am for her and kept them (they are also friends with my parents)

RMLandy · December 2015

I have a local friend who is going to be "on call" to take care of my son for a few hours until my mom can make it in from out of town. (About a 3 hour drive)

tslmom87 · December 2015

My dad lives with us so he will be with the kids. Thankfully this time around we will be back in our home state so I will have my bff come help him. We have 3 pets and two kids so he will be busy on his own! If we didn't have this set up I would have a close friend or neighbor you know well on call.

mamabudd · December 2015

My oldest was there when my youngest was born. He was strangely cool about it. Oh, my mom is naked and screaming and pushing a baby out of her crotch in this giant tub in our living room? Totally normal! I'm hoping that both of my kids will be there for this one.

m8881 · December 2015

Planned c-section @augbride87
Third baby

m8881 · December 2015

I stayed with the next door neighbor when my sister was born

AmberLiz99 · December 2015

I have a friend who lives near the hospital with a son the same age as ds (they are really good friends). I know her through church. I dropped ds off on the way to the hospital. I also had back up people who live near me just in case.

This time I'm not sure who I will ask. My friend will probably move before June

MAbride0808 · December 2015

We are lucky enough to have family close by, so DD will be with my parents when I go into labor. Once this LO is born though, DH will go home and spend most of his time with her. We figured it would give her some special time with Daddy before the big change happens.

augbride87 · December 2015

Awesome thank you so much ladies!! So those of you who are or have used friends, or have been the friends used---Did the kids stay at home and were brought to the hospital later or did you guys go to the hospital?
ahernandez16 I briefly thought about having her in the room, but I don't know what the hospital policy is on that or if DD could handle it.

MillerMama13 · December 2015

I'm in the same situation as you. Both families live out of state. We have a good friend that said they would be on call. If I go into labor in the middle of the night again we will probably just bring her to the hospital with us and then call the friend in the morning to come get DD. And have them bring her back or have DH go get her after delivery. We do plan on having MIL fly in for a week or so but who knows when I'll go into labor so this is kind of a back up plan.

augbride87 · December 2015

MillerMama13 I like that plan!! I would feel horrible calling someone at 3 am!

vulpini · December 2015

My parents live 40 minutes away. Depending on timing, our current plan is to have them come stay with DS at our house when I go into labor or to pick him up at the hospital if we have to take him with us. We also have two sets of good friends who live super close, my best friend's mom who also lives in our town, and a few good neighbors, all of whom we could potentially call on. MIL has offered to fly out and stay with us before my due date, but I don't want her staying here before/right after baby is born and would prefer to have her help after DH has to go back to work.

PressLove · December 2015

Now is a great time to start talking to people and determining who is willing to watch your kid(s). We will probably drop DD off at the sitter's until my MIL gets into town. All of my friends work, so we someone who can drop DD at school.

FYI- Our hospital doesn't allow young children in the delivery room.

GinnyJ2012 · December 2015

My MIL watched DS1 last time. She will drive up to watch both boys this time unless baby comes early. If that happens we will have a neighbor come stay with the kids.

JonesBaby0624 · December 2015

I'm having a scheduled c-section so my 10 year old will stay with his dad the night before.

HeartLikeMine3 · December 2015

My best friend will be on call she lives like 10 min away and has no kids so she we just come to our house to stay with DS. My moms like 45 min away but I want her with me so she will be with me in labor and then go get my son and bring him to hospital to meet baby. Then she will keep him till we get released.

little_bren · December 2015

A friend asked if I'd watch her kids when she went into labor. I wasn't super good friends with her but I lived close to them.

TwoBadMice · December 2015

Does anyone not have a close friend or family near by? We are in that boat

Bear14+ · December 2015

TwoBadMice said:
Does anyone not have a close friend or family near by? We are in that boat

Perhaps a babysitter that you work out an "on-call" deal? Sorry

TwoBadMice · December 2015

Bear14+ said:

TwoBadMice said:
Does anyone not have a close friend or family near by? We are in that boat
Perhaps a babysitter that you work out an "on-call" deal? Sorry

Yeah I have no idea what we are going to do.

AmberLiz99 · December 2015

TwoBadMice said:

Bear14+ said:

TwoBadMice said:
Does anyone not have a close friend or family near by? We are in that boat
Perhaps a babysitter that you work out an "on-call" deal? Sorry
Yeah I have no idea what we are going to do.

Maybe a neighbor, person from church (if you go), parent of one of your kid's friends, or find out about drop in daycares in your area for if it's during the day.
We still have to figure out our plans too.

augbride87 · December 2015

Its nerve wracking trying to figure out what to do with them....lets just all hope and pray we go into labor during day care hours and our labor is very short!!

TwoBadMice · December 2015

augbride87 said:
Its nerve wracking trying to figure out what to do with them....lets just all hope and pray we go into labor during day care hours and our labor is very short!!

Lol yes! For more reasons than 1!

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What to do with older kids?

Re: What to do with older kids?

Mrs. H

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