Labor buddies?

Gizmo1231 · August 2016

As we all start to approach the magical 24 week viability day, are we able to start looking at Labor Buddies? Is this something we even want to do? We did this in my S14 BMB and I loved it!

leksiL · August 2016

This may be a dumb question, but what are the responsibilities of a labor buddy? Do they have the same EDD?

DiFazette · August 2016

Tell us about this @Gizmo1231. I'm probably not a good partner but I'm sure others would be interested.

karmba · August 2016

I'm interested but have no idea what it means!

Mamax2 · August 2016

We did this in my Sept 2010 BMB. Basically a labor buddy is someone you keep in contact with, whether it be through PM here or email, and fill them in on your progress when labor starts. They check in on you, and post any updates here that you want them to post. That way, you don't have to come here anf post updates while laboring. At least that's how we did it.

Christinaruth74 · August 2016

I loved having a labor buddy in my May14 BMB!

Gizmo1231 · August 2016

Exactly what @Mamax2 said. It was also nice because you are able to bond more with your labor buddy- my LB and I from my last BMB talk almost weekly still.

LinziLoo09 · August 2016

Sounds like fun! Though during my last 22.5 hour labor, I did all my bumping directly because things were getting boring in between contractions.

Gizmo1231 · August 2016

@leksiL I'm pretty sure we tried to not do same EDDs so that you aren't updating others while you are in labor too. We tried to match people up based on time zones and early month EDDs vs. late month EDDs. Also, if you have someone you are already close to they made those matchups.

Mamax2 · August 2016

@Gizmo1231 if you end up heading this up, and need help teaming people up, let me know! I'll be glad to help.

If you don't want to head it up, I'll do it, I just don't want to step on any toes.

dmontgo · August 2016

I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!

Oh, it's not *that* kind of thread.
Well my volunteering has nothing to do with the fact that I love getting PMs...nothing to do with that at all...

erica0901 · August 2016

I'm game!!

kbduke · August 2016

Love this idea!

cjt121413 · August 2016

I'm down, although I'm having a RCS so I won't be laboring (probably).

tinattt23 · August 2016

Count me in.

Austenista · August 2016

Count me in too.

Mamax2 · August 2016

@cjt121413 I'm having a RCS as well. You can still participate.

princesslockness · August 2016

I'm all for it. Maybe I'll even try to finish updating the EDD sheet and then we can use it to cull out those who aren't interested/no longer here.

bakerstreetboys · August 2016

Count me in! Thanks for organizing

1MommyRunner · August 2016

This worked out really well on my last bmb as well, I'm in!

slartybartfast · August 2016

I actually don't understand the point... like if I'm in labor and able/wanting to communicate... you bet I'm gonna start my own AW thread or ransack whatever thread is going at the moment. It's so exciting when people on the board start dropping out of the pregnant party and start providing adorable squish photos!!! EEEE! I hope we have a couple months before that happens but when it does it's the best!

That said, I'm still open to trying the labor buddy route

cgss11 · August 2016

I'm in!

princesslockness · August 2016

@slartybartfast On my last BMB we used it as a 'just in case' something went wrong. Like I had 30 minutes from the time I was told I needed a CS until L was born. I sent my Labor Buddy a text with as many details as I could in the 30sec. I had to type it up. Then she updated my AW thread with as UTD info as she had. That saved me from thinking about everything it would require to update and reply to any questions.

Gizmo1231 · August 2016

I can head it up, that's no problem. After we all get to the 24 week I can start a signup thread and post more details about it. Then again... what if no one wants to be my labor buddy? ah! Middle school fears!

Image: https://67.media.tumblr.com/74aa3d66341bef0b75043b9b58568ec6/tumblr_nffw0h6qzU1rjtigto1_500.gif

@slartybartfast it is kind of a silly notion but when we started it early (about 24 weeks) in my S14 board it was nice because I had an ongoing relationship with my Labor Buddy so it wasn't odd to text her my labor process and know she was "bumping" it to the board. That being said, she went into Labor in the middle of the night, and I already had a 2 week old so I didn't see her updates until the following morning- so, I updated our BMB much later and not as frequent as she did in my labor.

phoenix870509 · August 2016

I'm down!

PensiveCrayon · August 2016

Sure, put me in!

beff12 · August 2016

I'm in too. My last labor buddy and I exchanged phone numbers (as did many others on the board) so that we didn't have to deal with TB messaging. It made things easy and was fun getting an "I'm in labor!!" text message!

LinziLoo09 · August 2016

I'm in!

ajstevenson · August 2016

I'm game!

sammyl1221 · August 2016

I love this! count me in!

Christinaruth74 · August 2016

Yes to phone numbers. I had an emergency c section so my H was texting updates to my LB and she updated here (well, she updated the facebook group at that point I think)

when she was put on hospital bed rest she and I actually talked on the phone so she could give me a run down for the updates while she was in the process of getting poked and prodded.

I know in my other BMB we did a random match up. So everyone who wanted to participate signed up and from there random pairs were made and those people exchanged info from there. It's also just a nice way to get further acquainted with someone here that maybe you don't know as well.

ChastainMT · August 2016

I'm in.

cayaylonglegs · August 2016

leksiL · August 2016

so I've never had a baby before so i'm not sure what to expect (we are only in week 2 of bradley class). Is there a lot of time for stuff like texting? Does DH get mad that you are on your phone?

slartybartfast · August 2016

I think I'm actually gonna not do labor buddies. I'll either bump during early labor or update afterward

DiFazette · August 2016

Sounds like a nice way to build a personal relationship. I don't think it's for me... I'll likely be one of the first to have my babies so I don't want to short change my labor buddy if I'm 4 weeks in to taking care of two newborns on zero hours of sleep. I feel like it would be unfair to have me as a labor buddy.... Though I am pretty awesome.

princesslockness · August 2016

@leksiL I was induced with Pit. but I had time through most of the day to text. We were so laid back that I sent H to work, with the orders that I would tell him when to get his butt back.

@DiFazette I would love to be your labor buddy. You are not only awesome, but we will likely deliver around the same time in Early Nov. so we potentially would both be early on and could hopefully not be seriously sleep deprived.

DiFazette · August 2016

@Kate08Young do you have your induction date yet?

princesslockness · August 2016

@DiFazette I don't get an induction date, as I'm trying to VBaC. I do know that my cerclage will be take out in the first 10 days of November, and my OB practice said to have my bag and pump with me at that appointment. So hopefully by mid Nov. I will have her.