I'd try to find a doula who can watch the kids at the hospital, or at home if it's the middle of the night. Try to locate a sitter now so they have a few weeks to get to know each other - there's nothing worse to most kids than waking up to a complete stranger. Care.com, or even asking co-workers for recommendations is good. You may get offers of help from unlikely places if you ask around about finding someone to watch your kids.
is it possible to send your kids to your parents (in laws) for a week or two if you haven't gone into labor too early? Then when you call they can come with your kids? i know it's a lot to ask but i know when i was little we loved to spend weeks with grandma and she was happy to have us.
Unfortunately, it's not possible. Our parents and other relatives all have jobs that are not very conducive to taking weeks off at a time (physician, pilot, professor, etc.) I was hoping we could talk one of them into maybe taking 3-5 days off just to come around the due date, but they've all said it's not possible. :(
Our hospital allows kids. They even offer special tours for families to bring their kids before the big day.
That being said, the waiting room was just down the hall from the birthing suites, and between the birth suites and OR. I am REALLY hoping there were no families in there when they wheeled me by, because I was LOUD!
So even if your labor is short, be aware your kiddos may hear and see more than you may like. And you'd probably want a backup plan in case your labor lasts longer than expected (my first was 34 hours long).
You could do a sitter or doula, but if you want to bring them just bring them. When I was giving birth to #2 I showed up with my son because his father was at work. I wasn't even 100% sure I was in labor. They bugged me about getting someone to pick him up, but they didn't refuse care because legally they couldn't. My husband showed up and my son was there for almost all of it. I ended up with a repeat c-section so my husband and him stayed in the waiting room. So long as you are okay with your husband not being there if you have a c-section I don't think it'd matter.
It's such a hard situation, isn't it? Labor and delivery is hard enough as it is without having to worry about placing your older children in safe hands.
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Conversely, maybe a parent or in-law could come hang around town the week of your due date?
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That being said, the waiting room was just down the hall from the birthing suites, and between the birth suites and OR. I am REALLY hoping there were no families in there when they wheeled me by, because I was LOUD!
So even if your labor is short, be aware your kiddos may hear and see more than you may like. And you'd probably want a backup plan in case your labor lasts longer than expected (my first was 34 hours long).
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