Any suggestions for how to arrange emergency child care in the middle if the night

An emergancy is different - it's not like I would be bringing children every day or week

And yes that clause could be in a contract but I know many nannies who bs for their employers till 11/midnight and back in at 7am - so not a long break

Personally I would stay over and get a bed to myself and no snoring oh

Blondes - it's normally put in the cnotract for the NANNY'S benefit so that the family can't keep them to unreasonable hours. No reason why teh family can't turn it to their benefit though if nanny is fair enough - and yes, a nanny operating on 4 hrs sleep is not what I want driving my children around. Your employer is clearly far more understanding than I am if she is happy to pay you to bring extra unknown children in to her house, on her dollar, on what is apparently a reasonably regular basis.

I wouldn't have that in my contract. What I do out of hours is nothing to do with my employers previding I turn up for work fit for duty

The odd night with lack of sleep doesn't put employers children at potential risk

I had a bad night last night and awake till 3.30am and up up 7 - yes I'm tired and enjoying peace now while lo sleeps

He certainly isn't at risk

Surely saying that - then all mums who have 2nd/3rd children up at night are putting their other children at risk??

And yes sure my employer wouldn't mind me bringing an extra child in an emergency to my work

I think most nanny employers would be ok with the odd emergency cover, mine certainly would and would be happy to have an extra child around for the day if needed. I already get up at 5 so wouldn't be much earlier for me and don't work everyday anyway so there are nannies out there who could help

nannies will find it hard - their contract of employment is likely to require that they have at least 10 hours off between work "shifts" as they will put their employer's children at potential risk if they're working a 10/11 hour day then up at 4am doing emergency cover. Unless your husband is an air traffic controller, he can take up some of the slack and dropping DS2 with a friend for breakfast is no major favour to call in.

Also a kent girl - Tonbridge and Sevenoaks

Are you local to us op?

So you don't really need 4/5am help / more like 7am through the day help when dh leaves for work while you are at hospital

Would friends not help out then? Though guess you still need to contact whoever at 4/5am

A few temp nannies may be the answer but obv run the risk of them going to their normal daily job

I'm in medway, work in maidstone

You might find that not all childminders want to do emergency childcare in the night for children they dont usually child-mind. How old is ds2?

When you return to work, it might be easier to find a childminder for ds2 that will also take him in the night, and if you book the childminder on the basis that she will be his childminder when you return to work, but emergency childcare until then?

Assuming you plan to work and not be a sahm.

I'm in kent and would be happy to help if you are local to me, as would most nannies I know

where are you - maybe a nanny/cm on here can help - but as someone said without a retainer then may be busy but worth a phone call

B&B - I have got the landline numbers of a couple of local mums who aren't my best friends but are the closest to me geographically, know DD, seem kind & sensible. They also have mine and the deal is that, if we need to do an middle of the night A&E run or similar, we can call each other. The reason we've got each other landlines as opposed to just mobiles is that, in the middle of the night, the landline tends to be easier to hear, you can't turn it off etc. If I was desperate, I'd simply ring on a neighbours doorbell until they heard.
If I was your friend then I don't think I'd mind helping you out more than you helped me out as it sounds as though its a situation where its pure luck that I have healthy DC who rarely (touch wood) require middle of the night A&E trips.

I have an arrangement with a family who have one child with serious medical conditions who often needs to go to hospital - sometimes in middle of night (plus they have 2 other children). Dad quite often works away so Mum is on her own a lot. She has my number as an extra person to contact in the middle of the night and knows that I will help with the other 2 children if I can - but also understands (as she doesnt pay me a retainer) that I cannot and will not guarantee my availability.

So it doesnt give her a watertight solution, but it gives her one more person to try which helps put her mind at rest.

Dont know if you having one (or more) nannies on 'stand-by' similar to this would help you? If you're looking for someone who is 100% there no matter what then you'd prob have to pay quite a hefty retainer.

Surprised that no friends would offer to come
Over or for you to drop off other child - ESP if an emergancy :( and def don't text - call people

Guess you could get a rota of a few people who would stay on call/sober/

How often is this happening?

Maybe a stupid question - but wouldn't this count as an emergency so wouldn't DP take the day off work if needed?

I'm a bit confused as to why your DH can't look after DS2 or take DS1 to the hospital?
A child in A&E is a perfectly reasonable excuse to be late or absent from work.

I think you should ask a friend. I certainly would happily do it for a friend. I would not worry about what time it might be. It's not like it's going to happen every week!

If you were my friend I would do it. Have you asked anyone?

As a registered childminder, I would have children dropped off to me in the middle of the night for over night care, so it's worth asking local childminders if they are registered for this. You should be able to get this on an ad-hoc arrangement as not many childminders work to full capacity at night time.

do you know I would happily have anyones child dropped off at that time if they were on their way to a&e.
It is the sort of neighbourly help that I really don't mind doing, and I am SAHM and sometimes feel that I could easily do this sort of odd and emergency help, especially for other mums who work, just like misformum above.

I don't think I am alone, I know 2 friends that I would be able to call in the middle of the night.

Ask around, I wonder if you would be surprised at what your friends (or even acquaintances) will do

eta I agree with the other posters & don't underestimate people or be afraid to ask for help. I'd be amazed if a real friend wouldn't willingly take DS2 whatever time of night or day you needed them if you had to rush to hospital with your other child I know I would.