How and when did you decide to call grandparents to collect DCs once labour had started?

[milliemuffin]

If you were me and labour kicked off at 11/12pm, would you ring for nan&grandad to come and collect DCs (18m and nearly 4) straight away or come and sit with them incase they wake or wait and see how things progress and ring them once MW has arrived and confirmed baby is imminent? I can't decide what's the best option as I know third time round there can be a few false labours so don't want to get them out unnecessarily.

Sorry, forgot to mention that we're planning a homebirth.

Um - dunno - how fast were your previous labours? (Are you in labour now???)

Good luck btw.

No, not for 4/5 weeks yet. DS took 9hrs nearly 24hrs after waters went and DD took about an hour but 48hrs after my waters went.

I would ring them to put them on standby.

Had this when Ds2 was born - rang them at about 9 pm to say I was having twinges. Rang again at 10.30 pm to say that we were in business. DS2 arrived at 1.50 am.

I reckon with dc3, you'll know if it's the real thing or not.

With DD I did have contractions for about 5hrs but they never got closer than 7mins apart.

Woke up with contractions at 5am. Got up, had some food etc. Timed transactions to make sure. Got DH and DD moving.
Called my lovely parents at about 8:30am. They pottered over by 10am and headed off again with 30mins.
TBH I was glad to see the back of all of them by that stage as I wasn't feeling very chatty .
Had baby at 2:15pm.

Sorry - forgot to actually answer your question...
If I were GPs, I would rather be called before midnight(ish) and so almost just have a really late bedtime, instead of getting a call at 3am and nobody settling back to sleep after.

We called my mum as soon as my contractions started (very shortly after my waters went), planned home birth but wanted her on hand for ds1 in case any problems and I had to go into hospital.
She lives 15 mins away, and came fairly quickly - but still arrived after ds2 :)

With my 3rd (in hospital), I didn't call when niggles started but when they turned into proper contractions (within about half an hour of the 'niggles') and were every few mins apart, we called the GPs (and our 'interim friend' as she could get here in 10 mins).

Went straight to delivery room on arrival at hospital.

Probably easier with a homebirth? esp if at night when DCs are asleep...
Good luck!!

I was in slow labour for most of the day, so M&D were on standby. But after a bath, contractions ramped up to really painful / 3 mins apart so they got a 'get your arse over here pronto' call
That was 6pm, he arrived a few houws later

I woke up with DC2 and contractions were immediately 3 mins apart, so called after about 20 mins! Only just made it to the hospital in time.

Thanks for your responses. I guess I can only wait and decide at the time. Thanks again xx

I'm in exactly the same predicament as you - although am 39+5 so a bit further along. My labour with DD had a long latent phase which was good as it gave me loads of warning and meant I had plenty of time to get GPs over to take away DS.

I too am planning a HB this time and what I really want to avoid is ending up giving birth with the children in the house which I suppose would only really happen if labour was uber quick and in the middle of the night. It's the uncertainty and not-knowing what will happen that stresses me!

Hopefully I'll be having my little bubba in the next few days so I'll be sure to let you know how it worked for me!

With DD I woke up with contractions so could call my mum at 7am. She got here at about 9 to take DS out for the day. In the end they came back for lunch and were downstairs while DD was born upstairs. DS wasn't phased at all but my Mum found it quite hard being in the house but not involved.

I'm now 38+some and am just hoping things are as obvious. I just can't remember how I knew it was time - but I did. I guess it is one of those things you can't plan until it happens. I'm more worried about it happening at night and waking the DC's.