Help, need some quick advice!

[SockieJ]

I'm 38 weeks pregnant with DC2 and thought labour might have been starting around lunch time this afternoon, with a few mild contractions quite well-spaced out. I went on maternity leave at the beginning of the week so just rested this afternoon to wait and see.

I just went to collect DS1 (3) from nursery, (only a 15 min walk down the road and back) and things have picked up quite a bit - roughly every 5 mins now and have to stop and breathe through them.

I called the birth centre and they've advised me to go straight in, but DP is in Birmingham today for work (we're in London) and won't be home for at least a couple of hours. I've asked DM to come straight over to look after DS but at this time I expect it'll take her a good 90mins at least to get here.

Has anyone ever used any of the 'emergency childcare' agencies, and would you recommend? Short of that I'm not sure what to do - head to the birth centre with DS1 in tow, or take my chances and wait for DM/DP to get back?!

Any other parents from nursery who would take DS for a couple of hours until your mum arrives? It is an emergency! You probably have hours of labour ahead of you, but on the other hand...
Good luck!

I know, my first labour lasted an eternity, but then again it also took much longer to get to 5 mins apart last time.

We only recently moved to this nursery and until I went on maternity leave I was a bit of a drop and run mum to be honest so I haven't really got to know any of the other parents yet. I don't have any phone numbers but I could nip back down and see if anyone's around... they don't close until 6pm but I wouldn't want DS to be stranded there if DM or DP weren't there on time.

Call nursery, tell them what is happening, and explain you have no one to leave your DS with and that hopefully someone will be there by 6 but it might be later.

I'd imagine any decent, kind people would be happy to hang on until your DM gets here!

Oh, and good luck!

If you can't get anyone to look after him just take him with you, and go now, Second labours can be much quicker than first labours. My 2nd labour was 2 hours from start to finish and one of the support workers looked after DD because my mum lived 90 mins away and couldn't get there fast enough. Good luck

Thank you both so much for the advice, needless to say I was in a bit of a panic!

I called a taxi, dropped DS1 back at nursery looking totally befuddled and sped off to the birth centre. DM got to the nursery just after 6pm and DP got to the birth centre at 7pm-ish, just as DS2 was crowning. :)

Wow! Well done for keeping calm and doing so brilliantly! And congratulations on DS2!!

Congrats!!! x