Don't like the idea of family knowing when I'm in labour - am I weird???

[ilovemuffins]

Evening Ladies,

just wondering - am I the only one out here who doesn't like the idea of their families knowing once they're in labour? DH thinks I'm a bit strange

I hasten to add that we have a very good relationship with both our families, and we are going to let them know of sproggy's arrival very quickly after the birth. But I'd just prefer them not to know what I'm up to while I'm still in labour... just seems such a personal thing to go through that people knowing about it seems just one step short of actually watching me..!

We are not going to call people to let them know when labour starts, but not sure what to do if they call us. DH is a very honest character and reluctant to lie to anybody on the phone... especially since he doesn't understand why it's such an issue for me...

Am I the only one feeling this way??

I would have gone crazy if everyone had known that I was in labour. I can understand completely. My previous labour was very private and self-contained. I would have gone crazy to have had anyone waiting at the hospital, or trying to phone up. I think perhaps it's partly because there are so few children in the family, and we have so many enthusiastic relatives that it can feel that the baby doesn't actually "belong" to me any more. I'm just the inconvenient body that is refusing to hand over the goods!

Unfortunately, my parents found out because we had mysteriously disappeared () and it really didn't do them any good either - I was in labour for an eternity and then DD had a lot of problems, so DH didn't leave the two of us to phone until three hours after she was born. So they were in agony for a long time, not knowing what was going on, but knowing that the longer that we didn't get in touch, the more likely it was that things were going wrong (which they were ).

Luckily, DD was fine in the end, and in fact we didn't own up that it had been a bad experience either, until the grandparents had all had a chance to see her with their own eyes so that they knew that she was OK.

Oh i could not in any way labour in front of my parents, i just dont feel comfortable with it.

My mum is a nurse and my dad is a paramedic when i went into labour with dd2 i made my way to the local hosp where both parents work from, i had been there about 10 mins and my mum had already heard and came to see me. my waters had broke at home so by the time i was at hosp i was getting pretty strong contractions, mum pokes her head in "are you ok
me "fine nothing happening" holds breath
she goes back to work, i have to be transferred to clmu 40 miles away and my dad turns up to take me what a nightmare!!! The mw knows how i feel and she keeps asking in the ambulance you ok YES through gritted teeth, then mw asks you need gas and air NO through gritted teeth! there was no way my dad was seeing me like this it was the longest journey of my life. Thank god with this one i'm having dad has now retired but mum still works at the hosp and now my sis does at least they dont work on maternity, but i still find it weird as its a small local hosp and they all know my family and all the ambulance staff know us as well so will have to keep legs crossed till i find a stranger lol!

And i am going to the clmu 40miles away again thank god!

Not weird at all. It didn't remotely occur to me to tell anyone until it was over.

I only wanted to keep it quiet from a friend who was rather too keen knowing the gory details - she rang my house the night I went in to be induced but my brother failed to sound plausible as to why I was unavailable to speak to her so she rang the hospital, leaving a message for me with the maternity ward (which didn't go down well with the nurses so they told me off for it - like I can control who rings up?). I was rather miffed as it felt as though she was trying to muscle in and be the one to spread the news about my baby whereas I saw it as her place to wait to be told. Best to keep expected due dates under wraps until a safe delivery.