What to do with ds when in labour

[littleboyblue]

Just wondered what everyone does with existing dc's when they go into labour and have to go to the hospital.
Ds will be 18m and I'm really paranoid about going into labour at 3am when dp is at work and I'm all alone .
So, if it's the middle of the night, is it ok to take ds to hospital with me or is that a big no no?
If it's day time, I imagine there will be some warning and enough time for family to do the 45-60min train journey to get here?
I've heard that second time round it can go really quick.

bump

I'm 29wks now but not brave enough for a home birth either. I am expecting to have a big baby so want to be at hospital, but home birth is the perfect solution isn't it. Wish I'd thought this through a bit better in the early days.

Hey Littleboyblue - this was the worry keeping me awake a couple of weeks ago. The plan is for us to get our nanny to come look after DS - however she's on holiday between 31 Jan and 14 Feb (so will be keeping my legs crossed for that period)... so the back up plan is (i) get my sister (lives other side of London) to come over to look after DS if middle of night issue (rest of family live at least a couple of hours away by train) or (ii) if really urgent, get our next door neighbours (only moved to area in Feb but they are v nice and their son is 6 months older than DS) to keep an eye on DS until a grandparent can arrive. The final option (if all else fails) is to either leave DH here with DS - dont really want to take DS to hospital with me in labour as dont want to be worrying about DS while dealing with contractions (have sorted out a doula to deal with the eventuality need to leave DH at home to look at DS). Do you have any good friends in the area you could call to help out look after DS until your family can get there? Or maybe get in touch with Surestart in the area to find a local childminder who might be able to come look after your DS while you're in labour if need be?

you couldn't take your ds with you. How long would it take for your dp to get back from work?

You need to try and have a plan B at the ready. Ask a neighbour or a mum you know through your ds. Most people would be heppy to help out in a one-off situation like this, even if it is the middle of the night.

Butterfly I know you wasn't suggesting I should have a home birth .
But it would be perfect wouldn't it?

Dinky Thanx for that.

I agree that this is one of those situations where you can ask for favours which you wouldn't normally ask. Think about it - if someone on your street/toddler group etc, who you didn't know well suddenly asked if you'd mind being an emergancy back-up if they went into labour at a difficult tiume, you'd say yes like a shot, wouldn't you?
In fact, two of my now best mates have become good mates because they asked me to be emergancy childcare for their second births As it ended up, I wasn't needed either time.

My family are all over an hour away, so I had a good friend from uni who lived 10 mins away on standby (although I also planned a home birth) I ended up having to go into hospital at 6.30 am, so he came haring over and sat with ds for a while until my mum got to our house. he got to go into work late and get a whole load of kudos. Everyone was happy

I'd definately say yes, without a doubt. Think I'll talk to my neighbour in the week about it, but she'll be only a few weeks away from labour herself so not sure if it's a good idea to disturb her.
Will def speak to surestart too.

That sounds like a good idea......

we were worried about this when i had ds2 (ds1 was only 11months old) as our nearest relatives are 500 miles away and my bf would would take ds1 works about 10miles away. i phone the hospital and they said just to bring DS1 in with us and wait until my friend collected him. he would be looked after.

this worried me thro my whole pregnancy! when the time came i put him to bed between contractions at 7.30pm, my mum came round at 8pm as we left for hospital. we arrived at 8.30pm, bubba was born at 8.53pm and we set off back home at about 11.45 pm. ds1 didnt even know i had been anywhere! all worked out good in the end. have afew plans mapped out so you feel confident about it. good luck xxx

Wow mummy2t, that sounds great, I want a labour and delivery like that.
Won't get it though, I might be worrying for nothing, knowing my luck it'll take about a week!
fledtoscotland I imagine it happens quite alot really.

Thanx everyone for all advice, much appreciated

think positive littleboy, at doesnt always end up you been in hospital for days on end. i made it very clear from getting to the hospital that if everything was ok i wanted to get straight home. my mw had made it clear in my notes too. i was very lucky it happened the way i had hoped. keep your fingers crossed but have afew back up plans. where do u live?? i will pop round and see to LO. lol xxxx

Hehehe. I only stayed 1 night after ds was born. I'd had the pains for about 3 days, given up and gone in friday evening, ds was born 11:30am sat and 8am sunday, I was up, dressed and demanding to be discharged before I picked up my baby and left! (hate my hospital, and we're back there this time too
We live in Staines, so if you're local

Oh, littleboyblue, are you going to St Peters by any chance?

Yes I am! How did you guess? We were living in Woking when I had ds. I hate St Peter's.

I'm down the road in Walton/Hersham - had dd at St Peters - it's reputation preceeds it (although I had a great birth experience to be fair)

In fact, I'll have ds for you if you get stuck (but only if i get to have free new baby cuddles )

Hahaha.
Whe I called them to say I was going in, they told me not to unless I really had to coz they were busy, like I'd go to the hospital just for the fun of it.
Once I got there, they left me in the corridor for over 3 hours.
Whenever I asked for pain relief, they gave me 2 paracetamol and told me to run a bath, I couldn't sit down nevermind get in a bath! After ds was born we were completely ignored, he wasn't even weighed again after that initial time and we were thrown off the ward coz he wouldn'rt stop crying. I sat in the family visitors room all night.
Can't believe I'm going back there.

Hey, don't joke, I'll be on here in about 11 weeks saying funny, get your arse over here now. It'll be 2am.

OMG, how hideous!
Hope you have an easier time next time. Will you be going for a 6hour discharge this time - have to say, I wouldn't spend a night in the post natal dump ward unless I had to.... (dd cried all the first night too - I spent a lot of time in the family/bf room too!)

Seriously, if you get stuck, I'm happy to help out

Thanx funnypeculiar.