Advice needed: best approach to care for my toddler when giving birth

[bluechik]

Hi everyone. We live in North London and are both from overseas, so no family here unfortunately. We have a 15 month old toddler and are expecting our second child in about 6 weeks' time. I am really worried about what to do with him when the new baby is being born. We have several friends here but none that are particularly 'child friendly' so nobody that he is used to/that we would feel confident to look after him. I guess we are looking at a paid childcare option, what would this be though? What if we have to go into the birthing center in the middle of the night? Do we need to line up a night nanny, or would this be a 'maternity nurse'? I would really appreciate advice regarding how others have managed this dilemma and also any good websites people have used to find childcare solutions. Thanks in advance.

Some childminders may do this too, I offer overnight care and if I had a space would do it, best option for you is probably someone in your home though, maybe contact sitters or similar agency and ask if they do this kind of childcare or post on childcare.co.uk

Have you considered a doula and/or homebirth?

A doula could support you in early labour before you went to hospital, or stay with you/DC at home for a HB.

An emergency nanny via an agency with experience in toddlers.

If you aim for immediate post-birth discharge, you might just need someone for 6 hours, some of which DC might be asleep for. So a less child-friendly friend might suffice!

Is dc at nursery at the moment?

I have been on call for another mum I babysat for, I ended up taking her DD to work with me (I'm a nanny so worked well)

We had a ton of scenarios set out so prepared for every eventuality...e.g.

It's 2am:- I called a cab and got to their house then took their DD to work with me the next day then her DH picked her up later that day

The only problem was if I was already at work and it was e.g. 7pm (and I wasn't finishing until 9 and couldn't drag all the kids out to get her) but we decided we'd cross that bridge when we came to it and probably her DH or family friend would drop her of to me at work then I'd take her back to their house

Now I tend to finish around 7ish so it wouldn't be a problem though

Am also in N.London (Archway) and work near Essex road if that could be of any help/

Hi everyone, thanks very much for your replies, there are some very helpful suggestions there. I'm looking at sitters and childcare.co.uk. CrotchFlakes, was just wondering if a doula would be helpful and will follow that lead as well. DS unfortunately isn't at nursery and is still in a bit of a clingy phase. I think he would be OK during the day but bedtimes would be more challenging! A quick easy birth and straight home would of course be ideal, hoping we can manage this :). Milk, thanks for your post, I might PM you later for more info after checking out these other leads, we are quite close to Essex Road.