Suggestions for childcare for my toddler when I deliver my baby?

[New2UK]

I am due with my second child the first week of February for a natural/unscheduled delivery. Because the birth is unscheduled, I could go in to labour any timeday or night in the next three weeks. My husband, toddler, and I very recently moved to southwest London from overseas and have no family or close friends nearby to help out with my toddler when I go to the hospital to deliver the baby.

Please post if you have any suggestions for childcare for my toddler when my husband and I go to the hospital to deliver. I've rarely left my child lwith anyone aside from family; I've never hired a nanny, babysitter, or any other child care professional. I'm nervous about leaving my child in the care of a stranger, so it would have to be someone with proof of a completed background check and several years toddler childcare experience, preferably also with first aid/emergency training and Qualifications. I've found lots of agencies that seem to fit these criteria in web searches but would feel a lot better getting referrals from those of you who have actually used a certain agency or person and been pleased with them.

On top of my nervousness to leave my toddler with a stranger, The trickiest part of all this is that I have no idea when in the next three weeks I will go into labour or how long the labour and delivery will be, so I pretty much need someone who can care for my toddler with very short noticelikely only a couple hoursand continue caring for my child until the baby is born, which could be a handful of hours or a couple of days.

Any ideas? Are there child care providers who do care on an emergency/on-call one-time basis like we need? Where do I find them, how much do they charge, and what title do they go by? I've heard the term "proxy parent" and wonder if that's the kind of carer I'm in need of. I'd prefer not hiring a live-in nanny, as I'm uncomfortable with the idea of a stranger living in my home, but we'd consider it if there aren't any other viable options. Please post any suggestions and/or advice you have soon, as I'm running out of time. Thank you!!

Childminders May do this if they have a space and are registered for overnight you just need to ring some, or a temp nanny?

Thank you! Im so pleased to have a reply already.

It would be best to have someone who could care for my toddler in my home in case I have to leave for the hospital in the middle of the night. Do temp nannies offer extended hours and work overnight? I've heard of nannies doing sleepover care...what kind of nanny does that, and does that kind of nanny work on short notice/emergency basis day or night?

Temp nanny via agency.
Doula that will stay with you in early labour then swap with your DH so he is there for the birth while she takes DC home or looks after them at the hospital.
Try contacting your local NCT group to see if they have any ideas.

Have you considered a homebirth?

My IM was convinced (by anecdotal evidence) that 2/3/4th children are more likely to come at a convenient time - partly because your priority is caring for your current DC and you can't concentrate on labour if you are running around after them so the oxytocin will not flow. So, you would be more likely to labour overnight while DC are asleep, or while they are at school etc.

In your situation i would be looking at a home birth. I was in nearly your situation with dd2. New to area and no money for a temp nanny. Luckily I had my dad just under 2 hrs away. When I went into labour dh drove me & dd1 to the hospital (I had preeclampsia when I had dd1 so homebirth not possible) she then waited with Dd1 in the general area until my dad arrived to rake dd1 home. My only back up plan was to labour alone whilst dh looked after dd1.

I would contact the childminders in your area and see if any can help. Failing that if you can afford it look into a temporary nanny. There are no easy answers here I am afraid.

As a CM I have done this a few times for my parents, at my house and theirs.

Thank you for all the useful advice so far! It's giving me a lot of good ideas.

ElizabethDarcy, would you shoot me over your contact info and credentials? Are you listed with an agency? If so, please send me their contact info, too.

Jess, glad I could be of help to you, do check out that website I gave you, there are loads of nannies and childminders on there :)