Cover during labour?

[ThePants999]

Hi all! My wife's pregnant with number 2, and I'm desperate to be present at the birth, but we have a toddler who'll need taking care of. If there aren't any options along the lines of family or friends, what do people do in this situation? It's all so unpredictable, what with babies so often arriving a fortnight before or after the due date, and labour sometimes being really quick :-(

Neighbour?

Some people have their Mum come and stay towards the end of the pregnancy, my sister had befriended her neighbours who could step in if it was during the night. I've heard of home births to have siblings at home too.

You could maybe look into childcare.co.uk and build up a relationship with a local childminder and see if they would be happy to take a last minute labour call but check they have all their checks first?

It is a tricky one!

Neighbour is a good idea. Have you met anyone through your oldest child who could help? It's only a one off.

Does your toddler attend any sort of daycare? If so could one of them provide an on call babysitting service?

Thanks all! Sadly we, er, have failed to actually meet any of our neighbours since we moved in - and no, no daycare. Will hang our hopes on a childminder :D

Invite all the neighbours for New Year's drinks?!