Which scenario ??

[MrsTiggyWrinkle]

Hi all! Really just wondering wwyd?

I live in Aus and my family are back in the UK. My big Sis is having her second child, she's only just found out she is pregnant and we are all so excited!! this means she is due March time next year. 👶 🍼 🎉

We were already in the process of planning our next family trip over there, and now I'm not too sure about when we should visit. We have three options really and wondering what do others think is the best scenario what would you do?

1. We visit in October this year, as we planned, and visit again in July to meet baby (this would mean there's a gap between visits to safe some money, I would be back home for my birthday, my nieces birthday, also summer and my DS would have two weeks ago off school so we could go for a month and he would miss two weeks). However this would mean my new niece or nephew will be 3or 4 months old by then - can I wait that long to meet him or her?! I think I'd explode with excitement!

1. We hold off visiting this year though it'll be a year and a half since I law saw my sister and niece. We go in March when she is due. Again we'd go for maybe a month but DS would miss the 4 or 5 weeks of school. It'd be great to be there when baby is born and get those first cuddles 💕 It isn't too far away... but I'd miss my sisters whole pregnancy and it is 9 months away. If we go March we could also see my mum on her birthday which is a bonus. I was thinking we could then plan to go back for Christmas 2019. First one in the U.K. For three years, might work well. My sister has said I could fly over about when she's due. This might be her preferred option.

1. We go back April for 4 or 5 weeks. Give my sis chance to have baby and recover and maybe be there a month after baby is born. Again both parents birthdays when we visit and possibly Easter too. That visit would be 10 months away, and again we'd think about Christmas 2019 too. My DS would have two weeks off in April for school holidays so wouldn't miss as much. But can I wait so long to see my niece again? She's 3 this month and miss her loads. Also if it's waster my DH might not get time off so I may need to go over with th DC alone.

The problem I have is I couldn't go to the UK and back again twice in 5 or 6 month. The journey is a killer, but it'd be very expensive too and it'd make more sense to spread visits out.

Thank you if you've got to the end of this 😂 So what would you do? We haven't booked anything yet, still thinking about it! Should we have two visits but I'd see my niece or nephew 3 or 4 months after their birth? Or should I hang on, go later and maybe get Christmas 2019 too?

I would go with your 1st option. You get 2 visits and much easier to go for the UK summer and only miss 2 weeks of school.

Does your sister have a preference?

If you are already planning two visits, I would go with April and December. That gives you plenty of time to plan and save
If you go before baby is due you may miss the birth. And immediately afterwards won't be great either. Your sister will be exhausted and the baby will be settling into a routine

1 or 3.
The last time a friend flew back for the birth of a niece/nephew, he waited until 12 hrs before they flew back out to appear - and was 17 days late.
Also, a month off school is a long time.

I would go with option 3

Your excitement is lovely!
Any chance, for one trip, you could travel alone?
Then your DC doesn't miss school and you could devote yourself to your sister: you won't have to think about entertaining/ looking after your own child. I would have loved a full time sister on hand- mainly to spend time with my DC1 and show them a good time in the first few weeks, as you are often marooned on the sofa feeding and you can't do what you used to do with DC1. Also, shop and make good food.
Also consider does DSis's DP have any leave? Perhaps you could time the visit for when he returns to work?
Consider where you would stay. If it's in her house, it may be quite stressful for her? Or can you stay with another family member nearby?
Ask your sister what she would like.

Great advice everyone thanks for taking the time to reply 😀

My sis would go for option 2 I think. I will speak to her again soon and see what she thinks. I could go alone one if he trips, yea that may be an idea.