To wake four sleeping children, then drag them to the shop in the pouring rain?

[PomBearEnvy]

Okay I need advice, have posted here because its the busiest place. My Dc are all sleeping, aged 7yrs nearly3yrs and 18months.

I have an aquaintances newborn with me who I am looking after unexpectedly after a frantic phone call. Newborn is three weeks old, mum has been taken ill, rushed to A&E. She is a single parent and has no family nearby, I only know her through mother and toddlers.
Baby was dropped to me half hour ago by her very elderly neighbour, there was no-one else to take him when she was taken ill, he would have gone into emergency care

I have nappies and clothes, but baby is usually breast fed. I am no longer feeding any of mine. I dont have formula.

Its pissing down outside, all the kids are fast asleep and will object to being woken or walking anywhere,I dont own a double buggy, no longer have a sling, and dh is working away.

How the fuck am I gonna get a newborn a 18month 3yr old and poorly 7yr old to the shop and back. aggggghhh!

Its a 6/7 min walk there, I could run in under 5mins, should I do that do you think? Leaving them sleeping? Or waking the seven yr old and talking to him on the homephone from my mobile? would that be insane? or is it more insane to try and get them all up and there with only one buggy and torrential rain.
Someone HELP!!!

Any chance mumsnet towers have something in pettycash or a sponsor / advertiser gift style thing that could be sent to pom as a treat it was wonderful what she didfor this mum and baby x

Any chance mumsnet towers have something in pettycash or a sponsor / advertiser gift style thing that could be sent to pom as a treat it was wonderful what she didfor this mum and baby x

Well I hope the mum gets through this & gets the hep/support she needs.

Hopefully the fact that she thought about care for her baby is a good sign.

Although I agree what Pom did was great, surely we'd have all done similar - if a newborn was placed into our care late one evening.

(Of course if POM's DH had been at home or if one of the neighbours could have babysit for 15 mins it would have been much easier in terms of POM getting some milk - but I doubt the mum considered this.)

I don't think its anything to do with mumsnet, just what any decent human, especially a mother would do. And of course if anyone could help someone in this position they would. Mumsnet is the medium for speaking out to other mothers. I'm sure you would have had similar response posting on facebook (but much narrower audience).

TBH I thought suicide as a possibility when I read the original posts, as generally newborn would go to hospital with mother if she wanted.

Very very sad that the only person she could leave her baby with was an acquaintance. And even sadder that someone with a newborn was so alone as it is tough.

What a lovely story,well done to all involved. I was working nights last night and kept checking in. Glad baby is ok and hope Mum is better soon.

What a lovely story,well done to all involved. I was working nights last night and kept checking in. Glad baby is ok and hope Mum is better soon.

i've just read this and have to say pom, not only are you an amazing person for doing this but you must have already been a wonderful person before for this poor lady who knew she could send her baby to you to be safe, you have obviously touched her in a way you werent aware of for her to feel that she could rely on you, you sound lovely!

i hope the mum pulls through and makes a full recovery and that you can be there for her as a friend, sounds like she'll need you.

well done pom

just found and read this and thankfully all ended well, what a lovely taxi driver and also the mner who wants to remain nameless

so sad about the mum,hope she gets the supports she needs and least baby is with gp's now

I had tears in my eyes reading this thread it's lovely the way MNers offered their help. Well done POM, I hope that the mum is recovering and that baby is happy with grandparents. Such a sad story, but the response so heartwarming.

Poor Mother.

Well done Pom, and everyone else involved. Been following the thread since last night, hoping everything would be OK. It was the Taxi driver that finally had me in tears. Lovely man.

Really glad all turned out well under the very sad circumstances.

This thread has really restored my faith in humanity - so many people who just pitched in when it mattered. Pom (you are a star), the anonymous MN and the taxi driver especially. MW and GP were doing their jobs granted but sounds like they went over and above too.

Another forum I frequent (not parenting related) was bitching about MN recently. Think I might just go and post this thread to show them what the people here are really like!

Pom, so glad the baby is being taken care of. Pom, when the mum is stable perhaps you could show her this thread. Perhaps seeing how many people cared about her and her baby might give her some comfort if she feels lonely and isolated.

Unashamedly blubbing through this thread.

No doubt you will say that anyone would do the same given the situation but

Pom, you're a superstar

Very well done Pom, hope the Mum is improving.

Have a lump in my throat reading all this.
Well done Pom and the MNers who managed to get help.

Moocowmrs - that is a great idea - I'm going to report your post, if you don't mind, to make sure that MNHQ see the suggestion.

And I DO think that Pom was wonderful, as was the mumsnet response, and it certainly shows how many good people there really are in the world - which we rarely get to see in the news, of course.

Thankyou for coming back and updating us, Pom, and how sad to hear that the mum is not doing well. Hopefully, though, she is in the right place now, and will get the immediate medical help that she needs, followed by longer term psychiatric and psychological help, and support at home, so that she can make a full recovery.

Oh gosh the poor poor mother :( I hope she gets the help she needs.

MumNWLondon....i disagree. I don't think everyone would have done it. I don't even think everyone on this thread would have done it!

Pom and Anon's friend - well done :)

I'm so pleased to see the update. Very sad circumstances for the mum (will be thinking of her :() but well done Pom, for everything you did, totally in awe of you today.

This is why I love MN. I think we all know now there is support from some wonderful people if we needed it. What a lovely feeling to know there are so many MNers willing to back you up.

So glad this had a relatively happy ending. The poor mother, I really hope she gets the help she needs. It does sound as if you are pretty isolated that can't be good for your moods.
Well done POM

Another one blubbing at the generosity of people - Pom you did an amazing thing, and I'm so glad that you had people that were able to help you when you were in such a difficult situation.

I really hope the mum is OK. I can't imagine what she was going through to be at the point of suicide and thank god she's got family who are able to look after that tiny baby.

Hats off to PomBear and all involved - another one with a lump in throat here (especially the taxi driver bit). Aren't people wonderful!!

That poor Mum - how awful.

just come across this...words escape me!

Fabulous!

If this thread has shown anything it's that if all else fails, we have somewhere to turn in a crisis.

Well done PomBear and to everyone on this thread xxx

Ye Burn...it makes you feel a wee bit more secure really. Knowing there are people on here all over the country who would drop things and help a stranger.

I really hope the poor Mum is better soon. Love to the little baby.

The poor mother, hope she will be ok. :-(