MN POLL: would you go abroad for 2 weeks, if your daughter was 36-38 weeks pregnant with her 1st baby?

[robinredbreastnestbuilder]

would you ?

Jumping in without reading the thread.

I wouldn't because I would want to be absolutely sure I was around for the birth. I would assume that someone who did was sending out a clear message about continuing to want a life of their own rather than to henceforth be known solely as granny.

I also wouldn't judge her harshly for that.

Good point re dates Hula. Yes where would it stop?

To answer the OP I don't see a problem. Support surely more useful at 2 wks later.

It's not you having the baby after all. and no childcare issues with 1st baby. I guess I'd want to see baby as soon as, but there are planes and trains aren't there?

Nope.

Obv if mum was birthing partner then it's a different story. Mine wasn't tho.

yes, my parents were away when dd1 was born, but then live in another country anyway. It never even occured to me to to be bothered about their holiday, although it was a bit of a pain as the mobile signal was sooo crap - trying to relay all that important information and all you get back is 'hello?', 'HELLO?'. I have to say, I minded it a lot more when they weren't on holiday when no. 3 arrived, instead rushing over immediately, there I was 2 days postpartum, all knackered, problems with my undercarriage and then my parents turning up

What do you actually need your mum for during the immediate aftermath, anyway? Your dh should be on paternity leave, and all you should do is sit back and feed the baby. Much better to have help a couple of weeks later.

my mum & dad, and inlaws - separately, did.
I was 35+ weeks when they went. ds1 was born at 37 weeks, the day before inlaws returned and 2 days before my parents came back.
I didn't think it was an odd thing to do.
My dad went away when I was 36+ with ds2, on leaving he said "don't have that baby until I get back", I said I was having it at the weekend, and I did .

I didn't tell my parents until they got back either, my mum would have just wanted to come home, and she couldn't really, so I figured she might as well enjoy the rest of her holiday. She was pissed off at me about this!
Ex-H phoned his parents, they seemed pissed off at having been woken up!

Christalmighty, the idea of my mum as my birthing partner

My parents emmigrated two weeks before my PFB was born (they did ask if I could hurry up and get on with it sadly I couldn't oblige and the Consultant was horrified )

my whole family went abroad when i was pregnant, i got to feed their cats
tonight i'm in hospital wiith suspected appendicitis and they're going to see sex and the city
we are a close family though!

oh and my mum missed dd being born as she was having an op in the other hospital across town the day before my section, so this sort ofstuff doesnt bother me!

with the number of threads on MN along the lines of 'someone had the audacity to look at my new born baby' or 'shock horror- the baby's grandparents want to visit and see the baby before he is 18 years old, I would definitely go on holiday!

Yes, in hindsight though, dh went abroad for a week when I was 36 weeks...only after I made his boss promise to be on standby and I have no family in England they are all more than 6000 miles away!

Yeah me too MI

I would ask rather than presume what my DD wanted!

If she wanted me to be available then I would be; if she preferred to spend time with her DP and baby then I'd go on holiday.

Communication, communication, communication

My mum changed their holiday too which was just as well as DS arrived at 38 weeks and she would have been gutted not to have seen him straightaway. MIL otoh went away the day before and according to her I deliberately waited for her to leave the country .

Are you my mum?

Just in case, I repeat that I'll be fine for the birth, but if you could come round a couple weeks before or after with some home-made ready-meals for the freezer, that would be great, as would your suggestion of buying some brightly-coloured cheap baby clothes while out in the US.

Assuming you aren't, though - much as I love you, you only make me more stressed in any remotely stressful situation, and no way are you coming anywhere near me around the time I give birth!

What soapbox said about communication, communication, communication...

My dad came into the delivery suite as the doctor was putting his needle and thread away. Not much chance of them booking a holiday anywhere near the big day!

Yes I would and I'd hope to be back in time for the birth. But...I wouldn't purposefully book for that time.

My mum came to the hospital for half an hour, turned up at the house a week later expecting supper to be cooked and then farked off again (waves at dizzy)