People staying/helping out around due date - Help

[hollyw]

I'm due in August and have 3 other children already. Some relatives have offered to come and stay so that they can be here for the other children/generally help out (they are brilliant at playing with the children, cooking, cleaning etc etc)

I would love the help but I am hoping to try for a homebirth (have some potential issues with high amniotic fluid at the moment so can't confirm if this will go ahead) and haven't told anyone as I don't want to deal with any negativity. I also (homebirth or hospital birth) have a huge desire to have no one around me (other than hb).

I'm also conscious that if things went pear shaped I could really do with the help afterwards.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can tell them that I don't want them to come and stay for a week or more to wait for the baby to arrive.

(Added complication is that they don't live in the UK but are here for about 6 weeks visiting various people so they are trying to plan other visits around me which isn't really possible)

x
Holly

I would say you need them to not plan anything around your due date because you could have the baby early or late and feel like you would be too crowded.

Although, if you do homebirth what plans do you have for the care of your other children, indeed similarly for a hospital birth?

If you need someone to rely on then I think they would have to be flexible and prepared to come at the drop of a hat which these people may be unable to do if they are planning other things?

Thanks DF . We've got friends locally who have offered to have the children. I'm paranoid about offending the relatives as obviously they want to visit at some point whatever happens. Think I need to start writing the email and then get someone to check it over.