What to do when no one around if labour starts?

[sunface]

we have 2 DC's and another on the way in approx 5 weeks, but my MIL (only real childcare back up) is leaving for her house abroad for a month.... so, question is, who do we turn to should i go into labour in the middle of the night? I have asked a close friend if she'd be on stand by as she lives nearby and she's delighted to do it, but i feel bad if things do happen in the middle of the night... has anyone had this experience? I'm starting to think maybe hubbie just has to stay with our other children and i go it alone.........

If I had offered a friend to watch her other children, I would assume this may happen at night or an inconvenient time

Have you talked to your friend about this?

your close friend has said she would be delighted so whats the problem. great timing by Mil!

Or what about a home birth?

pay for a doula

If your friend has children of her own then she'll know it could happen day or night or in the middle of Sunday lunch, even if she doesn't have children of her own I'd imagine that she's aware of it. Generally speaking she wouldn't have offered if she didn't want to do it, most people make polite excuses if they can't do something rather than volunteer.

Take her up on the offer, have your DH at your side when you have your baby, and try not to worry about it. At most it'll only be overnight because once you've delivered DH won't be allowed to stay past a certain time so he'll be able to look after your DCs and bring them in at visiting.

I had to go to hospital on my own at 5am.
Never seen a taxi driver panic so much.
Baby born at 7.45. Me still on my own.

I've offered to do the same for close friends (and even quite distant ones who were without other support). I was quite happy to be part of the excitement even if it happened at 2am. Just make sure your friend knows that you could be calling her in the small hours and if she's still happy then take her up on her offer and relax.

I have a friend on stand-by who gets that it's likely to be middle of the night - we had a scare at 33w (contractions every 6 mins) so called my friend at 1.30am - she arrived in 15 mins (dd1's birth was very fast) and my mum came and took over asap (she lives 1hour30mins away). It was a test run and although I felt guilty my friend has been reassuring that she knew it might happen when she offered.

Just make sure you make yourself available for your friend if she ever asks for anything, even if it's a little inconvenient!

Oh and I left a bed made up for my friend to sleep in!

Thanks all, my friend does have children of her own so she knows what's what when it comes to labour, still feel bad though should it happen in the middle of the night, but she seems really keen to help out and of course, i've offered a limb (well just about!) if there is ever anything i can do for her! And, yup, great timing from MiL!

i put my kids in the car and took them to my friend who lives 10 mins away at 12pm she was fine about it and it was pre aranged she was even more excited when dh text her three hours later to say ds had been born xx

i intend on doing the same in 5 weeks time xxxxx

heehee that's just great timing valiant! Here's hoping it's not a middle of the night trip and it all happens during day time.. getting myself a bit stressed about it all.....