Giving birth with no childcare 4 other DC.. what did you do?

[namechangeddddd]

Name changed as family know my username!

Basically I am a few weeks away from giving birth to DC2, my DSis is suppose to be watching DC1 but is newly single and a moderate drinker so could end up being drunk when it happens!

My DM is supposed to also be coming to the birth but has young children at home and her and my DF are constantly arguing (not together just live together) so he is never at home or again drunk!

So if you already have a DC1 and didn't have child care when you went into labour with DC2 what did you do? I can't do it without my DP he was my rock last time so I am petrified of ending up alone 😪

Friend

DP's mother?

Doula service

All great idea's but don't have any friends that don't have kids and don't speak to DP family!! The one person we do is his Dsis but she lives hours away.

Hopefully it will all be ok and my Dsis will watch DC1 but just panicking incase it doesn't work out like that !

Hired babysitter I suppose but this could be tricky if you don't get much warning baby is on the way. Could you have a home birth and bribe the children to stay out of the way if it's daytime and your oh can oversee.

The friends I asked have children
You’re giving birth! Not heading out for cocktails. Pretty sure that they could balance they’re children with yours for the short period that you are otherwise engaged!

I didn't have childcare for my other children, so I had a homebirth... twice! They're so much easier, nicer and all round better!

Home birth?

Does your DM have to be at the birth? Can't she just stay at home and watch all the kids?

Homebirth!

Drop your dc to your Mam and she can look after them surely?

Cant have a home birth as lost to much blood last time! Was expecting to be induced so had a bit of warning but now we don't! We also live half an hour away from everyone else and then another half hour to hospital which complicates things!

I had no one, no friends and no family. Yo uneed to speak to your midwives - they have plans in place for this scenario.

@Countrylifeornot my DM is disabled and struggles with the 3 she has unfortunately, I do have other siblings but as I rarely see them wouldn't want to upset DD and dump her on them!

I guess at worst DH will just have to stay close by with DC1 and come in once baby is born?

@YouJustDoYou I did! Midwife was lovely, told her all my concerns and why I wanted to be induced (a few other reasons to this) male consultant just said no no no....

I’m a midwife so get comfortable bringing my DS with me if it was required. I showed him lots of books, talked about what labour might be like, what mummy might do etc. Lots of prep incase he was there, wanted DH to be there and wouldn’t have wanted DS left outside or anything.

Turned out I was induced so in laws came for the weekend. Otherwise would have been potentially a couple of friends on certain days and my sister would have been free to jump on a train from Middlesbrough to London

Child minder, nanny, babysitter? Any friends you could ask for references? Explain your situation, be prepared to pay slightly more for inconvenience/unsociable hours and think of it as money well spent.
A professional child carer will be capable and reliable.
Best of luck.
We turned up to hospital with our dog and child and my mum was late hahaha. So my partner was stood in the bloody car park for ages