We have a 3 yo and another on the way in early Jan. Our only family childcare option for the birth is my MIL, who is both very sprightly for 74 and great with our son.
BUT she's in Tier 4 and we're in Tier 2 :( Luckily (?!) she lives alone so I think it's a permitted support/childcare bubble, but obviously it would involve several night away from home which I'm not sure is allowed...
We've all been very careful, home-based, son staying home from nursery all term, only outside socialising and following rules etc etc. MIL is a slightly too-keen shopper :) but otherwise also very careful and generally low-risk. She had offered to pay for a test before coming, too.
However, she now thinks it's against the rules for her to come, at all, full stop. I don't want to twist her arm or argue technicalities because I think that would make things very awkward, especially in terms of DH's relationship with his mum. So I've told her it's fine and we'll make other plans.
So far I've got - ask our 2 close-ish local mum friends if they can have DS for us, hope one can and give them £50 for their trouble, send DH home ASAP from hospital to relieve them and I'll handle it alone on the ward for as long as I have to! Then DH and DS can come pick me and bub up together, meeting them in the car park.
That's all the back up plan I have! Really aware that this won't be as good for DS (much less accustomed to being left with friends vs Granny) or me, AND that our friends aren't as likely to have been careful due to general covid fatigue and no baby's-on-the-way motivation.
Anyone else in this pickle? Any thoughts? Gah.