How long is your 'labour list' for child no. 2?

[milkmoustache]

... and by this I mean how many people have you got lined up for child care when you are in hospital? My MIL will hot foot it up here as soon as things start going, but that involves a long train journey (7 hours and I do NOT expect her to drive it or travel really late). I am getting a bit jumpy as my chief person has got to move house the day before my due date, others are going on their holidays, and my back up systems feel a bit stretched! We are fairly new to the area, no other family help is available and I am a bit worried... I am currently 39 weeks and although DD was fashionably late (2 bloody weeks) I know that things could happen at any moment now. Reassurance needed please!

My dad lives an hour away, my mum is moving to France, DH's mum doesn't drive and lives out of the city so my only option is to put my best friend on a no alcohol ban for the whole of February.

She will find that hard.

Could you stay at home as long as poss while MIL gets on the train?

Will try to do that, esp as my midwife is encouraging me to labour at home, but if things get going quickly then there's not much choice esp as we are the opposite side of town from the hospital!

Could you take dd with you until MIL arrives? I know it's less than ideal but otherwise it would mean leaving her at home with DH wouldn't it?

My mum suggested we just take DS to the labour room with us and he would just sit quietly in the corner.

Needless to say it was the most I had laughed in a long time. DS has never sat still for more than 30 seconds. I have visions of them screaming push and me screaming "put down that needle now!"

I too have several possibilities, none of them secure and most likely to be needing to do something else. I have just gone into denial and told myself it will work itself out at the time...

I don't have anyone... My parents live in Paris and my in-laws in North Wales.
None of my friends have kids, or would know how to look after a toddler.

We were going to either have my parents come and stay before the birth (not ideal as the 1st was 10 days late and it could happen again) or wing it and take DD to the hospital with us. Not sure what to do...

Surely Maternity departments are used to these predicaments and should be understanding, no?

I had my mum as back up in case I needed to transfer to hospital (homebirth planned).

My mil lives nearby, but I am totally weird about anyone (other than DP and at the time, DD) sleeping in my bed, so biggest fear was going into labor at night and mil sleeping in my bed.

it all worked out - DS arrived at 9:00 pm and after being settled on the ward, DP went home and sent mil home!

It will all be OK.

Mission accomplished... I now feel much better as I realise how much more help I have available than many of you out there - so I feel rather humbled and grateful!