As my due date and the impending delivery loom closer, the details of our "plan" for what to do when I go into labor are taking on more importance. Everyone says that the second child comes a lot faster than the first, which scares me slightly. So I'm trying to get as prepared as possible for the worst-case scenario. (I'm not even sure what that would be--there are probably lots of worst-case scenarios!) But in the back of my mind, I'm hoping it will go more like my delivery with William, which started with contractions during the night so that I didn't go into work the next day, and involved contractions sporadic enough that I had all day to prepare for the hospital. Ideally, my contractions will start at night, we won't go to work the next day, Ed's sister will come in the morning to watch William, we'll go to the hospital and have the baby the same day, and Ed will be able to go home in the evening in time to put William to bed.
So getting back to the PLAN, if I start having contractions at work or if my water breaks, two of my co-workers will go with me to get William at his daycare, which is about 2 blocks from my building. I park my car in the same building that houses the daycare, so one of my co-workers will drive my car, and the other will follow in her car (or his car). I will have called both Ed and Ed's sister, and we'll all either meet at my house, or at the hospital, depending on the severity of contractions. I'm hoping for our house. Ed's sister will then take care of William, and meanwhile, we will have called my mom, who will drive up from Charlotte, NC.
Here is what I hope doesn't happen:
I hope that we don't have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night, because I think William will have a hard time waking up to find Mommy and Daddy gone, and Aunt Meredith and Uncle Steve there (despite how much we will talk about it ahead of time, and have Aunt Mere and Uncle Steve babysit or come over a few times before delivery).
I hope that my water doesn't break at work. The doctor had to break mine when I delivered William, so I'm hoping that will be the case again.
I hope that we don't have to go straight to the hospital if I go into labor at work. I think it will be much easier on William if he can be home with babysitters when we leave, as opposed to having to leave me at the hospital.
The two most important things I have to do are to write out William's schedule and routine for whoever watches him, including the foods he eats and where everything is. And to pack my bag for the hospital and have it ready in the car.
So what am I forgetting? For my few readers who have more than one, share your stories--what worked, what didn't? What was your plan? What advice do you have for us? Lord knows I need all the help I can get!
6 comments:
The best thing about your plan is the flexibility. You're ready for just about anything!
My sister just had #2, and her plan just didn't work. She went into labor in the early evening, and it went FAST. Her 4-year old would have nothing to do with going to bed with all the excitement, so they had to take him to the hospital with them. (The plan had been for his Gigi to come babysit while he slept.) Luckily, I got to the hospital just in time to take #1 to the waiting room - otherwise, Dad would have missed the delivery.
Can't wait to see what everyone else says - you know I'm in the same boat!
I wish I had some advice for you but after two kids we failed miserably at having a plan both times. I always figured I had plenty of time left to plan but both ended up being emergency preemies delivered within two hours of a doctor's appointment. No, I don't learn a lesson.
The biggest thing I can tell you from my experience though is just make sure you have someplace to take William and that your husband can show up in time to make the delivery. Everything else truly is incidental so don't stress about it.
I don't have two so I don't have much advice. Your plan sounds good to me though.
I think your plan sounds good. My best advice would be to get induced. :) That's what I did, but Erin was stubborn and didn't want to come out until 2 days after her due date. I know I drove myself nuts for weeks/a couple of months prior to her birth, trying to figure out The Plan. DH said I just needed to relax, and he was so right. Just know that it will all work out the way it's supposed to, and everyone will be fine.
I'm so excited for you guys. William will be an awesome big brother! :)
I think you have everything covered and in the end it will all work out fine and William will be cared for. I worried too (and never been away from Robert overnight), but thankfully it all worked out fine. The one thing we did was not have Robert come to the hospital the first night since he would have been too sad to leave. We had him come the second night and then he knew he'd be taking us home in the morning so it was okay. He was 3 1/2 at the time though and had a different understanding of things.
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