Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My husband and I keep going back to this conversation and we can't come up with a plan. We have a lot of family local- IL's, my mom, BIL and his gf, and my sister. Out of all those, IL's are the only ones who don't work, so they seem like the logical option, since they could basically take him at any time, any day. My husband keeps saying how sad that is though, because he says they should be at the hospital. I agree, but I just don't know what our other option is. We only have one neighbor we are friendly with, but we've never had them watch him before, and they both work. Would it be crazy if IL's brought him to the hospital while they wait for the baby to be born? It would, right? Kieran will be about 22 months. TIA for any input!

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My mom was here and watched my son. I thought it was more important for her to be with him instead of sitting in a waiting room. She brought him up to the hospital about 4 hours after I gave birth and they were both able to see the baby then.

ETA: I think sitting in a hospital waiting room is alot to ask of a 22 month old. We had bags of toys for my son when he came up to visit and his max was an hour. Once the hour came he was off the wall and wanted to get out of there (He was 27 mnths when my second was born)

Message edited 4/25/2011 8:41:23 AM.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

DS will be 25 months when the baby is born. We're lucky in a way that I'm having a sched c so if it works out we'll stick to our plan.
The hospital is about 15 - 20 minutes away. IL's live on LI and we're in NJ. The plan is for both my parents and IL's to watch DS either at our house or at my parents (they're around the corner) and wait for DH to call. Pretty much wait till I'm about to be wheeled in. They'll come and this way not have to wait at the hospital the whole time. I plan for DS to be there and see the baby along with the rest of the family for the 1st time.
After a while someone will take him back to the house and watch him. The next day we'll have someone take him to daycare and this way the parents can spend some time with the baby and then get Mason later (this way he's back to his routine he's on at daycare and not sitting around the hospital all day). They'll get him after nap and take him to the hospital again
Hopefully it'll all work out

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

I'm going to have someone come over my house and stay with dd -or bring her to the hospital and have someone pick her up there.

Depends what the situation is. DD will be about 18 months.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My inlaws took DS when I went to the hospital. I was having a c-section and told DH that I wanted my parentsat the hospital, god forbid something happened during the surgery. He was fine with that. My inlaws brought DS up the next day (I delivered at night)

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My mom watched DS at my house and then DH went and picked both of them up to visit me.

He went home at night to sleep with DS.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

The morning i went into labor I left DS with my mom at my house. Then my inlaws came and got him and he stood with them till the day I came out of the hospital.

Luckily my mom had stood over the night before. Had she not been there we would have taken him to the hospital and had my dad come get him at the hospital when she brought my mom. Then have my inlaws take him for the few days.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

I had a sched c-section so ours was all planned. We had to be at the hospital early so we dropped DD off at my mom's house the night before. My ILs were staying with my mom as well.

They brought DD up to the hospital the next morning right before my c-section. I had my c-section on Friday so everyone took off Friday and then were off Sat and Sun.

So my mom and ILs would take her during the day and bring her up during visiting hours and then at 8pm when general visiting hours would end my DH would take her home and put her to bed and drop her off at my mom's on the way to the hospital the next morning.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

Chris was 22 months when Carlo was born.

My in laws watched him and then he came to the hospital to "pick up his brother and bring him home" with us

it worked out perfect

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My inlaws watched her. They also watched both girls when I had #3. Both times they all came to the hospital pretty quickly after the baby was born.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

DS was just under 2. I had a scheduled induction and my parents took older DS to LI to hang out for the weekend. They visited me the day after I gave birth. It worked out well.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My mom watched ds when I went in to have the baby. It was different the second time around - nobody was in the waiting room. They all came later.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My parents watched DS during the day. They would bring him to the hospital just after dinner and DH would take him home to sleep.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

when i had DD#2- my older DD stayed at my mom's house.

When i had DD#3- both my older DD's stayed at our house and we had my mom, dad, MIL, and FIL take turns watching them.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

Since I'll be having a scheduled C Section, we will have it planned out.

I would have your in-laws watch K and then bring him up to the hospital just before or right after the baby is born, so they dont have to wait around with him!

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

My parents came over and stayed with the kids. Then my DH came home at grandparents visiting hours which were only an hour or two after I was in my room, and my parents came.
We decided not to have DS and DD come to the hospital, because they would have been terrorizing the place after 5 minutes, trying to climb all over me, etc. Plus I was really afraid they would freak out if they had to leave me in the hospital.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

Our original plan was to have DS stay with my parents at our house. But with the hospital being 30 minutes away, unfortunately, DH spent a lot of time home with DS versus with us at the hospital.

Re: Moms of 2 or more- what did you do with your older one when you went to the hospital to have #2?

DD2 is due any day.

My parents are on call to stay with Sadie. My mom requested this "job".

As far as when if she will come to the hospital, we are going to play it by ear. I want DH to be home for bedtime as much as possible just to keep her routine somewhat normal. For naps and other things, she is used to napping at my moms or MILs because the watch her while I work.