Labor Alone for Second Child? Hospital Nurseries for Siblings Available?

Both St. Davids and Seton have volunteers. I want to bet that if you called those departments ahead of time and explained your situation, they would arrange volunteers to help during your labor. I would also get your physician involved so that person can "pull a little weight" to get this taken care of for you. Your toddler may be able to sleep in the room with you as long is there is one adult for each child. Obviously, your toddler can't sleep in the room with you alone when you are caring for your newborn. I hope this helps.

I do know how hard it is to find someone to watch your children who you can trust!!!!! If I were in your shoes, I would start now trying to build a short list of people you trust, if you have the time. Go through an agency - and try out some caregivers - even have them help with your child while you are home and able to hear their interactions, but you are in a different room perhaps, so your child knows this other person is in charge. Check references. We were able to find some people through our church, but it is still scary when we first start trusting our children with others.

I am praying for you that you will find a good person or two who you can trust - maybe even someone who is a grandmother, needing a little extra income - can provide her own transportation and could spend the night at your home with your child if your labor comes in the night. You may not be needing a break from your dear toddler right now, but it can be healthy for you to have some alone time yourself every now and then anyway, so this may help you to find some resources for that as well.

God bless,
A.

We had this same problem when our second child was born last October, only it was in Phoenix. We called the hospital months ahead of time and were told it was ok for our 3 year old to go in the hospital with us. But when I called while I was in labor to see if there would be a bed for her since it was the middle of the night, they told us she couldn't come in the hospital period, due to the swine flu. Nevermind that they had already told me it would be ok...So I asked them what would I do if I were a single mom with no one to watch her?!? We ended up having to ask some friends watch her, but we'd only known them a few months, so I didn't completely trust them either. But we didn't feel like we had another choice at the time. Anyway, call the hospital again--you shouldn't have to wait for a response, just call labor and delivery. Otherwise, try a nanny agency--I used to work for one in Austin called Mom's Best Friend and I'm not sure if they have short notice nannies, but someone suggested that to me this last time around in Phoenix, so that gave me the idea. Good luck!

It's a whole new ballgame when you've already got one child. This is a two-part question--labor and delivery, and sleepover while you're in the hospital.

Is your child in a mother's day out program? If not, perhaps you've got time to find one where he can go for at least a few hours a day while you're in the hospital to free up your husband to be with you. But your husband will have to leave your side when it's time for pickup--the beginning of the many, many compromises families have to make when you go from one child to two (or more).

I wouldn't recommend expecting your son to spend the night at the hospital even if staff allowed it. It's important for him to keep to his regular schedule as much as possible. Having your husband at home for him is more important than having your husband at the hospital for you, where there are nurses and nurses aides to assist you.

I had both of my kids at St. David's (central, on 32nd), and that's pretty much the routine we did when our second was born. I actually relished the couple of days in the hospital without my husband or older son, when I could focus on the newborn all by myself and know that my husband was doing the same with our other child.