Sibling Plan

[dmbucky7]

For those that have other children already, what will you do with them when you go into labor or have your scheduled c-sections or inductions? I know when my c-section will be but I don't know the time. I'm assuming it'll be around 8am but I know that I'll need to be there several hours earlier. I see my OB tomorrow so will get all of the details sorted out then, but in the meantime, my mind keeps wandering and I worry about how we'll get it all worked out.
My parents are the closest to us and the only ones that I figure will be here right away. They are about an hour away so they are trying to decide if they will stay the night before in a hotel or just get up and get here early that day. Either way, I don't want to disturb the boys. I wanted them to go to school but I know that will probably complicate things even more. I just don't have a real plan and I worry about that...I'm such a planner, not knowing is driving me nuts!! I guess I only have to wait til noon tomorrow to have a better plan, but I can't stop thinking about it all... So, what are you planning on doing?

[Jacksmomi]

I have been pondering this same issue. I know that I am having the section at 8am, but I don't know how long till I get to a room and I don't want my 2yr old son to have to wait. I also am afraid IV's might scare him, but I do want him to be apart of the experience. I am just not sure if we should get him brought up to the hospital right after the section or wait till that evening. What do yall think?
I am with both of you in wanting to keep his schedule as "normal" as possible.

[TeppieG]

We had it all planned out for when I had a planned C Section....then it went down the tubes when I went into labor last Sunday! My section was planned for 7:30 and they said I would have to be at the hospital by 5:30. I wanted to keep the day as normal as possible for the kids so my ILs were going to come up the night before and stay with them until I got home from the hospital. I waited until the day after Matthew was born for them to come to the hospital. Then I was able to have a little bit to recover and get rid of the IVs and catheter. I am glad I waited. the day was hectic enough as it was!

Good luck planning!

[keleric1017]

Barging from Nov...I have no plan! This is just another thing to add to my anxiety! I've never been away from dd overnight and she's never slept over night anywhere either. I'm having a planned c-section as well, and I'm supposed to find out the details today. So, I guess I can figure it all out then. My section is supposed to be 11/13, and my mom is off Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So, she can come here and stay with dd. Then there's also the IL's that are 10 minutes away, that want her to stay there. I would feel more comfortable if she stayed at home in her own bed, but on the other hand, she may have more "fun" staying at someone else's house cause it's different. We also have 2 dogs that the neighbor will take care of if I need her too. Plus, I'm not expecting DH to be with me in the hospital 24/7. If other people are with me, he can leave and be with DD. I also don't know when I want her to come in to the hospital to meet the babies either! It's all so overwhelming!!

[cmurt]

I was planning on the day after for dd to visit. she is just too young to understand what is really going on.

With my bigger kids, they can come and see me whenever as they do get it...they are 10 and 8.

DMbucky: If your parents do stay in a hotel, give your boys the opportunity to stay with them. My kids love to stay in a hotel with my parents. It is kinda like being on vacation. It may help relieve their anxiety of you not being there. Let them choose.

As far as school, I feel it just depends on the kid. My 10 year old would be too worried to be in school, he is just super sensitive that way, but my 8 year old wouldn't want to miss being with her friends. Everyone is different.

I know I wasn't much help, just my 2 cents!

Good luck and I can't wait to read all your birth stories and see pics of your little ones!!!

[dmbucky7]

Well, I guess we have a little better plan now. I saw the OB and the time is totally different than I expected so it'll all work out better now. My c-section is at noon but I have to be there at 10am. Preschool starts at 8:45am so dh can still take them like normal and my parents will pick them up at 10:45am when it's done. They'll bring them to the hosp so they should be able to meet the baby right away! I'm not sure that my parents will be staying the night (they'll come back over the weekend) so the boys will either be staying at their sitters house or she will be staying here with them.
Now I'm really bummed though...the boys will be in a parade on Friday afternoon but I wont be released from the hosp until sometime on Saturday...

[scorpio chick]

Originally Posted by Jacksmomi

I am just not sure if we should get him brought up to the hospital right after the section or wait till that evening. What do yall think?

I would probably wait till evening. That way you have a little time to bond with the new baby first and recover a little.

My inlaws are coming to watch the twins. They have never watched them before so I'm kind of anxious about it but DH will be home each evening to put the kids to bed, etc. I'm hoping to see the kids in the morning before I go in. Then we were thinking of waiting until the day after to have the twins visit. (They're 2.) Then another visit the next day. And then the 4th day I'll go home.

[TeppieG]

The first few hours after a C Section are a little crazy, so probably not the best time to have a lot of visitors. You will want to have some alone time with the baby anyway. I was in recovery for about 3 hours afterwards while they waited for me to get my legs back (I had a spinal). Nurses were in and out checking my incision, pressing on my belly and checking my bleeding. All things that you probably won't want any visitors in the room for. Give yourself some time so you aren't anxious about any of that.

[kmsnj]

I am kind of late on an answer here, but we had MIL and FIL come to our house to watch DD while we had Cole. MIL and FIL live about 45 min away so we knew that would work out well, even if I had gone into labor on my own. Also we were fortunate that the hospital is only 5 min from our home so DH went home to spend dinner and bedtime routine with DD and also to be there in the morning when she woke up.
After Cole was born in the morning, DD came to the hospital in the late afternoon. It was a fast visit but since we lived close enough she came with MIL the next morning and afternoon. I do say if your kids are small (definitely under 2), make the visits short. My DD got very bored at in the hospital room.

[Lynner6]

Originally Posted by kmsnj

My DD got very bored at in the hospital room.

Mason was bored at his first visit too ~ But when he arrived for his 2nd visit a friend of mine had brought him a Doodle Pro...he was hooked on that and very content for the rest of the time! Ah, distraction!