prepared for the magical time?

Hey Ladies! How's everyone feeling? Ready? Packed? What else is left to do?


As for me, I'm not that ready, not packed, but feeling alright.

I am super excited though that I found a nanny!! I know I'm a SAHM, but I just need a nanny for a little time. My husband works a lot and unfortunately doesn't have a way to take off for more than two-three days in a row, and certainly not in the middle of a shift, even if I go into labor. And with the other kids, I'm going to need a little help. I don't have any family near me so I am feeling relieved. We were really getting worried there.


So, have you all thought out that magical time when you think you need to go and if it's at a strange time?

My DH has already prepared his boss for when he has to leave, if he needs to close up shop then so be it. They are very supportive so it shouldn't be a big deal. We also live in a small town and clients are likely to be understanding since everyone knows one and other lol

My BFF and her family are the only ones we really have as far as support in town, but she's all set to take DD when the time comes. My ILs and my Grandmother will all head up as soon as they get the call I'm in labor. My parents don't have as much flexibility with work so they'll come up on the weekend after she's born.

My grandmother will be staying on for a few extra days to help out with DD1 and her transition, she has some special needs and as excited as she is even minor changes to routine affect her greatly so we'll need some help as we get into a new routine with baby.

Lots of contractions and cramps happening here, hopefully not too much longer now!

I am soooooo jealous that you hired a nanny. I am a SAHM too & would love a nanny but doubt I could afford one. I would love for a nanny to start now & take my kids out for about 15 hours a day !!!!!!!!! My DH will take off a couple weeks after baby but I would love a three hour break every day.......and by break I mean time to prepare dinner & clean up without pretending I'm Jabba the Hut or even better when they help me make dinner so I can hurry up & play faster.

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Originally Posted by CrysRee31

My DH has already prepared his boss for when he has to leave, if he needs to close up shop then so be it. They are very supportive so it shouldn't be a big deal. We also live in a small town and clients are likely to be understanding since everyone knows one and other lol

My BFF and her family are the only ones we really have as far as support in town, but she's all set to take DD when the time comes. My ILs and my Grandmother will all head up as soon as they get the call I'm in labor. My parents don't have as much flexibility with work so they'll come up on the weekend after she's born.

My grandmother will be staying on for a few extra days to help out with DD1 and her transition, she has some special needs and as excited as she is even minor changes to routine affect her greatly so we'll need some help as we get into a new routine with baby.

Lots of contractions and cramps happening here, hopefully not too much longer now!

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You are lucky and sound like you have support. Has your baby turned?

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Originally Posted by TaraJean

I am soooooo jealous that you hired a nanny. I am a SAHM too & would love a nanny but doubt I could afford one. I would love for a nanny to start now & take my kids out for about 15 hours a day !!!!!!!!! My DH will take off a couple weeks after baby but I would love a three hour break every day.......and by break I mean time to prepare dinner & clean up without pretending I'm Jabba the Hut or even better when they help me make dinner so I can hurry up & play faster.

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It is just pure necessity to be honest. I have 4 kids and my oldest is 7. Lol. My husband wont even get to be with me and i have no family here. Sad really. But it is a blessing to have found someone. She will do everything and that will be so nice fora change. With our last baby i could only stay in the hospital for 24 hrs because my husband had to move to another state the 24 hrs after my delivery. I had to take care of 4 kids alone within 24 hrs of giving birth. Every birth is something. Sucks not having family.

:lurk: I'm due at the very beginning of April, so I guess I *could* deliver in March. But I'm not ready for any of it. I don't have the nursery together, no bag packed. I keep feeling like I'm not pregnant (my mind that is, my body definitely knows I'm pregnant). DH works about an hour away and the hospital I want to go to is like 40 mins away. There's a hospital less than 5 mins from my house, but I don't like them. For you BTDT moms, when you went into labor, were you able to drive? I don't relish waiting for DH to get my text, come home, get me and then drive BACK to the hospital (which is the same way he just came). I'd rather just meet him there. Especially because sometimes he's in a hole somewhere and doesn't get signal.

I'm glad you were able to find a nanny. I'll have to go back to work and I have a friend who will watch the baby (I'm a FTM), but she doesn't live close to me so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm not real keen on putting her in daycare, but I also don't want someone HERE that I don't know - while I'm not here.

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Originally Posted by babywings1

:lurk: I'm due at the very beginning of April, so I guess I *could* deliver in March. But I'm not ready for any of it. I don't have the nursery together, no bag packed. I keep feeling like I'm not pregnant (my mind that is, my body definitely knows I'm pregnant). DH works about an hour away and the hospital I want to go to is like 40 mins away. There's a hospital less than 5 mins from my house, but I don't like them. For you BTDT moms, when you went into labor, were you able to drive? I don't relish waiting for DH to get my text, come home, get me and then drive BACK to the hospital (which is the same way he just came). I'd rather just meet him there. Especially because sometimes he's in a hole somewhere and doesn't get signal.

I'm glad you were able to find a nanny. I'll have to go back to work and I have a friend who will watch the baby (I'm a FTM), but she doesn't live close to me so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm not real keen on putting her in daycare, but I also don't want someone HERE that I don't know - while I'm not here.

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Jessica, labor is so different for everyone, it's really hard to say. I certainly couldn't drive, I could barely breath and couldn't speak during labor. My water broke before anything started and it went VERY quickly from that point. I'd arrange for someone to come get you even if your DH can't, just to be safe. Trying to drive yourself could be dangerous. However most of the time labor can take HOURS (what's the average FT labor? Something like 14 hours? IDK for sure) Your DH will most likely have plenty of time to get to you and get to the hospital. The other option is that you could end up going past your EDD and end up being induced. That way you'd know what day it's happening which is nice when your partner can be hard to get a hold of.

Regarding having someone come in to your house, if you trust them enough to leave your baby with them I'd think you'd be fine having them in your home. Hopefully you find a solution that works for you :)

Oh and my only real advice I tend to give FT moms about labor - be prepared for it to go the opposite of how you plan/want/dream. You may plan to go to the hospital 40 mins away but if labor is moving too quickly, be prepared to head to the one closer to home. A hospital you don't like will always be better than in the car on the side of the road! This is hard advice to take, even for me lol!

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Originally Posted by babywings1

:lurk: I'm due at the very beginning of April, so I guess I *could* deliver in March. But I'm not ready for any of it. I don't have the nursery together, no bag packed. I keep feeling like I'm not pregnant (my mind that is, my body definitely knows I'm pregnant). DH works about an hour away and the hospital I want to go to is like 40 mins away. There's a hospital less than 5 mins from my house, but I don't like them. For you BTDT moms, when you went into labor, were you able to drive? I don't relish waiting for DH to get my text, come home, get me and then drive BACK to the hospital (which is the same way he just came). I'd rather just meet him there. Especially because sometimes he's in a hole somewhere and doesn't get signal.

I'm glad you were able to find a nanny. I'll have to go back to work and I have a friend who will watch the baby (I'm a FTM), but she doesn't live close to me so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm not real keen on putting her in daycare, but I also don't want someone HERE that I don't know - while I'm not here.

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Hey there! Honestly, to be safe, I'd recommend a back up plan in case your husband is not home when you go into labor. Labor like Crystal was saying is so different for everyone. Not to freak you out, but this is a real story: my husband's colleague and wife decided it was time to go to the hospital. Her contractions were not close, but just enough they felt concerned. It was their first baby. They lived 4-5 minutes from the hospital. He parked in front of the ER, went in to get a wheelchair, and when he came back, she was holding the baby. He was so confused. He couldn't comprehend what happened. She started yelling at him can you please go get someone!! I am just freaked out by the story. And you hear these stories. Then you also hear stories of how after being admitted into the hospital it took hours and until the next day.

With my mom, her water broke and her contractions were so bad that she couldn't think. I remember how after the drs have broken my water, the contractions were so hard and so close there is NO way I'd be able to drive. I couldn't even get a sentence out. The contractions get so close that one starts almost as the other one is finishing. You get really tired. The contractions were so bad while I was getting my epidural that sweat DRIPPED off of my hands and my body shivered, not cold but just so much pain. I couldn't drive like that. I'd have a wreck. It really just depends, and I'm not sure if it can be predicted.

My friend just had her first baby. She wasn't due for another 2.5 weeks. She was here in town looking for an apartment to move here from Houston. She went home on Sunday. On Wednesday, she started having contractions and suddenly had her baby. They just had enough time to go to the hospital. That completely freaks me out. I know people have their babies a couple of weeks early, but it just goes to show that we really don't know when it's going to happen.

I guess the only thing I can say is to have your friend drive you if at all possible and meet your husband there. If your contractions get too bad, too fast, call an ambulance. Or maybe keep the close hospital as a back up plan if all else fails.

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Originally Posted by myyams

It is just pure necessity to be honest. I have 4 kids and my oldest is 7. Lol. My husband wont even get to be with me and i have no family here. Sad really. But it is a blessing to have found someone. She will do everything and that will be so nice fora change. With our last baby i could only stay in the hospital for 24 hrs because my husband had to move to another state the 24 hrs after my delivery. I had to take care of 4 kids alone within 24 hrs of giving birth. Every birth is something. Sucks not having family.

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Wow you are gonna have 5 & the oldest one is 7 !!!!!! WOW! Good for you. I have a hard time juggling what I have going but it is nothing compared to you. Good for getting a nanny. I am still jealous even though you need & deserve one more than me.

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Originally Posted by babywings1

:lurk: I'm due at the very beginning of April, so I guess I *could* deliver in March. But I'm not ready for any of it. I don't have the nursery together, no bag packed. I keep feeling like I'm not pregnant (my mind that is, my body definitely knows I'm pregnant). DH works about an hour away and the hospital I want to go to is like 40 mins away. There's a hospital less than 5 mins from my house, but I don't like them. For you BTDT moms, when you went into labor, were you able to drive? I don't relish waiting for DH to get my text, come home, get me and then drive BACK to the hospital (which is the same way he just came). I'd rather just meet him there. Especially because sometimes he's in a hole somewhere and doesn't get signal.

I'm glad you were able to find a nanny. I'll have to go back to work and I have a friend who will watch the baby (I'm a FTM), but she doesn't live close to me so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm not real keen on putting her in daycare, but I also don't want someone HERE that I don't know - while I'm not here.

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I say no way can you drive if you are in active labor. No way. It would be dangerous. Some people go into labor quick & hard. My Mom told me with my brother she started having him in the elevator of the hospital (she lived about 10 minutes away & he was her second). With my first baby my water broke & I had actual contractions that I could feel so I would have been able to drive with him but with my next baby I could not walk while a contraction was happening. I also threw up (& then wet my pants) about 5 times during that one hour labor !!!!!!! I would not risk it if I were you. It hurts pretty bad in the moment & it is all consuming.