https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 13 May 2026 23:22:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627783 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:38:57 +0000 Mrs D 2627783@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didnt read everyone responses...but I had an unhealthy amount of anxiety about what I would do with DD1 when I went into labor with DD2 earlier this year.</p> <p>We have family nearby (3 sets of grandparents) - but I was due in March and all our grandparents are snowbirds and therefore not always nearby since they spend cold months in Florida. Here is what I did:</p> <p>Due Date: 3/9<br /> Grandparent Situation: My mom was back 3/4...before then all grandparents were in FL</p> <p>We have a babysitter who was on board to be our go to. We had her phone number and her husbands...she was totally fine with MOTN calls. She works at DD's daycare, so if I went into labor during the day she would have gotten DD from school and stayed at our house with her. If it happened at night - she was prepared to come over and stay at the house then take DD to school in the AM.</p> <p>Plan B...grand parent...my mom post 3/4. Pre-3/4 I had conversations with 2 friends who were more than happy to come by in MOTN. They werent ideal - but they were options!</p> <p>Plan C - bring DD to the hospital. I didnt want to, but I know its an option. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627690 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 09:51:20 +0000 PinkElephant 2627690@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks so much to EVERYONE who responded. It's nice to see a variety of responses on this, and to hear that I'm not crazy for thinking the 24/7 nanny option is overkill.</p> <p>I really like the idea of having a spreadsheet for my husband to give him a better idea of who we can call, so I'm working on that, and may do a few trial babysitting sessions with new babysitters/nannies between jobs so that we can have a few additional contacts on our daytime list. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627542 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 20:07:32 +0000 MrsSRS 2627542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love @HappyBaker's spreadsheet idea. Your DH might chill if he sees it all laid out like that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627504 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 18:11:09 +0000 Modern Daisy 2627504@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an arrangement all set up with my neighbor, I even put her and her husband on the list at daycare to be able to pick up DS, but thankfully I didn't need to use it since my parents were able to help out. But our local cops are amazing and one of them told me recently that they actually help out a lot in this situation! If someone goes into labor and doesn't have child care they will actually come and watch the kids! Not the best scenario of course but hopefully hearing that is comforting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627484 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 17:38:26 +0000 PawPrints 2627484@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think your setup with your friends is fine. I have a friend due soon with #2 who also has no local family and she has a similar setup with just two friends (I'm #2 on that list) and I anticipate it will work fine. So three is even better.</p> <p>I can't fathom how expensive it would be to have a sitter on standby for your entire due-month window. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627466 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 16:58:09 +0000 lamariniere 2627466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The number of people sounds fine. We were still newish to our city when LO2 was due but I managed to cobble together a list of 4-5 different people who agreed to be available. The first person on my list didn't pick up when I called after my water broke, but the second one did. Luckily, it all started around lunchtime and not in the middle of the night. If I had made it to the 39th week, I probably would have asked the first person on the list to keep their phone on at night, just in case. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627191 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 05:50:05 +0000 HappyBaker 2627191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yea I agree that you sound totally fine with the amount of people you have! </p> <p>What helped me stop stressing about it so much was to make a spreadsheet of each day of the week and time of day, and slot in who we would call at that time. It's totally overkill but it helped doing it that way instead of just having 6 names in my head / ideas of who I might call! Also my parents were 2 hours away so anyone that came just really had to cover us until they could get here.</p> <p>For the middle of the night we had daycare teacher "on call" but we didn't pay her, she just kept her phone on at night the last few weeks of my pregnancy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627187 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 23:56:17 +0000 hummusgirl 2627187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could you have a babysitter on standby but not pay her? We sort of did that where we checked in with someone (who had sat for LO1 before) every week or just to check her availability that week and make sure we had backup plans if needed. </p> <p>Though, we ended up making a last-minute decision to have my LO's daycare teacher come instead. She was free that night and was able to spend the night at our house and then take LO with her to school in the morning. It was nice to be able to have DH in the hospital with me for the first couple days and not have to worry about him trying to take care of LO1 at the same time, or imposing on friends (not that it's an imposition! but I understand the feeling of a sitter vs relying on friends with their own kids). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627182 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 23:43:29 +0000 shellio 2627182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It really sounds like you have a good system in place. My only suggestion (besides saving the $ you would spend on a nanny) is that you could designate one person to do the calling and coordinating so you don't have to deal with that while in labor. If you are close to your mom or MIL, maybe give them a list of numbers, schedules, etc and that way you only have to worry about who will come over right away when you go into labor- then make sure the mom/MIL (or whoever) knows you're in labor and they can ensure the correct drop off/pick up for your kids, call other friends if the first person can only stay a couple hours (for example), etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627137 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 18:11:41 +0000 maddyz 2627137@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We paid a friend who also babysits lo1 to be on call. We worked out a rate that felt good for her that included being on call and a set amount of hours. And if we went over that we would pay more. It worked out great for us. I feel like she really went above and beyond and need to get her a nice gift. It was so worth not worrying and having one person to call. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627120 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 14:53:17 +0000 birdofafeather 2627120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You have way more than we had set up and if I had that with friends, I'd be totally pumped. Also have a history of fast labor! I would think an on call nanny would be overkill, but I'm guessing if you really needed it, it would be something like a doula who came when labor started but for the kiddos instead. I seriously doubt you need someone with you 24/7 for a month before the due date. I bet that would be old quickly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627110 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 13:44:22 +0000 KayKay 2627110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't worry about at night. Chances are good that if you were to begin laboring in the evening/MOTN, most any of your friends would be available to come to your place or house your kids. </p> <p>As for the day, as long as you aren't worried about potentially having to call a handful of options when you start to labor, you'll probably be fine then too, since you seem to have a fair number of people willing to assist. If it stresses you out to think about (potentially) having to call around to, like, 4 or 5 people to find something that works (worst case), then you might want to look into more of an "on call" scenario. </p> <p>We have a similar situation -- although my mom will be here starting in late-November (due early/mid Dec), there is a small chance that DH won't be able to immediately join me at the hospital. In which case, I'd have to either be at the hospital by myself until he gets there (and I had a pretty fast labor with DD2!), or have my mom come with me but find someone else for DD1 and DD2. I have a handful of friends who have volunteered to help if needed, plus a couple sitters who tend to have daytime availability, so I'm just playing it by ear. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627070 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 10:32:21 +0000 avivoca 2627070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are not hiring a nanny. My parents are on call, they live about 45 minutes away. School will get a letter from us detailing all the people who may come to pick up our child should I go into labor during the day. My office has instructions as well for what to do if I go into labor at work, mainly that if i drove to work, I need to be taken to daycare in my car so i can drop off the car seat and then take me to the hospital. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627056 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 09:53:00 +0000 pastemoo 2627056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: No, we did not hire a nanny. School got a letter saying that pending delivery, here is a list of people who might show up to pick up my son, with phone numbers for everyone.</p> <p>I had 3 families, and then 3 single friends all "on call." And my mother in law- 2 hour drive away. So all the on call friends knew they wouldn't be there much longer than 2 hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627051 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 09:39:28 +0000 Cole 2627051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think in your shoes I'd just focus on adding sitters to my roster, maybe even offering a bonus to people willing to let you call overnight? I'd also reach out to postpartum doulas, I'm pretty sure some near me offer a package to fit exactly your need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627050 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 09:31:12 +0000 Andrea 2627050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds like you have a good set up going with your friends. I'd be more comfortable with that than using a nanny that I don't know. If you want someone for the nights afterwards, then that would be a baby nurse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627041 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 08:11:05 +0000 SweetiePie 2627041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I haven't done this but judging from what you're saying it sounds like you could do a baby nurse. And I think you're in NYC too and they are abundant!<br /> I didn't have one until 3 weeks after my son arrived, but many many people book a baby nurse in advance and tell them your due date and that you have a history of early labors. Their whole purpose is to drop everything and show up when you go into labor (to your home, not the hospital). You can do 24 hour or nights only but to be honest the price difference between the two is so minimal Id do 24 hour. I'm sure for the right amount of money you could get any of them to come for 1-2 weeks as soon as you go into labor and at first they'd stay with your kids and maybe the 2nd week or so they could stay on to help with both the baby / older kids. </p> <p>That's probably what I would do. Unfortunately the baby nurse I used no longer does it, but I do have one or two I could recommend that I used as "subs". And there are agencies, but I've heard more bad stories than good, unfortunately. The best ones have been word of mouth independent contractors.<br /> Wall me if you want any more info. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-a-sitter-on-call-to-care-for-older-siblings-during-labor#post-2627013 Sat, 24 Sep 2016 23:04:57 +0000 PinkElephant 2627013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My due date with #3 is quickly approaching, and DH is very anxious about how we will handle child care for DDs 1 &amp; 2 when I go into labor. We do not have local family who could be there quickly enough (I have a history of fast labors), and because I also have a history of early deliveries, it would be difficult to ask family members to come stay with us BEFORE I deliver - we'd probably have to start almost a month before my due date.</p> <p>Fortunately, we have a few awesome friends who have volunteered to watch my girls when I go into labor, so that DH can be with me &amp; the new baby. I'm comfortable with this, and confident that at pretty much any time of day or night, at least ONE of the three families who offered will be available. If it's a super complex situation (ie, both girls are at their separate schools and I can't pick them up), I'd be comfortable splitting them up, at least temporarily, since the moms know each other and could reconvene later. I also have a list of several sitters we use regularly who live within about 20 minutes of us, and have a general idea of their daytime/evening availability.</p> <p>DH, however, feels like we need to get a full time babysitter either with us or on call (paid) ASAP. I don't really agree with him, nor do I see how this would really work (particularly at night - people want to keep their social lives!) in terms of paying someone to be available *whenever we need them*.</p> <p>Has anyone else ever been in a similar situation and hired a temporary nanny for a few weeks to be with you during the day, with possible (paid overtime) availability at night as well? How did you find her (agency, etc.)? </p>