My family lives a few states away and DHs family is across the country, so we are raising the kids without much support. Although it is challenging at times, it is doable. But I do wish that we lived closer to one set of parents, not only for the help but for more interaction with grandparents, cousins, etc.
How many of you are on your own or have family nearby to help?
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
My parents live 4-5 hours away by plane. Inlaws live 2 hours away by plane. Dh's aunt lives half an hour away, but I don't ask her for help often.. I should though!
cantaloupe / 6206 posts
We are on our own. Our closest family member is 1.5 hrs away by plane.
cherry / 135 posts
@chopsuey119: My aunt lives nearby (1hr) but I never thought about asking her to help, since she told me she is enjoying her empty nest. Lol!
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
I have lots of help.... and I need it. I get severe migraines, and pretty often.
My parents live 15 minutes away and my mom just retired, now she nanny's for my niece so she is there when I need her. My inlaws also live a half hour away.
pomelo / 5178 posts
Both of our families are 5-6 hours away. Which is pretty much the perfect distance for me, lol. 
pear / 1579 posts
I have help from my family & DH's family and it is refreshing to be able to get a break every now and then.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
My SIL and ILs live 45 minutes away, my BIL and his family and DH's aunt live about 2 hours away. My family is all across the country. We see my ILs a few times a month for brunch, but other than that we're pretty much on our own.
cantaloupe / 6885 posts
This is something we're struggling with....we have to make a choice (this week!!) to move across the country, lose my job, but to a great community where DH has a fantastic job. We will be very far away from family and probably would only see them once or twice a year.
OR - stay here, where I have a great job, DH has a good job but perhaps not quite as enticing, both sets of family nearby, the community isn't as vibrant but we were both raised here and truly do love it.
WHAT TO DO!!!! I hate decision making.
coconut / 8299 posts
I don't know what I would do without our family's help! My mom is staying with us for a little while (THANK YOU THANK YOU MOM!) and my MIL comes over 2-3 times a week to help out as well.
persimmon / 1361 posts
Dh's parents live 10 minutes away and i LOVE them being so close in regards to LO. MIL is always so willing to help out. I allows me to maintain a little of a social life that I wouldn't otherwise have. Plus, she is there to fill in the gaps. For instance, on Monday, LO had pink eye so the daycare called for us to get him. I couldn't leave work and DH wasn't available, but she was happy to pick him up. AND she loves it.
My family is 9 hours away (by car) and I wish they were closer for the interaction side of things. He doesn't have any cousins on DH's side yet, but has 4 boys all near his age on my side so it would be great if he could have a closer relationship with them growing up.
cherry / 205 posts
We have family nearby but haven't received much help, because DD is EBF and refuses to take a bottle of breastmilk. She has developed severe stranger anxiety and only wants to be held by me, which makes it difficult to leave her with anyone even DH. SO I'm pretty much on my own.
cherry / 135 posts
@char54: I hear you! DH and I are thinking about moving as well and it is definitely not an easy decision. So many factors to consider!
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
My family lives 3 hours away and the in laws live 1.5 hours away. We plan on "being on our own" when LO comes. I'm sure if we asked either mom's to come live with us and help us out, they would, but I know my mom can be overwhelming so we'll see.
I do have a friend who's mom treats me and the hubby like her own kids so should I ever need anything, I know I can rely on calling her up! She even offered to babysit our kids a long while back, and this was like 6 months before we got our BFP!
coconut / 8279 posts
Both our families, my parents and DH's mother, live 45 minutes away from us. But both our moms don't drive/never have had a driver's license.
We don't have help or even a babysitter at this point.
pomegranate / 3452 posts
We just moved 8+ hours away from our families, so we will be on our own.
bananas / 9229 posts
My parents and sister are both about 4 hours away. DH's family is a 10+ hour drive or plane ride. So it'll just be us
cantaloupe / 6610 posts
We are in FL and my family is in LA and his in NY.
On top of that, DH is gone 3 weeks at a time, so I'm TOTALLY alone with LO...
pomelo / 5720 posts
Both of our families live about 1.5-2 hours away. My SIL lives about 45 mins away but she had a baby 5 weeks after me so she has her hands full. We are pretty much on our own but our families would be happy to help if we needed it.
grapefruit / 4817 posts
All of our family lives within 15 minutes. It's a blessing and a curse. There's no other way to say it.
pineapple / 12526 posts
All of our family lives in St Louis (except 1 sibling in PA) and we're in England... so I'd say we're pretty much on our own.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
Both my parents and ILs are 20 min away! My mom went to work from our place for the first month to help me with cookin cleaning taking csre of baby. LOVE MY MOMMMMM.
When we were househunting, wr made a decision to stay in MI despite the bad economy because we wanted to be near our parents. We're so glad we did. We luckily survived 2007 andbeyond career wise and are reaping the benefits of having our parents' help.
cantaloupe / 6687 posts
My family is about 15 minutes away and my inlaws 45 minutes away. I love having my family close by bc they help out soooo much....whether it's watching LO for an hour so I can run errands or bringing food over or staying with her while she sleeps so we can have date night...their support means so much to me
pear / 1698 posts
We are in Colorado and my parents live in WI and DHs are in WA. It makes me sad that my parents don't get to see my LO very often!
pear / 1769 posts
Currently, my family is 2 hrs away and DH's is 3 hrs away. In a year and a half though, we have to move out of state and won't be near any family. I am so not looking forward to it, especially since we hope to add another baby after the move.
blogger / pomegranate / 3300 posts
My parents live next door and my in laws live about 3 hours away. We see my parents every day and we try to see the in laws once or twice a month.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@umlo: I'm just like you-- my family is a few states away, about 4-5 hours by car, and DH's family is across the country, so it's mostly just going to be us. DH's brother lives nearby though, like 15-20 minutes away. I don't think he will be a lot of help with the baby, but having family nearby is still nice. I'd like to be closer to my family-- like be within 2 hours-- but I don't want to live where they live, if that makes sense.
coconut / 8498 posts
Our families are too far away. It's a 15 hour drive and 2-3 hour plane ride. My pants try to visit every 3 months, or so. DH's parents have visited 3 times in the 3 years we've been married.
nectarine / 2797 posts
We're alone, DH's mom is 4 hours away and my parents are 2.5 hours away. It sucks but we deal.
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