When your baby was born did you call relatives to let them know that you were in labor? Did you wait until the baby was actually born? Call or text? Did you have family come to the hospital?
I’m trying to work on a “baby watch” list of contacts/people to call and am overwhelmed!
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
We called our parents when we were leaving for the hospital (but banned them from coming to visit until after the baby was born). Throughout my labour my husband kept our immediate families up to date and then called them when I was ready to see people, maybe a few hours after giving birth (our families live close to my birthing hospital). With everyone else (friends and extended family), the husband sent a mass text announcing the arrival of our daughter.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
When we were admitted to L&D DH texted my SIL. A few hours later (once the sun was up) I texted his parents and told them they could stop by whenever (while my epidural was still working and I was feeling great, ha!). DH left a message for my dad and stepmom that I was in labor. With my okay, my MIL updated DH's immediate family that we were at the hospital.
After he was born and I was stitched up and out of the woods DH called my parents, his two brothers, my SIL and two of our best friends (an engaged couple) and told them I had the baby. My SIL came to the hospital later that evening.
We kept our call lists pretty short. My "in labor" call list was DH's immediate family, my dad and stepmom, and my SIL. The "he's here!" call list was basically anyone else I didn't want to read about it on FB (really close friends, some family). I put out a FB post late that night (because my dad had already posted something about it).
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
@Running Elley: we didn't tell anyone (well, other than my online friends) 
until I was admitted to the hospital. I was afraid for false labor! Once admitted, my husband emailed my work and his friends and family and called my parents for me. We wanted to wait because my parents have a 2.5 hour drive to us and we didn't want them to try to rush out of the house at 4am. He called them at 7am.
pomegranate / 3438 posts
DH called my mom and my sister when we were on our way to the hospital. They were the only ones I would let visit while I was in labor. He did send a text to his Dad, sister and our close friends letting them know we were at the hospital. Luckily everyone knew I did not want anyone other than my mom and DH in the room (my sister was a last minute addition but I was fine with that) and they respected my feelings. Once he was here DH sent a text to everyone we thought would want to know.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
The only people that knew I was in the hospital was my mom (she was with us), my family, my BFF, DH (duh), a close friend who let my group of friends at church know (because there were complications I wanted them to pray for me) and DH called his family (only because I forced them - he was so upset he didn't want to call anyone).
pomelo / 5178 posts
We told our parents both times when I was about 8 cms. Both times they made it up to my house about 2 hours after the babies were born. We let my parents come see us immediately with my first, but with #2, we asked them to wait until DD had visited the next morning. We really wanted DD to be the first person to meet her little brother.
coconut / 8681 posts
I'm really glad I asked! Before I posted I had a spreadsheet going and was making it to be bigger than it was I think! Now, after reading the replies, I'm starting to think that I don't really have to have an elaborate plan in advance!
persimmon / 1194 posts
Our original plan was not to have anyone at the hospital until after the baby was here. That all flew out the window the day of when I saw how worried my mom was. From that point I told my mom she could join us in L&D and everyone else waited in the waiting area popping in from time to time. DH kept other family updated through text the entire time ad even between pushes! I had to scream at him to grab my leg because he was so engrossed in texting. Oy!
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
I have been working on this too. My in labor list is only parents and siblings/spouses. I do not want my phone going off constantly from friends asking how it's going, if it's happening ect.
I have a text list set up for extended family and friends for after she is here. We will also call my 4 best friends to let them know in person as they are like sisters to me. However i know they are the ones that will want play by play action which is why they are kept off the labor list 
EDIT: if during the work week/day I will have to let my boss/coworkers know! Weekend they will find out post-baby!
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
We didn't tell anyone. My mom knew because she was staying with us and she probably called people but we didn't.
grapefruit / 4819 posts
My mom knew I'd been having mild contractions so she was already on baby watch. I had originally planned on not telling her until the baby was here because she's such a worrier, but as she knew about the mild contractions, I had to let her know we were heading to the hospital as she would freak out otherwise. DH sent the occasional text to update her and also text his parents to let them know. We live on a different continent than our families so it wasn't an issue of anyone visiting but rather, just keeping them informed.
I will say the only bad part about it was that we had text my mum to let her know I was at ten centimeters but then didn't get back in touch to let her know DD was here until about five hours later. We got so caught up in skin to skin time, cleaning up, and moving up to our post labour ward that I just didn't think of it. Poor mum was freaking out thinking the worst! And that is precisely why I hadn't planned on calling her until the baby was here!
pear / 1764 posts
We told our parents & our mothers waited at the hospital but were not in the room when it was time to push! We told a few close family members & friends via text/calls from our moms. We told everyone else afterward she was born We will probably do the same with this little man
coconut / 8475 posts
Obviously I haven't gotten there yet but our plan is to wait until I am admitted to call both sets of parents. I don't want them to get all excited and then it turn out to be false labor...or a 20h wait! I want to be a bit dilated and effaced.
Once I get settled in with the epidural and all...then we will call siblings...and they can come if they want (none of them have kids).
Once I push...everyone leaves! They can go grab some coffee or a bite to eat in the hospital cafe or go home. But, for pushing + about an hour of bonding time afterwards it'll be *just* me and my husband.
After that siblings and grandparents can come back.....I don't think i'll be accepting more visitors than that if it is just a 24 stay. I'd rather do that at home where i'll be showered and dressed properly:)
coconut / 8681 posts
@TurtleDoves: That's our exact tentative plan...down to every last detail
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
We called my ILs after they admitted us because they wanted to know even if it was middle of the night. Then in the morning like 7am my husband called my brothers.
And our two really good friends who actually came and sat in the waiting room the whole time! Silly kids.
My mom was actually set to fly in that night so she was the only family member who saw M at the hospital.
When she was born we called our immediate family and let them trickle the news. Our two good friends were there obviously. Other good friends were text.
You really don't need a list! Just the pure fact of if you remember at the moment determines if they need to know right then and there!
coconut / 8498 posts
We called my parents once we got to the hospital. At some point, DH told his parents. None of our other family/friends knew until after she was born, and we let them all know by e-mail. No one except my parents came to the hospital until day 2.
coconut / 8305 posts
When I got into active labor we txtd family to let them know. My mom headed here to our apt shortly after. We periodically texted through labor, and even called a couple we know to come pray over me right about the time I hit transition. After DD was born we let immediate family (parents & siblings other than my mom) know a few hours later & announced it to our friends via fb the next morning.
ETA: I let the bees over at wedding bee know as soon as I knew I was in labor & kept them all updated utnil ~5 cm. I didn't have to worry about any of them coming to visit though. lol
nectarine / 2019 posts
I was in labor for 3 days, so people figured it out. However, we were clear that we didn't want anyone at the hospital until we were ready. I chose to have the moment with my husband alone. He texted our immediate families and our best friends when I started to push, so that they could come to the hospital at that point. Everyone else found out on Facebook.
apricot / 368 posts
@Running Elley: My uncle called my aunt's two sister (my mom and my other aunt) and put it on us to call everyone - which was fine. People were welcome to the hospital, but it was usually just to inform them =) It turns out it was just my mom, aunt, cousin, and his parents there. My mom's parents had passed away by that point.
bananas / 9118 posts
My husband called immediate family when my water broke, just to give them a heads up- I was in a huge rush finishing my last few work assignments before we headed to the hospital
My parents were on standby since they are an hour and a half away. Once I got admitted I was in so much pain that we told them to just come the next day since it was getting dark fast and they had to drive through the mountains.
About a half hour after he was born my husband called everyone again. We had our parents update siblings and grandparents since we felt like we had been run over by a train. We skyped with parents and siblings the next day, and my parents spent the next afternoon with us at the hospital. I think we got around to Facebook sometime the next day.
grapefruit / 4056 posts
We called our parents when we started induction, when we were getting ready to go into c-section, and once I was in recovery and Sawyer was done being assessed. We let our parents spread the news from there (we decided that ahead of time. We did a FB announcement in the morning once we knew our parents were done making the important calls. I really liked having only 2 calls to make, and having our parents to more of the work so we could concentrate on us!
grapefruit / 4291 posts
I'm planning on letting both sets of parents know when we head to the hospital (DH is my support person but I want to have my Mum on standby in case we have any complications) and then we'll ring them once Baby has arrived.
Depending on the time of day I deliver we'll ring DH's sister and my brother once we get settled and then send out a text later in the day.
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