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Helping out during birth of 2nd/3rd grandchild

24 years ago

I'm wondering... how do you all help out with the older child during the labor and birth of the 2nd or more child? Do you babysit the older child until mom and the new baby go home from the hospital? Assuming you live locally, of course.

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Comments (3)

marie01_altavista_com
24 years ago
We baby sat the older girl, but we made a VERY BIG mistake. When mommy went to the hospital, we told ourGD that mommy went to work so she would not be scared to stay with us. Even at 2 1/2 she knew that she was getting a baby sister/brother so that was not a problem, but my daughter had to stay a couple of days in the hospital and her husband did take my GDto see her new sister right away,
it took her a long time to trust us again. I really do understand, as when we came, mommy went away and came back with a new baby. Even now at 8 years, she occasionally does not want to stay with anyone, because she remembers. All I can say, is be very honest with the littles ones. they really do understand more that we think they do.
Marie
mary_s63
24 years ago
My daughter gave birth to our second grand-daughter this past August. Her first daughter was 2 1/2 years old. My daughter was having a C-section, it had been pre-arranged. Makayla understood her Momma was going to the hospital and the doctor was going to take the new baby out of her Momma's belly. Jenny, my daughter had made up her mind that Makayla was going to stay overnight at her day care the first night of this hospital stay and not stay with us. Not a good night for Makayla, nor the next day. She wasn't a happy child till she stayed with us. Makayla loves to stay with us and we'd happily have kept her but as you know I was only the Grandma and what did I know according to my daughter. Everything was great after Makayla was with us and she loved going to see her Momma and new sister Cassidy, provided Grandma and Grandpa took her to the hospital. The kids really can understand more than they are given credit for....Makayla understood a great deal about this new baby in her Momma's tummy....just a couple of funnies about it though...near the due date one afternoon Makayla asked her Momma to let her new baby sisser out of the tummy...when Momma told her the baby wasn't ready..Makayla told her she wanted to see her new sisser, that she could put her back after seeing her. Also the big ??? HOW did the baby get in Momma's tummy..well the older three year olds at daycare and Makayla say her Mom may have eaten the baby. Out of the mouths of babes!
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sandalha73_hotmail_com
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My mom will be babysitting my ds (he's 4 1/2) when I go to the hospital (any day now - I'm already 5 days past my due date). They'll stay at my place at least during the night (my mom lives very close by), and he'll know that I'm heading to the hospital. If all goes well, I'll be heading home as soon as possible after the birth. If baby is born during the day or any reasonable hour, they can come to the hospital when it's almost time and wait in the maternity ward waiting room. Ds is very anxious to see his new sibling. If possible, dh will take a day or two off work as needed after the delivery to stay with ds.

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