Post by HoneySpider on Jun 18, 2012 15:46:31 GMT -5
Who came to wait at the hospital when you went into labor?
I feel like every tv show/movie has every single family member and friend sitting in the waiting room for hours on end. Does this actually happen? Or did people come after the delivery, either at the hospital or once you went home?
Our family members did with DS1 even though we never saw them that day. I didn't give birth until around 11:30 pm. With our second, they waited for a phone call inviting them over, lol.
My in-laws (MIL, FIL, and BIL) came to wait. My mom would've, too, but she lived 3 hours away so she came the next day. That's probably all the visitors I would've been able to handle at the hospital. We had a few friends come by for short visits once we were home.
Post by rootbeerfloat on Jun 18, 2012 15:54:08 GMT -5
I was induced with DS. The hospital is close to my parents' offices, so they just stopped by and went back to work. My labor stalled, so it was good they didn't hang around.
DD was a scheduled c/s, and everyone waited until she was born.
I always think that is weird when I see that kind of stuff on tv! I wouldn't want anyone around in that situation! It was just DH and me and then my boss (we are close) stopped by the hospital on her way to work because it is right by her house. It was funny actually to see her walk in my room! I think she stayed until they took me to the OR for my c section. For visitors after I didn't have any until late the next day since I was pretty out of it due to being on a mag iv drip for 24 hours after the birth. If I had to do it over again I would have really limited visitors until I was home. It seemed like someone was always there and I could never get any rest when I wasn't down at the nicu.
Post by HoneySpider on Jun 18, 2012 15:56:59 GMT -5
My question is spurred by my irrational sadness from having realized I will have no one waiting at the hospital...all of our family on both sides and all of our good friends live a several hour plane ride away, so it's not like they can just come on over.
My parents will, however, be able to drop things and go to the hospital when SIL goes into labor
ETA: This is if/when I am pregnant....nothing like cart before horse! I have too much time during my commute to think about this crap.
Post by mollybrown on Jun 18, 2012 16:01:13 GMT -5
For my first, everyone. I was in labor (induced) for 2 days, so people came and went. For the second, no one. The baby was born in the middle of the night, so no one came until the next morning.
Post by MadamePresident on Jun 18, 2012 16:01:35 GMT -5
I am inviting immedate family (my parents & teenage sisters, and my ILs). They are all welcome to wait, but as far as visiting with me in my room during labor that will be by invite only. At the actual birth I'm planning for just me, my husband and the midwife.
Post by Ashley&Scott on Jun 18, 2012 16:04:57 GMT -5
We called my mom after we had been at the hospital for 4 hours & asked her to come. The first epidural didn't work & they said I might need a c/s, DH & I were both scared & needed some extra support. She arrived about 1.5 hours later & at our request she stayed with us until DS was born. Then she went out into the waiting room & came back a few hours later with our other family members.
I was in labor at the hospital for 14 hours. For the last 1.5 hours or so my brothers, grandmother, DH's parents & my mom's husband were in the waiting room. (I'm sure my dad would have been there if he could--he was on bed rest in another part of the hospital)
DS1 -- My MIL flew in while I was in labor (her flight was already planned) and arrived at the hospital about an hour after we did. My mom and step-dad started driving to us (about a 6 hour drive) after I called to tell them I was in labor and got to the hospital about 3 hours before DS was born. My brother, who lived locally at the time, came and hung out for a while, too. My mom, MIL, step-dad, and brother all hung out in my room while I was in labor, waited outside while I was pushing, and then came in to see DS shortly after he was born.
DS2 -- My mom and step-dad started driving when I called them and arrived maybe 20 minutes before DS was born. Since they had just arrived and I no longer cared one way or another, they wound up staying in the room while I pushed. My MIL was at home with DS1 while I was in labor. She came to the hospital shortly after DS2 arrived and brought DS1 to meet him.
I was happy to have family hanging around while I was in labor. My family is fun and non-annoying, and I am not modest at all. Plus, my step-dad is a doctor, and having a doctor around while I was in labor was somewhat helpful
DD1--my parents & sister (I lived in the same town & my sister lived with us), my brothers visited us in the hospital.
DD2--no one (We had moved to another city & my Dad was the only one in town & was watching my DD1 at home)
DD3--no one (My sister had moved to our same town & was watching DD1 & DD2) My Mom drove to us (12 hours) while I was in hospital & made it about 1hour before I checked out.
Post by Willis Jackson on Jun 18, 2012 16:32:33 GMT -5
No one.
The only time I've been in an L&D waiting room, I was surrounded by a laboring woman's extended family. They were all bitching and moaning about how long it was taking, the vending machine sucked, nothing good was on TV, etc.
Post by sawyerthedestroyer on Jun 18, 2012 16:43:33 GMT -5
I wanted my mom and my H there. No one else. H's parents booked their flight months before DS was born, he just happened to be born the day before they flew in, but I wouldn't have minded if they'd wanted to wait in the waiting room and be there for H if he wanted them there.
Post by karinothing on Jun 18, 2012 16:50:31 GMT -5
We weren't in a hospital, but no one other than DH. We didn't want to tell people until it was certain that I was in labor (which was about 3am EST). We called people then and I had the baby 2 hours later. We didn't really want anyone there though.
No one other than H. Even though I went into preterm labor, the plan was always just the two of us.
Our neighbor came by to visit afterward, mainly to drop off clothes & toiletries for H since we were do unprepared when we went in. NICU had a limit on the number of visitors at one time and neither one of us wanted to give up out time, so we did not have visitors until we were home.
Post by GailGoldie on Jun 18, 2012 17:37:25 GMT -5
my husband and then my mom came b/c we wanted her there to help (if we needed someone to leave the room to get something, etc, so Greg wouldn't have to ever leave). We told everyone else NOT to come to the hospital until we have had the baby and THEN call to say it's OK to visit. My family had no problem with that- they aren't stupid - they would much rather sit in their homes than wait hours and hours in a hospital.
My mom was in the room with DH and I. My in-laws and my sli waited in the waiting room for hours. I was annoyed because I told them not to come till I delivered because it could take a long time. I went from 6 to 10cm in 45 minutes. ^o)
See this is a tough call for me, as a first-timer. My DH, obviously gets an invite. My mom and dad live 4 hours away, and my dad won't be able to come no matter what due to work constraints. I can't decide if I want my mom to come or not? If you had your mom present, how did you decide that was a good idea?!
Post by water*drop on Jun 18, 2012 18:39:13 GMT -5
My husband. Our families live a few hours away, but we didn't want anybody in the room with us, and we wanted to make sure we had some time with the baby before anybody got there. We told them that they could come into town and wait at our house once I was admitted to the hospital if they wanted to, but we asked them not to come to the hospital until I was moved to my postpartum room a few hours after birth.
It will probably just be DH and I at the hospital. Our parents and siblings are all at least 4 hours away, and we're not planning on calling anyone until I've been in labor for a good long while.
My mom, dad, MIL, FIL and grandmother. I hated it. My parents came in to say hi before I started pushing. For some reason I found that really awkward. Everything took longer than expected, and after DD was born I felt really out of it. I just wanted to eat and get cleaned up. We didn't let anyone back to see us for 3 hours and everyone was pissed. By that point, my ILs had to hit the road, so they had waited in the hospital for about 6 hours to visit with us for 10 minutes.
Post by sewpinkgal on Jun 18, 2012 18:49:10 GMT -5
We called my mom and my ILs when we got to the hopsital and they said they were going to keep me. The ILs arrived about 2 hours before I delivered, but hung out in the waiting room until we were moved from l&d to post-partum. My mom drove out that day, but we didn't see her until the next morning.
Post by EllieArroway on Jun 18, 2012 18:54:35 GMT -5
Ugh - everyone came. Even though I told them not to. I think there were like 10-15 people there (all my family except MIL). They all waited around all day (I was in labor for 18 hours) and then got to see the baby for all of 5 minutes before visiting hours ended. It was so stupid.
I think next time I seriously won't even tell anyone until after the baby is here/maybe even the next day. Last time I was induced and all of my family members knew ahead of time so they all thought they needed to be there.