The time is quickly approaching…in fact as of today I’m almost exactly 3 months away from the birth of my third child, second daughter. I don’t have the typical labor and delivery fears, I’m actually very calm about the entire delivery process. It’s the time that I’m stuck in the hospital I’m worried about.
This will be my second delivery at this hospital, which I actually prefer between the two we have because the food is so much better and I’m talking like 10 fold better. When it comes to everything else they are pretty much the same.
Last time I actually made it through check-in and check-out in 31 hours. Record time I know. LOL I was very anxious to get out of there and hospital policy requires you to stay 24 hours from the time of delivery as long as there were no complications. Within an hour of my daughter’s birth I was up and walking with little pain, just stiffness from being on that contraption they try to pass off as a bed.
What made everything so much easier was our in-laws were able to keep our son for a few days following the delivery so we could have time to bond with our daughter. This time, that’s not a possibility. I refuse to leave my kids with them any longer, in fact, I don’t even speak to them anymore. Instead my mother has volunteered to come stay at my house and take care of my son and daughter until I can come home.
I know she’s perfectly capable, she’s the only person I’ve ever left my daughter alone with. The problem is I can’t seem to shake this irrational fear of leaving my daughter. I feel like she’ll hate me for leaving her and coming home with a new baby. I know in my heart that one night away from her won’t shake the special bond we have, but the fear is still there. Part of me wants to pack her up into a suitcase and bring her to the hospital with me hidden from the staff. Silly huh?
Hospital Stay with a Toddler
Cat is the author of 3 Kids and Us Mom Blog, sharing her life as a mother to three children and all of the craziness that life brings her while working from home. In her writing, you'll find a eclectic collection of humorous "mommy moments" along with family recipes, product reviews and more. Follow Cat on twitter @3kidsandus
Comments
Page 1 of 11
That’s so sweet and kind of your mother to do that for you. I worried about the same thing last time b/c my son had just only turned 2 and had never left me before. He did great though. He was a little standoffish at first with the hospital and the new baby but he did wonderful. It actually made him want to hug on the baby and I more b/c he knew he wasn’t going to be seeing us the rest of the day. Good luck and don’t worry, she’ll be having fun with grammie while you’re busy pushing a human out of your body and then having your nipples chewed off! lol You’ll both be fine! ((hugs))
Never fun when someone’s in the hospital. You won something over at MomTo3Angels!! just letting you know.
Not so silly at all! When baby number 2 was born we left big sister at my moms (who is the best babysitter ever) BUT I was disappointed with that because she missed it! I thought because she was only 2 1/2 that it would be best but looking back I would have brought her.
When baby number 3 was born 1 and 2 were there and stayed with me most of the time, they went home for a nap with grammy but otherwise they stayed right with us!
Baby number 4, 5 and 6 (coming this February) were (will be) born at home that way we could all be together and not have to deal with that anxiety.
I too left the hospital within hours of delivery, I am not a very good hospital person!
So maybe she can come, we had to have someone to with the kids but otherwise the delivery center allowed it — they were not thrilled but I was paying them!!!!!
I felt the same way when I was in the hospital having my daughter. When the admitted me (last minute from a routine dr’s appt), I was so upset. Everyone thought I was worried about the impending birth but I was more worried about the arrangements for my son at home and the fact that I wouldn’t be seeing him for a couple of days and hadn’t said goodbye. Your daughter won’t hate you, she’ll just be even happier to see you when you get home….
I thought for sure mine would resent me especially since I went to the hospital in the middle of the night and a friend came to stay with them. But now they are Munch’s best friends. Make sure you explain it to her and talk to her a lot about what the plan is and she’ll be fine. She might even do better than you!