Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for all your replies - it has been interesting to see how everyone else deals with this!

We've basically decided on a bit of a compromise... although it would be nice to have my mum around for the last few days before the baby arrives, I thought that it was probably a bit of a waste her being here for the 5 days while I was in hospital, and also DH and I wanted a few days 'bonding' the three of us, before my mum arrived. Also, my DH will be able to take a week or so paternity leave, and I know he'd like the chance to spend some time with the baby and I alone. PLUS, what I most want my mum for is company and help with looking after the baby when I am on my own, i.e. when DH is at work.

My SIL is getting married 12 days after my due date (bad timing!!), and as the place where she's getting married is 5 hours away from Sydney, I am unlikely to be able to go, but I'd hate for my DH to miss it, so we've agreed that my mum will arrive a few days before the wedding, so she will be here to be with me if my DH goes away that weekend, and then she will be here for almost 4 weeks.

I know first babies are often late, but this way hopefully we'll have either had the baby a week ago and therefore have been back at home for a few days the three of us before my mum gets here, or I will hopefully at least have just had the baby and will be out of hospital. Worst case scenario I am still in hospital when she arrives, but she's said she doesn't mind staying in a hotel the first few days (while she's getting over jetlag) to give us a few more days to ourselves and she can just come and 'visit'.

Anyway, sorry for the long post, but that's what we've decided, and hopefully it will work out for all of us!! [-o< It's so tricky, as I would hate for her to feel like she wasn't wanted (as she is very much so!!), but equally want to be fair on DH and our new 'family'...

Good luck to everyone else...

Bertie