When family and friends are far

[Sylvie]

Any of you in the same situation as me? I mean living (very) far from your family and friends? In my case all my family and friends live in France and even if my OH and his mum are very supportive some days I feel a bit worried especially when I am thinking of the after-birth period... None of them will be able to come and visit before at least this summer By then I'll be so impatient to show my baby around
Well, there's nothing I can do about it really... living here is my choice and I'm not regretting it

 

[roxanne080]

YES im on the same boat..my family live in malta and the only relatives we have here is joes dad which is not very into babies. his mum lives in wales! my mum is coming for five weeks after baby is born..she always does after baby is born. i suggest you join your local NCT group, where you can meet alot of mums, and lets face it family or not they are going to be in the situation - confused and lost! so a coffee and a chat with these mums will make you feel so much better

 

[Sherlock]

I lived overseas for most of my 20's so am used to being away from family and friends. Does not bother me in the least.

None of my family live close by. My parents are an hour and a half away which is not so bad, but it means they can't just drop by whenever. But I actually prefer it that way and also like I don't live on their doorstep either. My fathers family are Spanish and all living there.

Same with friends, most of my good friends are dotted round the globe, only one lives locally. The rest are in the US, NZ, Barbados and a few other places.

My husbands family are Australian so are all living over there. He's not seen them in over 2 years now. His mother is due to visit this summer for 6 weeks with a 4 week break in the middle to go off and see Eastern Europe.

I'm quite content to not have family around to help me. I know I'll want a break on occasion but tbh its a case of getting on with it and coping. I'd rather that than have too many people round tbh. Nice for them to visit for a day or something from time to time and when LO is a bit older we can go to them, but I've always been one to keep more to myself, so has hubby. It works for us

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

Me
All most all my Family our up North
I moved down here 4 and half years a go the be with James he's from down here.

I miss them like crazy and when im down and upseti just want my Mammy so bad
and family get togethers family events and when one of my relitives is ill or when my Grandad died last year i miss home even more
I love the North and miss it terribly

I wish i was still up there and i alway will, id be back up there in aheartbeat if James said yes lets move up there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But like you i will NEVER REGRET moving as im so very happy with my James and we are so in love and now we our having our first child i couldnt be happier.

My Parents and Nephew are coming down this weekend to see me

And a few weeks ago my Sister Tina moved to Portsmouth with her Husband and my lovely cutie pie Niece so i now have some of my family closer to hand

And my Parents will be on there way down like bullets out of a gun as SOON as i go into labour and my Dad will get down before i am 2cm dialated
Mam is not missing the birth she going to be with me in the labour room

 

[Sylvie]

my Dad will get down before i am 2cm dialated

 

[little momma]

i dont have any family near me and my mum lives 4 hours away on the train...
i dont drive so i got by train times lol.
doesnt sound like much, but i lived with her until i got pregnant, and it's wierd being young pregnant and without my mummy around.
awww... i miss my mummy now

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I am a family girl, I love having a huge family. I have 1 brother 4 half brothers and 2 half sisters. All but my brother are older than me and have kids.

My sister and 2 brothers and mum live all close together which is lovely

 

[abcd1234]

I have my immediate family (mum, dad, brother, sister) but thats it, the rest of my family are from the north, though even they've all seperated out a bit. It does bother me a little that if i was up there i'd have them all around and i'd always have someone available to help me if i was lost, but i'd never want to be up there. My mums family are from somewhere very quiet, i'd be ok as i can drive but without it you'd die of boredom!!

Also, not having them all there all the time means i'm very independent, and thats how i want to be when it comes to my Tally too. I'm planning an early christening so everyone can meet her when she's born and gives a good excuse for a family get together over summer

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

my Dad will get down before i am 2cm dialated

You miss Sylvie have a dirty mind

oh i worded that well didnt i

oh dear

i ment my dad will get from Newcastle to Kent in the car before in no time at all as he is a very good driver.
Though his job he drives alot delivering equipment so is a dab hand at knowing all smaller roads to take if thier is a traffic jam on the main ones

 

[Sylvie]

You miss Sylvie have a dirty mind

No no It's just that English is not my first language and I'm very easily confused and shocked

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

You miss Sylvie have a dirty mind

No no It's just that English is not my first language and I'm very easily confused and shocked

ha ha Yeah right

 

[peach]

aww hun hugs xx

sometimes i wish my mum ect lived further away x

 

[miffy]

I'm in the same boat, living in the Middle East and my family are in England, DH's mother lives in Hong Kong. My family understand our reasons for being abroad, and it's our decision at the end of the day, so we'll just have to get on with it. Unfortunately, as we're moving to Thailand in August we won't have time to fly back to England to show off the baby before the move, which is a bit upsetting. Having said that, the family are excited about holidays in Thailand from now on!

Although it does sadden me that my kids won't be seeing their grandad, aunts, uncles and cousins on a regular basis, and I miss them all too. But by living abroad, we can offer them a much better lifestyle for the time being.

 

[BabyMagic]

My family live overseas and I am not too close to my OH's family who live up in North. Tbh I have been ok. My OH is currently on a business trip but I enjoy having girlie time with our princess. Some things are trickier - like taking a shower if the baby starts crying when I've just put shampoo in my hair

My OH has been great when he is around. I didn't actually know that he can cook!!!!!

 

[ASD123456]

Mine are all back in Wales, I don't think anyone from my family has even gone as far as Cardiff before me so we're not really spread out.

I've always been ok being away from them and all my friends but since being pregnant I have found it pretty difficult, I would love to have my mother just down the road. We do speak on the telephone pretty much every day but it's not the same and as I'm not driving yet, I can't just jump in the car and go and visit. The train takes about 4 hours and isn't very enjoyable since being pregnant.

Also OH has been away for the past 6 months so it's been pretty rubbish although his mother is brilliant and includes me a lot considering we hardly knew eachother before I became pregnant.

I will stop complaining now because I only have 3 more sleeps till OH is back and then he will be driving us down to Wales in two weeks time.

Alex xxx

 

[DaisyRose]

Hi,

I really envy people who have their families around them. My Mum, Dad and bro moved to Spain 13 years ago; the only family I have left here now is my Grandad who has dementia and is in a home. As for friends, most of my really good ones are dotted around the country; although we keep in touch, I haven't seen some of them literally for years!!! I've made a couple of good friends who are reasonably close-by since having Daisy but they have lots going on in their lives/ family living close so since we moved further away it has become increasingly difficult to arrange to meet with them. To be honest, most people around here are really nice and I've got involved with some stuff, like the preschool committee but I don't feel I've really bonded strongly with anyone since moving here.

OH's family are about 2 hours away, we see them once a month or so.

I'd suggest (similar to someone else) attending a post-natal group if you get the opportunity, and Mums' and babies groups as that's how I met my two really good friends.