Woman looking upset at her phone

She Watched Her Friend’s Kids for More Than a Day While Her Friend Gave Birth, and Now She’s Hurt That the Couple Ignores Her Messages After She Asked Them to Pick the Kids Up

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A woman offered to watch her pregnant friend’s young children when the baby arrived, since her friend has no family nearby. She asked several times about the plan for labor, but never got a clear answer.

When a routine appointment turned into delivery, she ended up watching the kids for more than a day, through tantrums and constant requests for their parents. After she asked the couple to pick them up the afternoon after the birth, they’ve stopped responding to her messages.

Pregnant Friend Without Local Family

Her friend was pregnant and didn’t have relatives close by. She’d been stressed about who would care for her other young children while she gave birth.

Without family nearby, childcare during labor can be a real challenge. Hiring a sitter for overnight care can easily cost $150 to $300 or more per day.

The woman wanted to help. She knew how stressful it can be to face childbirth without a support system.

Offering to Watch the Kids

She told her friend she’d watch the children if no one else was available. She saw it as a kind gesture between friends.

She had watched the kids before, but only for short periods. She’d never cared for them for days at a time.

She assumed there’d be a clear plan. She expected to help only during labor and delivery.

No Real Labor Plan

She asked several times about what the plan would be once labor began. She never got a specific answer.

Her friend mostly said she didn’t want to be alone during labor and delivery. There wasn’t much discussion about how long childcare would be needed.

That left the details unclear. Neither side seemed to fully agree on what the arrangement would look like.

Appointment That Turned Into Delivery

One day, the woman went over to watch the kids while her friend went to an appointment. The couple ended up staying at the hospital.

The woman stayed with the children overnight. She wanted to make sure they were safe and cared for.

The next day, things became much harder than she expected. The children’s behavior changed dramatically.

Tantrums and Tablets

The kids began throwing tantrums and kicking things at her. They told her they didn’t have to listen to her.

She’d never seen that kind of behavior from them before. She felt unprepared and overwhelmed.

She reached out to their father for advice. He said the behavior was normal and didn’t offer much guidance beyond giving them tablets.

Cleaning the House Too

While she was there, she also picked up around the house. She washed dishes, did laundry, wiped down counters, and tidied up.

She wanted the family to come home to a clean space. It was one more way she tried to help. All of it was unpaid. She was simply trying to be a good friend.

Asking When They’d Pick Up the Kids

After the baby was born, she congratulated the couple and checked on her friend. About four to five hours later, she asked about the plan for picking up the kids.

The children were still struggling and kept asking for their parents. The father replied that they might get them later so she could have a little break.

She told him picking them up that afternoon was fine but she couldn’t watch them for another full day and night. When he came home, he told her she could go and gave her an irritated thanks.

Silence After Helping for Free

Since then, she hasn’t heard from the couple. She’s reached out to check on them, but they haven’t replied.

She’s helped them many times before, watching their kids and pets, driving them to the airport, and going to appointments with them, all for free. She’s left wondering whether setting a limit after more than a day of tough childcare made her a bad friend, or whether the couple expected far more help than she ever agreed to give.

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