Siblings present at birth - Page 2

[dayiscoming2006]

I had my boys at their sister's birth. We did a UC and I taught them during the pregnancy about how birth happens and how there is pain and mommy may feel bad, but that I would feel better when the baby was out and it would be OK. I showed them some birth videos too, so they knew what to expect and they were fine. They played in the living room. Daddy came to the bedroom when I started pushing and and the boys walked over and looked when I pushed her out. They were excited to see a baby and seemed to think it was interesting. They then went back and played. I even screamed during pushing, but I explained to them that it was OK and mommy would be OK. I told them this is what has to happen so mommy can get baby out. My kids will be there this time too unless I have to transfer to the hospital for an emergency or something. I'm not worried about it at all. We don't have family or friends to watch our kids here yet. So, we have to rely on ourselves for now. 

[SplashingPuddle]

dayiscoming: how old were/are your kids at the time of the birth? Did it affect your children differently?  

[dayiscoming2006]

Originally Posted by SplashingPuddle 

dayiscoming: how old were/are your kids at the time of the birth? Did it affect your children differently?  

2 and a half and 4 and a half. They both seemed cool with it. My oldest still tells me the story of it sometimes. I don't know if my youngest boy will really remember it. 

The kids will be 2, 4 and a half and 6 and a half this time.

[1babysmom]

My children have been present for both ofm y UC's.  The first UC DD1 was 27 months.  Despite laboring in the middle of the night, she was wide awake and in and out of the bathroom where I was laboring, and she wasn't really interested in what was going on.

The 2nd time, DD1 was 4 and DD2 was 22 months (again, labor in the middle of the night but the woke up with no interest in going back to bed).  They were both present when he was born and very interested.  DD1 was just excited to have a baby, but DD2 was SO cute because she just wanted SOOOOO badly to get in the tub with me after he came out.  I let her (much to DH's manly disgust LOL) and it was a precious time together.  I don't know if she remembers much, though, and DD1 remembers bits and pieces, enough to recall, but not enough that she seems

A lot of people freak out that my children witnessed childbirth "up close" so young.  But seriously, it's so normal and natural and a blessing that God gives us...what is wrong with them being a part of that?  I am generally a VERY modest person, so I might feel slightly different if they had a really obvious visual, but I was upright in the bathtub so they didn't see "specifics" of the birth (they still think he came out of my tummy LOL). 

Also, I am a very quiet, keep to myself birther.  So there isn't much trauma to them when they witness mommy in labor.  But I do have several family members here each time so that they CAN take them if need be.  Just never had any reason to separate them from me, really.