who was/will be with you for your hb?

[cornpicker]

Who did you have with you and why? Right now, it's just MW and DH for me. I'm debating about a doula.

[AngieB]

I'm planning on my MW, MW assistant, Dh, my mom, 3 of my best friends and maybe my oldest Dd(8yrs) if she wants to stay. This is my 4th and final birth and I'm really excited to have my friends here with me this time, they have been a huge support for me this pregnancy. All the other times it's just been my mom and Dh.

[aylaanne]

At the moment, I'm visualizing my birth as a huge party. I have a couple of out-of-state friends who want to come, one with her kids, I have some other friends who want to be there, plus my siblings, his siblings, my parents, his parents, and the midwives. I have a feeling that most people will be outside of the birthing room for most of the time, and that people will care for each other and for us as we need it (doing dishes, making food, vacuuming, getting sleep, etc). When pushing starts, whomever is comfortable being in the room (assuming we're comfortable with it) will be there, and those who aren't, won't be. If we need to TTH, we'll have plenty of drivers (and cars). After the baby's born, there will be champagne and sparkling cider to go around. I'm fine with making that decision sometime in the future.

I'm also fine with changing my mind later on. I'm only 6wks right now, so I have a long time to think about it. Do what feels right for you and your family, and be okay with changing your mind later.

[pixiewytch]

I had my MW, doula, DH, and two close friends. Then there were people dropping by unannounced : I really felt like my doula ended up a bit superfluous with the two friends I had. I guess what I'm thinking would be less is more. Of course I knew this but it became hard to tell certain people they couldn't be there.

[koru]

i envision my birth as a party, too! i had 5 people at my two previous births & will have a few more this go-round because i'll be at home....

husband
girls (if awake & happy)
midwife
mom
sister
dear friend
possibly my dad if he comes to stay early with my mom

like aylaanne, i picture everyone hanging out downstairs, cooking & visiting & checking on me every once in a while. when the pushing comes, they'll probably want to come watch "the action." afterwards we'll pass around the little munchkin & ooo & ahhh at how beautiful s/he is! then.....i'll sleep!

[MotheringHeart]

This time it's a party for us too! DH, DD, DS, my Mom, my Dad, the midwife, midwife's assistant, and possibly a student midwife. Whew. I am a labor alone in the dark and quiet kind of person, so it will be interesting to see how that fits in with all those people. My mom is also a midwife, but she'll have her mommy hat on, so she'll be extra sensitive to what I need and that will be nice!

[Peony]

I had DH, DD1, MW, bacK-up MW, and my mom. I had not planned on the back-up MW or my mom being there, it took me a while to get comfortable with the extra people there, in fact my labor even stalled for a while.

I called my mom because it was freezing that am (early am) and we couldn't get the house warm enough for babe, of course DH couldn't find the space heaters, so enter my mom with the heaters. Then my MW wasn't available for a couple hours and my labor was processing quickly so DH panicked and called the back-up one.

[sabsmommy]

I will be inviting my dh, ds, mw, mom, best friend, good friend, possibly dad, possibly grand parents and then the rest were not sure about. We will celibrate the birth of our next child but while in the end of labor and when time to push it will be me and my mw and best friend while everyone else is downstairs waiting...:

[Red Sonja]

I'm a private birther, I don't like people around. DS was upstairs and slept through it (OK, all 2 hours of it). It was just DH and me for most of it, the MW arrived 15 minutes before DD was born and then the assistant midwife arrived about 20 minutes after DD was born.

[sabsmommy]

I will be inviting my dh, ds, mw, mom, best friend, good friend, possibly dad, possibly grand parents and then the rest were not sure about. We will celibrate the birth of our next child but while in the end of labor and when time to push it will be me and my mw and best friend while everyone else is downstairs waiting...: (hubby cant handle the end part so I will be brave and push on my own trust myself to take care of our next child as hes downstairs taking care of our first)

[todavia]

i'm planning a hbac in may/june and hope to keep it pretty low-key - midwife, doula, dp, (ds & my stepmom - who will stay or go depending on how things are going).

the party atmosphere sounds great too but since this is my first experience with labor i want to keep the potential stress and pressure to a minimum - i'd probably be trying to entertain and feed everybody anyway.

[momto l&a]

dh and the mw.

I have only ever just had a mw her helper and dh.

I like it quite and as few people as possible.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

My 2 year old was asleep, and it was just my husband and me. That's exactly how I wanted it, and it was perfect. My 1st was a hospital birth, and when it was just my husband and me I was comfortable and fine but not as good when other people came in.

[soybeansmama]

DH and MW for the labor and birth. I will have friends or my folks help out with my son while I am busy laboring, then invite him to be a part of the delivery if he's up for it. I have hired my mom to help with the placenta prep. We plan to make capsules. She is excited about her special job...

[~Heyokha~]

Originally Posted by momto l&a

I like it quite and as few people as possible.

Me too . Just dp, MW and maybe my mom.

[Brisen]

Dh, midwives, and maybe someone to be there for my older kids. In my province, there are supposed to be two midwives at the birth -- one for mom, one for baby -- but with my last birth, things went quickly enough that only the first midwife showed up (usually when you call, just the primary midwife comes, and then she calls the second close to the birth), and we hadn't called our childcare person. But I spend most of my labour alone in the bathroom, and then just come out to the bedroom to push.

[Full Heart]

Dh, mw, mw's apprentice, my mother and maybe my friend.

Although in the past I have had as few as 3 people to as many as 6 (not including my hospital birth, I can't remember who was there but I am assuming alot).

[RedPony]

We just had our mw and my DH. At one point, early on, I wanted my mother, but she didn't want to be there. So poo on her!

[mrsalf97]

Dh, ds, and MW.

Edited to say that my mom really wants to be here, but I'm going to forget to call her. ;o)

I also asked a fellow massage therapist friend to be here, but she won't give me a massage right now while I need it so I'm not calling her either. LOL

Another friend really wants to be here, but I just don't want anyone but dh, ds, and the mw here.

I had originally asked a MD acupunturist to be here, but I've decided against it.

I need quite while I labor and I like to be left alone.

[AugustLia23]

There will be me, my DP, my 2 children, their caretaker(whoever that is - yet undetermined), and my midwives. I liked it that way last time, as I was still pretty aware that I was naked, even though I felt best that way.

I figure it'll be September, if I'm feeling like being around people I'll walk into town or something.