How many people will be at your birth?

[amitymama]

Just wondering if most people birth with just their partner and a midwife or if most are having a doula, and/or a friend(s) or family? I will have my DP, a midwife (two at the end), a doula and my best friend. I haven't decided on whether DD will be present for the birth (she'll be 2.5 at the time).

So, all together, there will be five, possibly six, other people present when I give birth. That seems like a lot! I wonder if I should make canapes and party hats.

[babyjelly]

i'm not sure. so far about a zillion people have been "invited", but i'm really thinking i just won't call anyone, and might kick dh out too! i hated him SO MUCH by the end of my last pg, and he is really starting to irritate me again!

but party hats could be fun...and i could totally have my sister help my 5yo make food, zoe would love that! haha.

[thismama]

I will have my midwife, my second midwife toward the end, two of my good friends, a doula and a student doula. Plus my DD's dad will take care of her and stay if it's working out for her to be here for my labour. So... I have a whole crew coming! I had a long labour last time and needed a lot of support and I feel better with a lot of supportive hands on deck. Everyone has given birth before (well with the obvious exception of DDs dad ) so I know folks will be understanding if i want privacy for a time. But that is not what I wanted last time!

[Pyrodjm]

DH, midwife, MIL and probably my mom. Mom will be taking pics and fetching things. MIL lives with us, so hopefully she will be going about her normal life until the end.

[red_canuck]

DH and the midwives, and then I've invited my two best friends as well. They are driving 2 hours, and each have toddlers, so it's iffy when/if they will make it. I'm "due" any day now, and still don't have a concrete childcare plan for DS though! eek!

[roadfamily6now]

a small army! LOL

There are 6 of us, plus the parents of this baby will be there. A midwife If I can find one. Who knows who else will show up! I dont really care as long as they are not an OB! LOL

[mama_ani]

My midwife, 2nd midwife near the end, dh, 3 daughters, possibly my son, and a good friend who is my labour support. It feels like A LOT of people but I want each of them there.

[Ladybyrd]

DH & my midwife. Don't really want the midwife, but oh, well. She's pretty hands off if I want her to be. I have privacy issues.

[rmzbm]

I'm with the PP, I have privacy issues! Only DH & our kids will be here.

[Nature Girl]

First time it was DH,two midwives and then my folks came after the birth. This time will be the same but Mom's going to come and take DD if needed. So we don't have anyone to help out which is a bummer.

[sunnymw]

DH and DS... if DH is not at work. Possibly SIL to keep DS. No one else. Considering solo meaning SIL won't be called, but we'll borrow her video camera.

I'd love to go into labor while DS is asleep, in the early AM, and then have DH come home and stay up w/ me and keep DS while I labor. Just us in the house. Nice and peaceful.

I'd be dreaming if I said I could labor with DS asleep in the next room... the master bath is off all of our bedroom, and I can't even cough while peeing w/o DS waking up! But yeah, if he slept like a rock that would be AWESOME.

[Azryel]

DH, my midwife, and her assistant will definitely be in the same room with me when our baby is born. All, some, or none of our three children will be there depending on what they -- and I -- want. Our nanny will be in the house to care for the children as needed, but won't be present for the birth. I also have two close friends who will be on call should she feel like she needs help with the children (so, ideally, each child could have their own support person). But, again, they won't be in the same room for the birth. * Jaime

[dimibella]

DH and my two midwives will be there and possibly an assistant. Plus I will invite both of our moms and they can decided IF they want to be there. My mom is a little squemish. This is probably our last child and I wanted them both to be able to experience the birth of one of their grandchildren if they wanted to.

ETA: maybe, maybe a birth photographer too, if we can afford it.

[Nature Girl]

I would love an extra hand to help out but I'm having problems getting the right person. Like I mentioned in my PP, my mom will be taking care of DD, plus I don't feel totally comfortable with her being there when i give birth. All of my closest friends, who I would ask live out of the province. I have an aunt who I'm quite close to who lives 2 hours away but is a nurse and I'm not sure how comfortable she would be at a home birth. Also, I'm fairly close to my neighbour but she hasn't offered to help so I don't feel comfortable asking her. What would you ladies do?

[1972momma]

Definitely my husband, midwife and doula.

Possibly my midwife's assistant (she's leaving that up to me), and probably a postpartum doula in training, whose primary job will be watching our two youngest kids should they be a) noisy and distracting me and/or b) not wanting to be at the actual birth, though I would love it if they were.

So, including me, that makes 5 adults. I'm very private as well, but I can't see how I could have any fewer and still have the support I want, so, there it is!

[prothyraia]

Ideally, it would be me, my husband, my toddler, and my midwife.

Practically, it's going to me, my husband, my toddler, my sister (to watch my son), my midwife, and my midwife's assistant.

[Spark]

Ideally, it will be just my family. More likely, it will involve "babysitters" for my children as well.

[thenaturefreak]

DH, Midwife and her assistant, My mom and a sister to help out with our daughter. And possibly my youngest sister depending i fI feel comfortable with her being there. Oh, and my sister who is helping with my daughter will have her 9 month old there too.

[RubyOrganique]

We live in an apartment so whoever is there, will be fairly intimately involved. Outside of my dh and mw, I've invited my close girl friend to take pictures and my brother-in-law to cook, run any errands and drive the car/call a cab should we need to transfer. They've both been told that I may ask them to leave - and they can't take it personally.

We're still contemplating a birth doula, too. Up to 6 of us in a 700 sq ft apt is enough!

[cachet]

DH, 2 m/w's, my 3 children, and my neighbor to help with the kids. I also may invite my sister, since I would like her there, plus she is pg and planning a hospital birth...I want her to see how awesome HB is.