Similar ? to my other post - kids in the room?

mysweetpeasWil&Wes wrote: Did you have your other kids in the room when you gave birth? Apparently not many did from your answers on my first post, but would you if you had another child?

My MIL had both her kids at home, naturally, so she's always telling me what a wonderful experience it was when DH was right there petting her hair when his sister was born. He was right around the same age Wil will be when his brother is born, but I just can't see it happening. MIL said DH was very calm and helped her get through it. Sounds nice, but I personally don't see the benefit, especially when they're that young.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I just realized that hospitals probably don't let kids in L&D, right? Or do they?? I'm so clueless....

MomToJade&Jordan replied: No I wouldn't. I was hooked up to so many things when I was having Jordan I just didn't want Jade to see me that way. It would have been just to much for her I think.

holley79 replied:
I know at our hospital anyone under the age of 12 wasn't allowed in L&D. If it was a home birth then yes but at the hospital I probably wouldn't because of the machines. They make me nervous enough, not to mention what must go through a young child's mind.

JMO

luvmykids replied: I don't think, even if allowed, my kids could handle it. They'd not only freak out but probably drive me crazy in a situation like that.

ammommy replied: Well, some hospitals will allow it, but I wouldn't do it. Even if my child could handle it (and there was no way Alec could have) if something goes wrong with the delivery everyone needs to be focused on you, not a young child who gets scared. Even if nothing goes wrong, seeing me in pain or hooked up to machines would have been pretty scary for Alec.

PrairieMom replied: My hospital allows it, but I won't do it. It would be to scary for The Boy, and I don't want to worry about him while I am going through all that. I will probably even make him wait until the next day to see his new sibling, depending on what time I have the baby, but I want things settled down and to get cleaned up and look as normal as possible when he comes to the hospital.

kimberley replied: well i personally didn't mind if the kids wanted to attend the birth but DH wasn't comfortable with it. planning my homebirth with Kaleigh, i did ask the boys if they were interested and James wasn't (scared i think) but Jacob was all for it. they have also watched baby story and numerous books/videos on birth when i was trying to become a midwife. i didn't know what to do about Jade because she cries if i stub my toe. she is just too young to handle or understand labour and birth. i was right about her cuz she *just* woke up from a nap when i had my last big cx minutes before Kaleigh came out. she was traumatized for hours hearing those last few groans of pushing out baby no one knows your kids better than you do, so just use your best judgement.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: No I could never do that - it could be way too traumatic! You just never know what's going to happen in the delivery room or how you're going to react. Why would you take the risk of having your kids see something that would be frightening to them.

I saw a baby story once (actually I think it was Make Room for Baby) and the people were going to have their son and daughter in L&D with them for the birth and the 10 year old boy was in hysterics because he didn't want to be in there. The lady ended up needing a C-section so they couldn't go in with her of course, but I was so mad that they were going to make him.

My3LilMonkeys replied: I know our hospital allows it - SIL and her 2 boys (ages 5 and 7) were waiting outside when Brooke was born and they let them in as soon as I was cleaned up and presentable.

Personally I wouldn't unless the child was old enough to understand what was going on (13 or so) and wanted to be there. Young kids I'm afraid would be scared to see mommy in so much pain, KWIM?

Kaitlin'smom replied: Its allowed for siblings in the hospital I delivered but it woudl depend on the child and if they really wanted to. My sister did not have her two older son there, one wanted to be and the other did not, she decided it woudl be best since she was being induced at midnight they woudl both stay with us. Had she gone into labor before and had to take them until picked up then she would have let the one be in that wanted to.

CosmetologyMommy replied: well from the way I acted when I had Aidan, when I have another I do not want him in the room because I do not want to scare him!!!!!!!!!!!

Cece00 replied: Well I have csections but even if I didnt...NO WAY. First off, I think even my 4 yr old is too young to see something like that, I wouldnt want to scare my kids, but I also would not want to worry about what my kids were doing, if they got bored, if they were messing with stuff....no way.

C&K*s Mommie replied: For a home birth I probably would have liked to have had Christian around for the labor part, but the delivery no. Mostly because of the commotion, and her not understanding. Since a homebirth was out of the question, after the scare Chris had when Christian was born, I delivered at the hosp to begin with for Kellie.

I knew it would have been too much commotion, esp if we had another emergency like we did with Christian. Some kids are much too young too understand all the talking and (sometimes) hollering that goes on with the docs and nurses, and anyone else in the room.

Use your own judgement though.

ilovemybaby replied: Yup Abby will be with us. We don't have much choice though really. We don't allow MIL to babysit and my sister and mother have to work (so does MIL) during the week and they are not exactly going to look after Abby if I go into labour at 2am in the morning. Since I don't know when it will happen we will just have to have Abby with us. Paul isn't leaving the room so that means Abby has to be there.

My cousin Holly was about 2 - 2 1/2 when her brother was born and it was a home birth. She was fine. She ran back and forth wetting the washcloth for my auntie and putting it on her forehead. She wasn't scared or anything.

I am actually considering a home birth. And if I go into labour during the night Abby would be in bed anyway.

Edward's Mommy replied: I have a bicornate uterus and because of it, I will have C-sections for all my children. Edward was a C-section after 29 and 1/2 hours of labor and having the epidural wear of on me 4 times. And after 29 and 1/2 hours I only dialated to 8 centimeters. After it all, the doctor told me that I was too small to actually deliver him normally, had I dialated completely.

Boys r us replied: As young as Will is, not I wouldn't have him in there with you when his brother is born. I think it could be traumatic for him to see his mommy in pain and all of that.

now When Braedon was born, Tanner was 6 and he was in the delivery room with me (not the entire day b/c he was at school) but for the last hour. Tanner will definitely be there when this baby is born, but I havne't decided about Braedon yet, he'll be 4 then and he does love to watch Discovery Health with me and see the babies being born...so maybe..but still undecided.