Siblings in the delivery room?

[Solomon's Mama]

Anyone have their younger children present at the birth? DS will be 4 a couple months before the baby is due and has already made multiple comments about watching the baby be born, helping me have the baby, etc. I'm pretty sure he would be able to handle it based on his personality, but I was just curious to hear other experiences with it. I haven't spoken to my OB about it, but my hospital is very small and laid back and they did allow him in the room while I was laboring with DD so I'm guessing it would probably be allowed. I will have my mom, sister, and mother in law there or nearby to take him out if necessary. Thoughts?

[nalazimbala]

If you think he would be fine and you will have someone there to be with him, if he happened to get upset, I would say go for it. DD was there for DS's birth and she was just 2.5 at the time. I was at home and had a friend there to be with her in case she got upset, but she did fine. I've been now preparing both DD and DS for being here for the birth of #3. I let them watch birth videos on youtube (after I screen them), so they won't be shocked at what they see.

[sillymama]

If you have someone to take him out if he seems to be in distress then I would give it a go. Just make sure that person won't be disappointed if they end upsizing the birth. Even though I've delivered three times I've never observed a birth. I believe there is quite a lot of blood and fluids so you would need to help prepare him that it is going to be messy.

[bluedaisyma]

At my last birth, ds5 was there (he was a week shy of 2 yrs old). The only policy was that someone aside from me and birth partner had to be there for him. So I had a doula with dh, ds and I. He was fine. Dh held him and he cried when the baby came out bc the baby was crying. It was so cute, the nurses started tearing up saying they'd never seen a little one cry bc another little one was crying. Then he got in bed with me and new baby and we slept for a bit and went home like 7 hrs after ds6 was born.

Ftr, we brought tons of snacks, toys, books, etc to keep him occupied. It was so fast, the only thing we needed was a change of clothes bc we all got caught up in the moment and he wet his pants.

typing 1-hnded, nak, sry 4 abbrev

[cbreeding]

I had my oldest DD there for the birth of her sister. She was 2.5yo. Since I was due between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I wanted to have a plan in the event I would have to take DD with me. Labor and delivery went so fast that we did in fact have to bring her to the hospital and she witnessed the birth of her sister.

She and I watched several YouTube videos of births. She did great but doesn't remember anything about it now that she's five.