Would you give birth in front of your child/children?

[Harveysmum369]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2165717/Why-woman-choose-birth-children.html


In my opinion,if I coped the way I did before it would terrify Harvey-i wouldn't choose to have him there,obviously if he had to be then fair enough...

Just wondered what your opinions were?

xxx

 

[Ceejay123]

i haven't read the article. But... I was 17 and my mother's birthing partner. Not through choice, I'll add. She had a home birth - And very fast! 5 hours - Expected 20+ . I was a stand in while we waited for her OH to get home.. But I ended up being the only one there!

 

[SnuggleMum]

I wouldn't force a child to be there, but if my Son wants to be with me while I birth, I'm happy with that. I tend to internalise rather than externalise so don't have any worries. We've watched a lot of birth videos together too, which he likes.

I'm surprised the article seems so shocked about it, I thought it was the norm for older children to be present/welcome during a homebirth.

 

[Harveysmum369]

The lady in the article,her kids were tiny,I think one was 4 she said...

xx

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I guess it depends on your personal experience of giving birth. It all sounds rather lovely but what if something went wrong, how and why should the children have to cope with that?
My only experience of giving birth was in hospital with a wire up my cooch inserted into Lucas' head to track his pulse because he was in distress and not going anywhere fast. Episiotomy, forceps, me in tears at every contraction, and this went on almost two days, after which Lucas ended up in NICU. I felt bad having FOB and my Mum having to see it because they were pretty shook up afterwards - I wouldn't traumatise my own child like that.

 

[Blah11]

yup. i had roman at home and amelie was awake for the last hour or so of my labour. she popped downstairs for breakfast so saw me very close to pushing then when he was born she came to say hello when he was still attached to me waiting for my placenta. obviously there was blood etc but she was really unphased by it as we had watched youtube videos on it before hand so knew what to expect. I think its a lovely memory for her to have and she still randomly brings up the fact that baby roman was born in the livingroom or when we're playing on the floor at a jigsaw etc she says 'baby roman came out here' lol

 

[Blah11]

just to add, i have very relaxed & 'easy' labours. pretty much silent and i just breathe through it.

 

[MissRhead]

No i wouldnt. I was screaming to the midwives to kill me because i thought i was dying haha. My LO would hate it he gets upset when i stump my toe! x

 

[Tasha]

yup. i had roman at home and amelie was awake for the last hour or so of my labour. she popped downstairs for breakfast so saw me very close to pushing then when he was born she came to say hello when he was still attached to me waiting for my placenta. obviously there was blood etc but she was really unphased by it as we had watched youtube videos on it before hand so knew what to expect. I think its a lovely memory for her to have and she still randomly brings up the fact that baby roman was born in the livingroom or when we're playing on the floor at a jigsaw etc she says 'baby roman came out here' lol

this sounds amazing.

If asked after my first I would of said never, because it was a fairly long, traumatic birth but since I had my other four, if I were to have a low risk birth at home and my children popped down like Amelie, or wanted to be there then I would allow that.

 

[Creative]

i did!
My boys were 6 and 8 when their sister was born at home. We had an extra adult on standby to care for their needs. We'd spent several weeks talking to them about birth and what happens and they both wanted to be there. They were not traumatised by the event and I feel it brought us all really close together.
I have recently lost a baby, but all three of my children were told that they would be welcome to attend the homebirth of that baby. My 20 year old son and my daughter 12 both wanted to be there. My 18 year old declined.
if I am succesful in TTC they will all be invited again.
It was the right decission for us as a family. I am very in control when giving birth and whilst it was perfect for my family, it mightnot be for other's. I was judged negitively by a lot of people for what was seen as a hippy idea, but I choose not to judge.

 

[upsy daisy1]

i dont think i would if she was this sort of age. my daughter is very sensitive and attatched to her mummy and daddy and i think it would upset her to see me in any kind of pain. but if she was a bit older and understood more then i would if she wanted.when my sister had her second child she had a home birth. was suppose to be a water bitrth but she didnt get in the pool in the end. just as my niece was being born they braught the older child in who was only around 1 and 3 months. she looked at her little sister and heaved!!!

 

[holly2234]

Its not something i would do. I would constantly be worrying about what Erin was doing so i wouldnt be able to focus on what i was doing. I would prefer to know that she is safe and happy at her grandparents house or something. It would be the only way i could relax!

 

[shellie]

I don't think the birth would scare my son, but I think I would, lol. I think its nice if people can have their children there, I can see why it would be a lovely experience and memory to share, but I don't think I would do it. xxx

 

[karlilay]

Madi loves birth programmes, she knows more than your average midwife lol. I see nothing wrong with it, i am a bit of a girl with the whole childbirth thing though and scream like im being murdered. Dont quite know how she would react to that.

 

[Brookey]

Depends what age my other children were. Leo is quite attached to me and wouldnt fare well seeing me in pain. I did have a very easy labour with him and didnt scream or shout but i was still in pain and couldnt talk through contractions.

If i did do it i would like him to be old enough to understand what was happening.

 

[Angelicous]

When I had my son, my daughter was there for all but the last 45 minutes of it and she met him as soon as he was born, (well once I was out of the pool). I had wanted a home-water birth, but for financial reasons opted for a water birgh at our local water birth centre.

She was around for a lot of my labour (although I did have a friend around who was going to take her out in case it upset her) but she seemed fine with my being in labour so she stayed at home with me.

When I left to go to the birthing centre, she stayed at home as we didn't know how long we would be, but as I was only there 3o minutes before I gave birth, she got brought right over and we went home together after another hour or so

With my DD, funnily enough it wasn't the labour that worried her at all! I have pics of all of us sitting around drinking tea (milk for her).

It was once she met baby and realised he was going to be in mummy's arms a lot she decided she didn't like him! I have a vid of her meeting him and shouting "No BABY! NO!"