Guest guest Posted October 13, 2000 Report Share Posted October 13, 2000 , I am planning on having my dd who is 17 months old at the homebirth of my next due in May - she'll be 24 months old then. I think we have an attitude that birth is scary, bloody and taboo for people to watch instead of it being a beautiful, spiritual celebration. People aren't used to seeing a birth. In fact, most people only experience their own, and then are drugged etc for that and want to forget it. In most of history, woman and children used to see many births prior to having babies themselevs and it was a very normal and wonderful experience. I've talked to some ladies that have had their children at their births and most say that the young children watching were playing or not really noticing things, watched the delivery with excitement and awe. My biggest concern is that my dd will be scared to see me in pain or screaming, but from the ladies I talked to they say that their children were fine, didn't notice much and that the adults were more concerned than necessary. So, I'm going into this with an attitude that it is normal and healthy and am not going to make a big fuss about it. My husband and my dd will be the only people present until I call my midwife to come over, a nurse will be there too. My husband can watch our dd if needed while I prefer to have the females near me when I am in labor. That is how I hope for things to be, if they aren't I'll have a friend on call to watch my dd!!! Think of it as a natural, healthy, wonderful experience and your child will pick up on your attitude too! As far as books, Spiritual Midwifery has alot of birth stories with children and others present. Its by Ina May Gaskin - reading that gave me alot of confidence. Dawn OT: children at birth > I'm having a really hard time finding good info on preparing young (ie, > 19 months) children for a home birth. Everything I have found is for > older children. Does anyone have any good tips or personal experiences > with having a toddler at their birth? We have a team of 4 support > people, all of whom my daughter is familiar with, and she has been to > all of my appointmants with the midwife, but I need to know if there's > any way we can prepare her for the actual events of labour and birth. > Thank you! > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2000 Report Share Posted October 13, 2000 At 08:47 AM 10/13/00 -0700, you wrote: >I'm having a really hard time finding good info on preparing young (ie, >19 months) children for a home birth. Everything I have found is for >older children. Does anyone have any good tips or personal experiences >with having a toddler at their birth? We have a team of 4 support >people, all of whom my daughter is familiar with, and she has been to >all of my appointmants with the midwife, but I need to know if there's >any way we can prepare her for the actual events of labour and birth. >Thank you! > > , I can't help you. However, we would like our daughter to be at the birth of our next as much as possible. We are having a hospital birth with a midwife. We both agree we'd like our daughter to stay as long as she isn't " bothering " me, to use DHs words. I think he means as long as she isn't trying to climb on me and I get what I need as well, she should stay. My daughter will be 19 months at the time this child is born. So any information would be helpful here as well. Adrienne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 15, 2000 Report Share Posted October 15, 2000 This topic has come up a few times. Be sure to check the archives. Also, I just found this page with some info and also some books/vidoes that you can order. http://www.1cascade.com/childrenatbirth.html I don't know though, about the smell of cake baking during labour. I was soooo sick with each contraction, I don't think I would have been able to handle it!!!! But perhaps, a cake that had been made ahead of time that could be *decorated* by the sibling during labour. Good luck! I have nothing but positive things to say about having my older children at the birth of their younger siblings. Katrina >From: Levy <1levy1@...> >Reply-Vaccinationsegroups >Vaccinationsegroups >Subject: OT: children at birth >Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 08:47:23 -0700 > >I'm having a really hard time finding good info on preparing young (ie, >19 months) children for a home birth. Everything I have found is for >older children. Does anyone have any good tips or personal experiences >with having a toddler at their birth? We have a team of 4 support >people, all of whom my daughter is familiar with, and she has been to >all of my appointmants with the midwife, but I need to know if there's >any way we can prepare her for the actual events of labour and birth. >Thank you! > > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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