[kuhla]

I am pregnant with DD4. There is a bit of an age difference with my other children. They are 8, 11 and will be 13 years old.

We are involving them in the pregnancy/baby as much they possible or suitable.

At the moment, I have said it's up to them if they want to be there when I'm in labour. The younger two have pretty much said no thanks which I understand but the 13 yr old is considering it. While I've said it's up to them, I'm undecided if I should let them at all.

I'm wanting to hear from anyone whose children has been with them and how it went. How did you prepare them? Were they there the whole time?

[Sassy Girl]

I have only had my children there for one birth although it was planned that they would be there for all births.

My mother refused to get my father to bring our children to the hospital when I was in labour with our fouth child. Dad was babysitting them. She actually refused to let me see them for two days after the birth as well The other birth they missed out on was because our DD1 arrived before my sister and her boyfriend at the time could actually get to hospital (they left our home just after us but had to drop the pizza into her friends that they were all supposed to eat for dinner that night). Our DD1 came much quicker than expected

Our DS was only about 20 months old when he watched his brother being born. He stayed the whole time, my sister was there to look after him if needed (she wasn't needed). DS1 stood right next to me watching intriguingly while his brother was born less than a metre away from him. They've been best friends ever since. I like to think it's because DS1 was there for DS2's birth

[ubermum]

At my dd's birth in June, I had my two children present (4yo and just turned 6yo) as well as my nephew (3yo). Also present was my mum, dh and my sister, so essentially one adult to each child. They sat wide eyed on chairs off to the side and were really well behaved. From the time we arrived at hospital until I gave birth was only an hour so it wasn't a long drawn out process and we had prepared them pretty well for it. The only thing that we forgot was babies colour. My 6yo was worried when her sister was purple at birth. We had watched plenty of birth videos, so they knew that I may make noise. They also knew if they misbehaved they would be taken out with nana and they would miss it.

We had been at the hospital all the previous day too, and they played on ipod touches all day and were great then too.

[kuhla]

Thanks for replying. Both experiences sound positive. My labours have been pretty fast in the past so hopefully not too much 'boring' time. I actually think having them there would calm the process for me too.

[Cherish]

All 4 of my kids watched me give birth nearly 4 weeks ago
They only came in for the birth- I didn't want them there for the labouring part!