Have you thought about having your older children at your baby's birth? In our society, we can hardly imagine having a child watch the birth of their baby brother or sister, but times were much different a few decades ago.
If you are planning on having your child attend the birth, here are some things to consider:
- Have a support person there just for your child. This allows them to be a witness on their own terms, and leave if things get overwhelming or they need a break. Babies can take a long time!
- Give your child a job, like getting water for their mother.
- Have a bag packed for them too. This might include books, play doh, or other quiet activities. It should also include healthy snacks.
- Talk to them ahead of time about what to expect. You can talk about this using their senses. What are they going to see, hear, feel, etc.
- Don't have high expectations that they will fall in love the baby immediately or they will respond in a certain way. There are lots of things for your child to process while being at a birth.
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