All in the Family....

I think it is not at all acceptable.the other children will scream. i do not think taht any family member should be present at the time of the childbirth, its raelly scary i guess.

I gave birth to my second daughter at home, with a midwife attending. I chose not to have my first daughter there... she was only 3 at the time, and I just felt that she would be confused/scared by it, and also there really wasn't anything for her to gain by being there. She came over from the neighbor's very soon after the birth, when all was tidy and pretty and I was happy/peaceful and not in the middle of labor. We told her what was going on, but just felt that actually having her there would have been difficult for her if not traumatic. BTW, my first daughter was born in a birthing center (not hospital) 18 years ago, second daughter at home 15 years ago. They are lovely young ladies today. I'm a very blessed mom.

I think in theory it would be wonderful to have your children present at the birth of their sibling but that is theory and practise is very different! You make some very good points and there are others, what if there are comlications or problems, it is difficult for adults to cope with that type of stress never mind children, and as you say there are many questions the child will ask - who would answer these questions, women in labour are not the most patient or reasonable (or at least I wasn't) In my casr it wouldn't hav happened - I had to have labour induced, waters broken, drip put in etc with both of my children and needed to be on hospital! I think I would have been too nervous for a home birth - even if the doctors would have agreed! xxx

My husband wanted our oldest who would have ben 4 1/2 at the time in delivery. I put my foot down immediately. I basically said to him "How am I going to watch her and give birth at the same time". He kept saying she would sit there and be good. Yeah right, what fairy are you living. So she stayed with grandmom. It was good thing since we had to have a c-section. If you can do a homebirth and have adequate support to watch your children, more power to you.

I would never do it. My son will freak out totaly. He is sad if he sees me crying or in pain and often would cry as well so for him to see me in such pain would not be fair on him or me. I would never be able to concentrate on the birth or scream or anything (not that I screamed when I was giving birth to him). If someone thinks they kids would be fine than that is fine in my case it would not work.