should kids watch a women give birth?

Answer 1

I personally do not want my children seeing childbirth before they are ready to have their own children.

The reason being is that different women react differently to pregnancy. I don't want scare them as children and make them think that childbirth is a bad, scary thing. I just want them to focus on the joy of a new child.

So when I have more kids, the children that are already around hang around before labor and then leave with a grandparent. Then after the baby's delivery and my husband and I have had a few minutes to bond with the new member of the family, the rest of the kids come in and we have family bonding.

Answer 2

I think it depends upon the age and maturity of the children. For instance, if a child has lived on a farm and has often seen large animals, (cows, horses) give birth, then witnessing a human birth would likely not be very traumatic, if at all. However, a child with no reference point to draw on will very likely be traumatized on many levels. Seeing their mother (presumably..!) in pain, bleeding and making distressing sounds will bother a child terribly. They will be very disturbed and the "bonding" that was most likely the intent will not happen, perhaps for much longer than if they had never witnessed the actual birth.

Unfortunately, I think the parents' idea of making childbirth a family event has been overplayed in many instances. The actual birth of a child is indeed a miracle, but it is not a public miracle, anymore than the conception of a child should be.

If you are considering having your children attend the birth of their sibling, I would strongly advise you to check with the hospital policy (if one is being used...) or discuss it with your midwife. They usually have a wealth of experiences to draw upon and can give you parameters upon which to base your decision. I am sure little Katie and Johnny say they want to see, but they are too young to know what they are agreeing to. We cannot assume that they are making an informed choice. That is our job as parents to do.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I believe it depends entirely on the age of the child. I'm due in September. My youngest daughter will be 21 months at the time... I believe she is far too young to understand what's going on. All she would know is that Mama is in pain. She would probably just be scared by the whole thing. Now, my older daughter was 16 when I had my youngest daughter. If she could have made it to the birth of her sister, I think that would have been appropriate.

So, how young is old enough? It depends on the child. My nephew is 7... I believe that at 7 my older daughter would have been able to handle being with me while I gave birth. My nephew just couldn't handle it at all. He would probably be more terrified than my almost two year old would be.

If this is something that you are considering, there is one thing you should keep in mind... the hospital where I gave birth to our daughter had a minimum age requirement for people who were going to be in the delivery room. Children younger than 14 could not be in the delivery room at all, no acceptions. Check with your hospital or birth facility and find out who could be with you before making your decision.

Good luck!

Answer 4

i read all the answers and i guess I'm an unpopular mom

I let my kids watch my daughter was 3 when she watched randy be born and 4 when Ben was born and SAM 10, randy was 6 and Ben was 5 when they watched joey be born and they thought it was great Ben even try ed to push the Dr out of the way to get a better look at what was happening I did have my sister there so that if anything went wrong she could take the kids out of the room and she removed them before the after birth came out i didn't want them to think it was another baby and something was wrong with it

i did sit down with them and explain to them what was going to happen step by step and what there part of it was

Answer 5

That depends on if you mean live, in the delivery room, or if you mean on a video. And what age. Middle and high schoolers, I believe, should watch a video of a woman giving birth in sex education classes. Any younger and it might be traumatic, and I don't think kids should have to watch a woman give birth live...unless it's the teenaged big sister and she wants to or something.

Answer 6

Depends on the age. My son is 9 and I am trying to decide how much he should be involved when I have my second child in 3 months. I don't want to scar him in any way, but he really wants to be there. I think the whole thing will just scare him. So I will probably make him stay in the waiting room the whole time with my mom. I think maybe a little older might be ok, maybe 12ish. Maybe it will keep them from becoming pregnant too young themselves after they see what it is like.

Answer 7

I think it depends on the age. It could really freak a young kid out, especially if its his or her own mother, My 15 year old sister was present during my second baby's birth, but given her age and maturity I think it was a good experience for her.

Answer 8

It depends on how old they are and how mature. If they are old enough to understand, then ask them if they would like to be in the room. If they are too young, then it might end up being a very confusing/traumatic experience for them.

Answer 9

Your dad's lady buddy's sister? Dang, i'm having a no longer undemanding time grasping who that even is to you. lol She might haven't any reason to get mad at you. I even have babysat interior the previous for a buddy. i might by no potential do it back. the youngster grow to be spoiled to the max and that i refuse to maintain a newborn that screams, smacks, pulls my hair, and hits me interior the face whilst she would not get her way. as nicely that it extremely is lots to undemanding to be accused of doing something to them. I in basic terms does certainly no longer do it back. And btw, changing a diaper is sort of self explanatory. i does no longer use that as an excuse. in basic terms tell her you haven't any longer have been given the endurance or something. or in basic terms be truthful and say NO. i do no longer in all danger desire to.

Answer 10

No. It's bound to be nothing but stressful for everyone involved.

I firmly believe that, aside from essential medical personel, nobody needs to be around when a baby comes out who wasn't there when it went in.