A few months ago, Rebecca, a mother of two made a decision to invite her 3-year-old daughter, Hunter to be present during her home birth. She wanted to create a special family moment and an unforgettable memory for her daughter and new-born son Rory.
Speaking to the website Working Mother she said, “I wanted Hunter to be as involved or not involved as she wanted to be and I didn’t want to have to be away from her.” This is also the reason she decided to give birth in the living room instead of having a water birth.
As she began to get into labour, she her husband went and brought 3-year-old Hunter into the room. According to her birth photographer and doula, Nicole Lachey, the little girl was reserved at first, but became more involved in the process.
“She would gently stroke her mom and tell her she was doing a great job and she kept exclaiming how excited she was to meet ‘her baby,'” she said. “When Rory started to crown, the midwife invited Hunter over to be the first to touch her baby brother. Hunter gladly reached over and put her finger on his head and said ‘it’s squishy.’
According to an Instagram post by doula Nicole, “Often clients ask me my thoughts on having children present at a birth. My answer is usually yes. Hunters parents prepared her so well for this experience. They discussed anatomy in proper terms. She knew the words “placenta” and she wasn’t afraid of the blood she saw.
She didn’t cower when her mother roared her brother out and she didn’t get nervous or concerned about it at all. She asked questions, she played with her babies, she ate snacks, and she kept us all entertained with her adorableness. She held her brothers head as he crowned, she cheered her mom on as she pushed him out, she rubbed her mother’s hair so gently as they both gazed lovingly at this new tiny life in front of them.
Once the Rory was born Nicole Lahey suggested that Hunter jump in for the skin to skin contact explaining the reason for this suggestion.
According to the post by Nicole she asked “Hunter, do you want to take your shirt off and hold your brother?” Without hesitation she began to take her shirt off, but she did ask me why she was taking her shirt off. I replied, “brand new babies love the feeling of your skin and you will love it too.” She was in heaven and didn’t want to give him back to his mom.
She held him with the biggest smile as he bobbed his head around looking for a breast. She giggled as we told her he wanted to nurse. Birth is the most normal part of life; share it with your children and teach them from the beginning that birth is nothing to fear. Birth is strength.”
As part of the birth preparation, Rebecca and her daughter watched a few birth videos to be prepared for the ‘real thing’ and on that fateful day Hunter was able to cheer and support her mother without batting an eye.
What do you think of including a toddler during your labour?
Soure: momspresso
