Labor Room Parties: Who Should Be There? Our Readers Write!

Name: Keida • Due Date: 01/29/2007

My husband and mother will attend the birth of my newborn child. I'm thinknin of letting my 8 yr old come also. Is that a good idea?

Name: Krystal • Due Date: 12/19/2006

The baby's father and I are not really together anymore we are more the best friends that we started out being............with feeling like he is more of a friend to me I am feeling a bit uncomfortable with having him in the room with me while giving birth..............although he is very excited as this is his first child.............I feel like it would be wrong to deny him this............but would feel extremely awkward having him there........what should I do?

Name: lia • Due Date: 12/24/2006

well this is my first pregnancy i am due in december 24th (christmas eve) and my mother in law and sister in law want to be there, but i havent heard nothing from my father in law or youngest sister in law but i dont think i would feel too comfortable having them there. I would only like my husband,mother and possibly oldest sister in law and mother in law, i dont think i want his youngest sister and father because i am not close to them, i would feel very uncomfortable.how should i go about telling them this, i dont want them to feel bad, but i dont want to feel uncomfortable either, i feel like this is my time and if i really wanted to be mean, i wouldnt let nobody but my husband and mom in.

Name: priya • Due Date: 04/01/2007

Birthing is a family event. I think, everyone in the family should be in the labor room.

Name: Diana Shirley • Due Date: 01/19/2007

I am having my fourth child. My children are 18,15 &12, my youngest is extremly excited to be having a sibling and can't wait. He is very adamant about being there for the birth and my husband and I are all for it, I believe this experience will affect the whole family and children especially if they are older should be given the opportuninty to be as involved as they feel comfortable. I feel this will brung us even closer as a family and look forward to sharing this glorious life experience with anyone in the family who wishes to partipate.

Name: Jennifer • Due Date: 09/22/2006

I have scheduled a repeat Cesarean section for my daughter's birth. My son is 13 years old, and this pregnancy with my daughter was a surprise. My son has decided that he wants to attend his sister's birth. I am in complete support of this, and thankfully, my physician is ok with it. Cody has already bonded with Joyita in many ways, though she is not yet born. He plays his guitar for her, sings to her, reads to her, talks to her, and "kisses" her, so this is a natural decision for us to make. He is well-prepared as far as knowing what to expect, and is looking forward to cutting the umbilical cord and being present at all the procedures, and even said that he will "make sure the nurses don't give (his) sister any nasty formula!" He is also prepared for how he will see me, with tubes, iv's, and strapped down (if they choose to do that at the hospital), and he is taking it well. I have told my friends and family that Cody is the ONLY one who will be in the OR with me, and will accompany his sister to the nursery should she have to go, and that they can phone him on his cell phone later in the afternoon to see how things went and to know that Joyita and I are doing well, or that he will call them. He already has the list of people to call! He is looking forward to this responsibility/ blessing, and will handle it well and with maturity. If he were not mature enough to handle it, I would not let him be such a big part, but another child is a blessing to the whole family, so it is his right to be there with his sister. I am not with Joyita's father, and so my son is happy to get to be the one there to support me, even though my best friend who is a physician would also be a natural choice.