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#1
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
We'd like to have the option of having the Bug (4.5 y/o) present at
the birth when the little dude is born. My mother, who is very involved in her life, would be at the hospital as the designated Bug manager so that they can go in and out of the room as seems appropriate. But of course I wouldn't want to spring this on her unawares, and am more mystified and apprehensive about how to open the discussion with her about the (relatively) gory details of birth than I am about actually having her there. I know a lot of people on these lists have had older siblings present at birth and am curious about any good resources you know of (books, videos, whatever) to educate preschool age children about birth. Growing up as a doctor's daughter she's generally knowledgeable about the body and enjoys looking at my rather graphic medical school anatomy textbook. She particularly likes the drawing of the abdominal wall splayed open to show the stomach and intestines -- point being, she's not squeamish about this sort of thing, so I could see a non-kid oriented photographic book about pregnancy and birth also serving as a good tool to prepare her. Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel and the Bug, 4 and a half and something brewing, 4/08 |
#2
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
On Mar 7, 3:22�pm, Akuvikate wrote:
We'd like to have the option of having the Bug (4.5 y/o) present at the birth when the little dude is born. �My mother, who is very involved in her life, would be at the hospital as the designated Bug manager so that they can go in and out of the room as seems appropriate. �But of course I wouldn't want to spring this on her unawares, and am more mystified and apprehensive about how to open the discussion with her about the (relatively) gory details of birth than I am about actually having her there. � My midwife had a whole lending library of videos about home births. I know we watched a couple with the girls (who were only just four when Peter was born). We weren't planning to have them there, but wanted them to be prepared in case the birth happened to be really fast and did happen with them at home. (Ha! it was a first labor, the twins having been C-section, and took days.) I'm sorry I can't remember titles, but http://www.homebirthvideos.com has a lot. --Helen S. |
#3
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
What about watching a couple birth shows, like A Baby Story or Birth Day.
Ask her how she feels about being there when Jr. is born. Explain that you may make sounds or cry out, but that it's good pain, blah blah blah. Let her know that Nana will be there with her and she could leave at any time, etc. Then let her decide. It sounds like she is a good candidate, since she isn't squeamish. -- Jamie Clark "Akuvikate" wrote in message ... We'd like to have the option of having the Bug (4.5 y/o) present at the birth when the little dude is born. My mother, who is very involved in her life, would be at the hospital as the designated Bug manager so that they can go in and out of the room as seems appropriate. But of course I wouldn't want to spring this on her unawares, and am more mystified and apprehensive about how to open the discussion with her about the (relatively) gory details of birth than I am about actually having her there. I know a lot of people on these lists have had older siblings present at birth and am curious about any good resources you know of (books, videos, whatever) to educate preschool age children about birth. Growing up as a doctor's daughter she's generally knowledgeable about the body and enjoys looking at my rather graphic medical school anatomy textbook. She particularly likes the drawing of the abdominal wall splayed open to show the stomach and intestines -- point being, she's not squeamish about this sort of thing, so I could see a non-kid oriented photographic book about pregnancy and birth also serving as a good tool to prepare her. Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel and the Bug, 4 and a half and something brewing, 4/08 |
#4
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
I second Jamie's idea. I would watch the shows, especially the ones on the
Discovery Channel because those are more realistic. Watching those with her will open up a discussion about it. I do know that one of the midwives on the pregnancy group has a website with lots of videos and pictures of births, but darn it I cannot remember her name right now. (Anne, was it Stephanie, but I don't remember her website). -- Sue (mom to three girls) "Akuvikate" wrote in message ... We'd like to have the option of having the Bug (4.5 y/o) present at the birth when the little dude is born. My mother, who is very involved in her life, would be at the hospital as the designated Bug manager so that they can go in and out of the room as seems appropriate. But of course I wouldn't want to spring this on her unawares, and am more mystified and apprehensive about how to open the discussion with her about the (relatively) gory details of birth than I am about actually having her there. I know a lot of people on these lists have had older siblings present at birth and am curious about any good resources you know of (books, videos, whatever) to educate preschool age children about birth. Growing up as a doctor's daughter she's generally knowledgeable about the body and enjoys looking at my rather graphic medical school anatomy textbook. She particularly likes the drawing of the abdominal wall splayed open to show the stomach and intestines -- point being, she's not squeamish about this sort of thing, so I could see a non-kid oriented photographic book about pregnancy and birth also serving as a good tool to prepare her. Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel and the Bug, 4 and a half and something brewing, 4/08 |
#5
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
Sue wrote: I second Jamie's idea. I would watch the shows, especially the ones on the Discovery Channel because those are more realistic. Watching those with her will open up a discussion about it. I do know that one of the midwives on the pregnancy group has a website with lots of videos and pictures of births, but darn it I cannot remember her name right now. (Anne, was it Stephanie, but I don't remember her website). I think you mean BirthDiaries.com Clisby |
#6
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
I second Jamie's idea. I would watch the shows, especially the ones on the Discovery Channel because those are more realistic. Watching those with her will open up a discussion about it. I do know that one of the midwives on the pregnancy group has a website with lots of videos and pictures of births, but darn it I cannot remember her name right now. (Anne, was it Stephanie, but I don't remember her website). I think you mean BirthDiaries.com yup, that site owner's name is Stephanie, her screen name was Elfanie. Anne |
#7
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
On Mar 7, 4:22 pm, Akuvikate wrote:
We'd like to have the option of having the Bug (4.5 y/o) present at the birth when the little dude is born. My mother, who is very involved in her life, would be at the hospital as the designated Bug manager so that they can go in and out of the room as seems appropriate. But of course I wouldn't want to spring this on her unawares, and am more mystified and apprehensive about how to open the discussion with her about the (relatively) gory details of birth than I am about actually having her there. I know a lot of people on these lists have had older siblings present at birth and am curious about any good resources you know of (books, videos, whatever) to educate preschool age children about birth. My kids watched "Unconventional Births / Born in the USA" from Puget Sound Birth & Family Center. I got it free at a conference. It included home, birth center and hospital births. Most of the women did a good bit of screaming and even the home births were more interventionist than I was comfortable with. None of this bothered the kids, ages 3, 6, and 9. This is interesting since we have a TV free home and my 6 yo finds almost any children's movie too scary. They asked to watch it over and over. I shared my opinions on how each birth was handled. I think it was good for them to see the families on the video and hear their stories in addition to the births. When it came to the actual birth, the kids were in the living room and rushed in the moment they heard the first cry. This meant that they were there to see their sister right away, but were also present for the scary stuff. There was a lot more blood involved than any birth video would have and my disappearance to the hospital. My 3 yo is the only one (other than the midwives) who seems to have been bothered by seeing all the blood. In the days after the birth, she asked about it repeatedly. Now, a month later, she seems fine. I don't regret allowing my kids to be around. --Betsy |
#8
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
On Mar 7, 7:22�pm, Akuvikate wrote:
We'd like to have the option of having the Bug (4.5 y/o) present at the birth when the little dude is born. �My mother, who is very involved in her life, would be at the hospital as the designated Bug manager so that they can go in and out of the room as seems appropriate. �But of course I wouldn't want to spring this on her unawares, and am more mystified and apprehensive about how to open the discussion with her about the (relatively) gory details of birth than I am about actually having her there. �I know a lot of people on these lists have had older siblings present at birth and am curious about any good resources you know of (books, videos, whatever) to educate preschool age children about birth. �Growing up as a doctor's daughter she's generally knowledgeable about the body and enjoys looking at my rather graphic medical school anatomy textbook. �She particularly likes the drawing of the abdominal wall splayed open to show the stomach and intestines -- point being, she's not squeamish about this sort of thing, so I could see a non-kid oriented photographic book about pregnancy and birth also serving as a good tool to prepare her. Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel and the Bug, 4 and a half and something brewing, 4/08 I've watched "A Baby Story" with my two older kids (now ages 7 and 4.5) and discussed the birth process with them, not because I'm planning to have them in the delivery room with me (I don't like distraction when I'm laboring) but because they were interested in how babies come out. One thing I found helpful was reframing the labor process as "hard work" rather than "incredible pain" -- I told them that the mommy has to work very hard to get the baby out, and that hard work can hurt, but I kept the focus on the work involved. And I told them that even though the hard work can be painful, the mommy is so excited to see the baby and doesn't mind working hard for it. Also, when they remarked on the bloodiness of the process, I told them that mommies make lots of extra blood when they're pregnant and they don't need that blood anymore so it's okay that it comes out with the baby. I think it's just important that kids realize that there's nothing *wrong* with the mother during labor, that everything that happens is okay and just part of having a baby. Good luck! Bryna |
#9
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
On Mar 7, 3:22 pm, Akuvikate wrote:
We'd like to have the option of having the Bug (4.5 y/o) present at the birth when the little dude is born. My mother, who is very involved in her life, would be at the hospital as the designated Bug manager so that they can go in and out of the room as seems appropriate. But of course I wouldn't want to spring this on her unawares, and am more mystified and apprehensive about how to open the discussion with her about the (relatively) gory details of birth than I am about actually having her there. I know a lot of people on these lists have had older siblings present at birth and am curious about any good resources you know of (books, videos, whatever) to educate preschool age children about birth. Growing up as a doctor's daughter she's generally knowledgeable about the body and enjoys looking at my rather graphic medical school anatomy textbook. She particularly likes the drawing of the abdominal wall splayed open to show the stomach and intestines -- point being, she's not squeamish about this sort of thing, so I could see a non-kid oriented photographic book about pregnancy and birth also serving as a good tool to prepare her. Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel and the Bug, 4 and a half and something brewing, 4/08 You're better off having your husband watch the kids in the waiting room while you give birth. Spare the husband and kids your ordeal. Regards... |
#10
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Preparing sibling for birth process?
" wrote in
oups.com: You're better off having your husband watch the kids in the waiting room while you give birth. Spare the husband and kids your ordeal. what the hell are you doing trolling here? slow night on a.g.? can't you go poke at Olympiada or something & stir up stuff that way? lee -- Last night while sitting in my chair I pinged a host that wasn't there It wasn't there again today The host resolved to NSA. |
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