Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.7.0.8 $; site uiucuxc
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!pking
From: pking@uiucuxc.Uiuc.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: siblings witnessing delivery
Message-ID: <104200005@uiucuxc>
Date: Wed, 14-Aug-85 08:57:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucuxc.104200005
Posted: Wed Aug 14 08:57:00 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Aug-85 04:35:54 EDT
References: <640@ttidcc.UUCP>
Lines: 24
Nf-ID: #R:ttidcc.UUCP:-64000:uiucuxc:104200005:000:1172
Nf-From: uiucuxc.Uiuc.ARPA!pking    Aug 14 07:57:00 1985


WHen our last child was born some four years ago, our older 
children were six and four.  At that time the concept of
siblings being present at delivery's was fairly new in 
our area.  my husband and i talked about it and then 
our oldest,(a boy) and his father watched a pbs program 
on childbirth.  our son was very upset by the program and
the idea that there was going to be pain for me in order to 
get his new sister.

I spent a great deal of time after that consoling him and talking 
to him about what was going on, and the idea of the pain I was
going to experience.  After that he attended a class given by the
hospital where I was delivering for siblings but still seemed 
distressed, his point being he hated to see me in any kind of
pain.  Needless to say he didn't witness the delivery, nor did 
our younger child.  It is not a decision I regret.  Our older 
children are and were from the time she came home from the hospital
very involved in their sister's life, and have enjoyed her 
very much.  

Currently I still have very large doubts about the wisdom of 
allowing siblings to watch the birth, but what is right for
me and mine may not be for others.