Home birth including siblings

[StephiD3]

Hopefully having a home birth if all ok.

Has anyone had any experience of siblings being present? Even if not in the actual room but in the house?

My two boys age 7 &4 have asked can they be there for the birth !

3 year old was in the house with the grandparents... but it was a 2am birth so he met sibling in the morning while grandparents met new baby shortly after the birth.

And he stayed asleep! Wow! My two wake up to a pin drop so would be right in looking what's going on !!

Could think of nothing worse than grandparents being there - but they are my in-laws so...

Really interested in this. Had a home birth with DD and now pg with DC2.

How did your 3yo stay asleep?? You must have a bigger house or make less noise than I do I was shrieking throughout contractions at the end and stomping up and down the stairs.

DD will be 3y2m if this pg goes according to plan and I am scared she would be frightened or demand attention and frankly I won't be able to give it.

He was upstairs and in same bedroom as grandparents (moved mattress to the floor). GP had strict instructions not to come down until invited. They would have been kicked out of house if it had happened during the day. Had planned to palm 3yo off on friends for birth but baby was way overdue so GP had arrived already from other side of world.

I also had the fire brigade arrive, but I was so in my own zone I never saw them !

Johnny, I had a water birth. Pool always calms me down. I'm a screamer, not a stomper. Dc3 who I had to have in hospital came along with me bellowing v loudly. My previous 2 home births were much calmer

Fire brigade.....! Crikey.

Luckily my labour only lasted about an hour, so I think by the time the neighboirs had decided DH was murdering me and maybe they should say something, i was being stitched up!

Had DS (2.8) in house upstairs with a family member, he came and saw baby after she was born then went to bed.

I was in the house at ages 3 when my brother was born. I stayed downstairs with my Nana whilst Mum had my brother upstairs (unplanned) in my bed as it had a mattress protector on it!

I remember it well, I wasn't scared and I was the first person to hold my brother after the midwife, it's a pretty special memory.

I had my third while the other two were asleep. I bounced quietly and only called the midwife late on so she wasn't hanging around making noise. She was there for 45 mins before the birth and less than an hour afterwards, leaving at 1 am. My eldest woke at 4am because of baby crying and other DC woke in the morning as usual for cuddles in bed - it was perfect. I'm hoping for the same this time, can't imagine giving birth during the day!

Had two home births. Both with other DC staying with friends.
I wouldn't have wanted them in the house, in case of emergency.What would we have done a if a sudden ambulance dash to hospital was needed?Or in case they found it distressing .DDog apparently found my sounds distressing; I hadn't really been aware of making a noise!