Who was present at your birth?

[LatoyaLondon]

I would like my mum and partner present. I know people who have had friends present, aunts, and one had a doula. Out of pure curiosity, who did you have present at the birth of your child(ren) and why?

Am Speedy Gonzalez!

DC1, DH & two midwives (15 minutes after reaching hospital)
DC 2 DH & paramedics (at home, very quickly. Docs and midwives came 2 minutes later)
DC3 DH & midwives (again 15 minutes after reaching hospital)

DD - my partner, my midwife, a consultant and a crash team. Had her in hospital, nightmare experience.

DS - My partner, 3 midwives. I had him at home and it was wonderful.

Oh, and I was present at both births

My partner and my sister.

Initially, it was only going to be my partner but I was in hospital so long, my sister came to visit and stayed throughout the birth. Im glad it worked out that way though. If I have another, I want her there too.

Oh and obviously a couple of midwives!

My husband
Anaesthetist
Surgeon
Couple of theatre assistants
Some paediatric staff

Baby was delivered by elcs at 34 weeks due to problems with blood flow through the placenta. She was whisked straight off to nicu.

I'd been hoping for a home water birth (with just husband and midwives present), so it was pretty far from what I wanted.

Baby no 1 - DH and a midwife. Another midwife came at the last minute and stuck a needle in my thigh! But I delivered baby once her head was out.

Baby no 2 - DH, a midwife and a student midwife. I needed a McRoberts manoeuvre so DH and the student were handy for hauling my legs up to my ears!

Hubby and midwife and was nice, if mum was there might have... Definitely would have... Relied on her more and hubby would have been useless, aka he picked first outift but took ages as we had different sizes packed whereas mum would have just known so I'd have asked her, but then I wouldn't look at photos think aaaw hub picked that outfit and hat and baby looks a little mismatched cutie!

DH, MIL (DH has a medical phobia so needed support, and I didn't want to worry about him fainting, plus she's one of those calm supportive types), midwife and student midwife.

Still not told 'D'M that MIL was there, she wouldn't understand.

I had my husband (now ex) and midwife (s) present. My 3rd child was born at home and my 2 eldest children were downstairs watching the telly.
If I was doing it again I'd probably just have the midwife there. I didn't really need any other support, and my ex would have been just as happy (or happier) to wait outside until the baby was born.

My plan was for me and DH to turn up to the hospital a gnat's knicker away from our house and shout "Give me the drugs!!"

This didn't happen because I am a tit. I went off singing in France with my women's sea shanty troupe when I was heavily pregnant - my mum said if I was going to be so pig-headed, she was going to come with me - I got carried away and ran round a capstan and a couple of hours later my waters broke.

And you know what? Mum was a hell of a lot more useful than DH would have been. He'd have been as clueless as I was. Also, all he can say in French is "Pour aller a la banque?"

We've got used to the idea that dads are the first-choice birthing partner. In a way, this is great. It's great for dads to be hands-on, supportive, involved etc etc etc.

But I do wonder if we've lost a certain amount of maternal solidarity thereby.

Actually I wrote a poem about it, but Mum doesn't like it
wordsmiths2801.wordpress.com/2018/03/11/the-maternite/

@Blugh my brother would make silly comments. And then faint :D

I do think having the dad there has become the default and it's now regarded as unusual and frowned upon not to (a complete 180 turn from a few decades ago!)

TBH though I definitely want my husband there, he's my biggest support and cheerleader, he's seen me at my lowest and he's celebrated with me at my highest. I trust him completely and he knows me better than my mum does at this stage. He's also very involved with the baby. He's the first person I want to be there. I appreciate not everyone has a supportive relationship but if you do then you really should want them there!

DD - no-one I knew the name of (my mother was my birth partner, and she chickened out at the last minute);

the porter who had just pushed me on a trolley from 'labour room' to 'delivery room' (while I screamed 'I want to push' and 'give me back my gas and air');

multiple doctors/midwives, none of whom I had met while in labour and all of whom seemed to be yelling at me to push - (think I shouted back 'I know when to fucking push you fucking idiots');

also about a gazillion medical students whose presence I was asked to consent to one minute before she was delivered.

This was a totally straightforward vaginal delivery in hospital in the 1980's.

DS - two midwives, one student midwife, my husband and my best friend, all present throughout my labour at home.
No shouting, no screaming and no gas and air required.

DC1 - DH and loads of other medical staff - no idea how many as was off head on gas and air, pethidine, you name it It was a tricky birth.

DC2 - DH, midwife and student midwife.

Dh, mil midwife until emergency buzero pressed then a team of 7 ppl no idea who

I read "my birth" as in, me coming out of my mum

Ds1 - my mum, dh, annoying not-listening midwife, then six million obstetricians who ran in when she pushed the red button

Ds2 - dh and one laissez-faire midwife (loved her)

Husband and one midwife initially. Then aneasthetist came in to try and give me an epidural after me begging for one, but it was too late.

About six other doctors, etc....

I was pretty fucked from the gas and air and morphine so it's all a bit hazy, haha.

Husband was a bit shell shocked so I only really remember the midwife and the woman who sewed me up.

Dd - partner, midwife, student midwife, registrar, paediatrician, student paediatrician
Ds - partner, two midwives

My DH, and the midwives. i believe its a really private moment between a couple and i would only consider a relative if I couldnt have a partner.

Well, i say midwives but DD1 there was LOADS of doctors etc for her at 27 weeks and i was fairly drugged up :/

My Mum I expect. Not sure about anyone else

I did it on my own with the midwives.

For DS it was DH, a student MW & the MW in the delivery suite .

For DD it was DH only (he had to catch the baby!!). It was a planned home birth but DD arrived before the MW did.

I know my mum wanted to be present but I knew that she would only panic and get stressed about everything, which in turn would have made things really hard for me. She wasn't happy when I told her I just wanted DH there but at the end of the day it was my decision to make.

For me it was dp and 3 paramedics. This child wasn't hanging about.