When a child is present for the birth of his or her new sibling, they are able to connect better with that baby and welcome it into their family with less jealousy or anger. You may find that they want to watch them over and over and may start imitating the birth process and sounds in their play. These are positive and natural reactions to the exposure of birth. This should not be your main labor support person. This person should be open to missing the actual birth if, for some reason, your child doesn't feel like they want to be in the room at that time.
Labor is sometimes long, and a bit boring, to children.
Although this book was written in 1978, the information and photographs are timeless. Touching stories from families all over the country about their experience with natural birth with their children present. Includes a handful of versions of birth from the sibling's perspective. How to prepare, why it's much easier for family transition, and how seeing birth impacts children. Children At Birth From the loving couple that brought the book of the same name comes a touching video that features four, natural, unmedicated births at home, in a birth center and at the hospital.