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Can you take other child into labour room?

Hi everyone, I am due to give birth to my 2nd baby in August and our 1st child will then be 19 months old. We don't have anyone to look after LO whilst I am in labour. Does anyone know if they allow you to have other children in room with you. My husband's parents are both dead and mine live in Scotland. I'm getting concerned that it will be a problem, and was wondering if anyone else had experienced similar with previous births?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. x:\?

Replies

  • I would ahve thought that each hospital has it;s own policy. Yu need to call the ward or birth cnetre and ask them, explaining your situation x
  • I'm in the same boat! I'll have an 8 year old and an 11 month old when I go into labour! we dont have anyone we can leave them with either and I was wondering the same!

    My neighbour has offered and said that if we get stuck to just knock! but he works away and has basically offered the services of his Poor wife who stays at home with a 4 year old and has just had one herself! so I cant really see us knocking on her door middle of the night! mind you last time my labour started in the morning and I was home by tea time!! would benice if that happened again! then the 8 year old would be dropped to school, and we'd only the eleven month old!

    I don't particuluary WANT my kids watching me labour, but then I suppose it would teach my 8 year old NOT to have sex till he was 30! and I need my hubby focused on me rather than caring for the little one, she crys if I get upset as it is! so her seeing me scream in pain etc will be a nightmare for her!!! lol

    So my plan is to start phoning around birth centres and the hospital ward to ask what they have set in place (if anything?) as I'm sure they get emergencies of people going into labour when away from home etc who may have been away with the kids! what do they do then? turn the kids away?!

    I'll let you know what I find out!
  • i dont want to sounds judegemental or anything but i seriously wouldnt want my child watching me give birth! it could be quite traumatic for them?!
  • I would have thought you'd need to contact wherever you're planning to give birth and ask them what their policy is - no they won't send the children away on their own, but if you have a partner with you they might send them with them so you'd be on your own - I would have thought most hospitals would rather have you there on your own than with children in the room. It could be very traumatic for the children, and they might get int he way in case of an emergency etc.

    Is a home birth an option?
  • As the others have said i'd speak to the place where you plan to give birth. I'm planning on having a home birth so that I don't have to worry about finding a baby sitter at short notice
  • could you not maybe try for a home birth if you have no one to look after you lo i no i have a 3 year old and there is no way he would stay content in a room for hours on end while i give birth and my oh would be too busy trying to entertain him rather than help me lol

    just an idea
  • I doubt you would be allowed to take your children. Have you spoken to your midwife? Maybe they could go to a foster carer who
    offers respite care or a childminder that does overnight. I know that may not be ideal but better than taking your children to hospital with you and likely to only be for a few hours.
  • i doubt they would allow it, it could be quite risky having kids in the room with all the equipment, and if something was to occur they would 'be in the way', if u can't find anyone its more likely that u'll ahve to labour alone while ur OH looks after the kids. i thought i was in the same position, i don't ahve anyone to look after ds (who will be 20-21months when the time comes), out of trust rather than distance really, don't trust my mum or my sister to do it, and they're the only family i have that aren't a plane or ferry ride away (brother lives jersey and in laws live in belgium), but i spoke to a few friends about my plight, not on the intent that one would offer, just general airing my worries, and it transpires i actually ahve a few friends who would be willing to (i didn't think they would be willing which is why i never asked as they all have young children themselves,a nd figured if its night time then i'd be screwed) but one as said she'd come round in the night as she understands i don't want to have to wake up ds and send him off elsewhere and would like to keep thinsg as normal as possible for him, and a few others have said if its day time they'll quite happily ahve him round theirs etc. so i realised i do ahve more options, although none of them are perfect choice but more desirable than my mum or sister, my 3 top people who i would prefer would be inlaws, brother/sil or my best friend, but she's due her baby 8 weeks before me, so liek i say i thought we were buggered but there are other options than parents/siblings. if a home birth is not an option for u (like me, high risk nd vbac so thats out of the question) then u could look into getting to know a good reliable baby sitter/minder in ur area, try netmums for that, or ask friends, or friends of friends who they use/recommend, make sure ur littlies are well integrated witht hem so they're used to them and that person knows ur ways and emans of doing things etc. sorry its not what u want to hear, but unfortunately i think it woyuld be an insurance risk for hospitals to have children in the delivery room, and even then, what would u do if it was v long and drawn out, wouldn't be at all practical to keep a oyoung child at the hospital with u for 24hours+. hope u find a solution xx
  • social services do an emergency care foster service dont they. my mum had to have surgery when i was young as social services were going to put me in a foster home while she was in hospital if nobody could have me, but my gran had me in the end.

    i had a homebirth with a birth pool and it was fab. i will be doing the same next time hopefully, especially as i have a baby now and wouldnt want to leave her. i didnt decidde on a hb until my 36 week appinntment and at 37 weeks the gas and air was in my living room waiting for baby. we have a small house and had to move the furniture up against the wall on one side of the room, leaving room for the pool and very little else! but it was fine. the amount of attention you get from the midwives is much more than in hospital too!
  •  llthis is helpful from shanie gateshi

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