Here's Whom I Want To Be In The Delivery Room With Me

As your due date arrives, you brace up for the big day well in advance – you even have your hospital bag ready right there. But did you ever give a thought as to who you would want by your side in the delivery room? Not that you would be there all by yourself (you dare not be), and not that you will enjoy the company of the midwives (but you will need them); you simply want that moral support that will help you see through the excruciating pain and fear. So here’s what you need to consider:

In This Article

Spouse Vs In-Laws Vs Mother Vs Sibling

Now this one could get tricky. You can’t have all of them in the delivery room with you. If you must choose one, it could be quite a debate. You mother has had the experience, and she must have loaded you with ample advice and would have showered you with so much care already, that you wouldn’t mind her being there for you on the last leg of your pregnancy. But then, you have a sister who also happens to be your best friend. Her very presence gives you the strength that you look up to. But hey, your spouse is the most intimate of them all who helped create you the baby.

However, it turns out that at least 98% of women like their partners to be in the delivery room with them. It’s a different thing that most husbands almost faint seeing their wives going into labor and screaming. They are clueless and can go berserk about what to do and what not to. That said, women are also known to muster some courage as they hold their partner’s hands at the time of labor.

It also turns out that at least 29% of women want the support of their parents or in-laws. While having your husband might be an easier choice, you wouldn’t want your mother to step out of the scene at the same time! Father could get equally concerned, but you could throw anger in their face if they make an inadvertent query about how you are feeling. Hell! What do you think labor feels like!?

9% of women like to have the presence of their siblings in the delivery room. Particularly true for those whose sisters are their best friends. Having siblings in the labor room is like having the best pals who can make the mood and the scene a bit more relaxing than anyone else can. What’s more, you might even have surprise pictures of you in the delivery room being posted to you on your birthday!

Just about 4% of women rely on best friends who are very much there for you, but at the same time don’t expect too many courtesies of a woman who has just delivered her baby!

About 10% of women seem to mark the latest trend by inviting someone else, such as a doula or a labor coach because you don’t want anyone immediate to see you in pain and witness the process – especially when it is your husband who might see the scene and abstain from sex life.

In The Waiting Room

Check with your hospital. Most hospitals have a restriction upon how many visitors they can allow with the patient. A two-person rule besides the mother is the norm at most places. On one hand, the new mother would be too tired to exchange smiles with the visitors, and on the other, the aisles could get a bit too noisy for the newbie. You don’t want the doctor to intervene and ask one of you to stay mum for a while. It’s always best to take turns to arrive at the hospital if you wanted to visit the newborn and his mother.

Think About The Timing

While you might allow a few people, it might as well turn out that towards or during labor, you don’t want to see the same people there. Also, it’s natural for women to want to hold their babies first-hand and spend solitary moments with the newborn instead of sharing it with a gamut of people (whom they might have welcomed, but can’t entertain for some time now).

Road To Recovery

A normal birthing doesn’t need as much time as a C-section birthing would, for recovery. In fact, your C-section might want you to put off the visitors for a bit too long – your mobility would have also gone down. So at the end of the day, just think of what matters the most to you and advise your loved ones on when to pay a visit.

There you have it. Choose wisely, as the choice is all yours, mommies!

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