it'd be a lovely book Jan. My one week old son came to my sister's first birth with me and was great. Other than feeding he was a sleepy head still, in his basket in the corner. But he woke when his cousin was born and they wahhed together until both found the breast.
Our cat was around when my boy arrived on the living room floor and almost 13 years later she is still his guardian and unusually tolerant of him. She used to come and find me and miaow until I followed when he began to stir in his cot. A s a toddler he hated having his teeth cleaned and one day when he was squirming and fussing she bit my hand. One birth I attended the couple had two little dogs - and how they would cope was one of their greatest concerns. When labour was really strong and the woman was in her spa bath she reached out to reassure him but the two dogs were very excited when the baby was born, paws up on the edge of the spa or for the littlest one, I was holding him up to be part of it all. Margie At Sat, 30 Nov 2002 05:37:06 +1100, Jan Robinson ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: > On 27/11/02 10:30 PM, "Robyn Thompson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > I just need to comment on little and older children with their > mum and day > > at the very special family occasion - birth of a new baby. > > > > Flexibility, inclusion, patience, discussion, eye contact, > listen, touch, > > talk and be very aware of the innate individuality of children > with their > > mum's at birth. I have been given the most wonderful > opportunity to learn > > how creative, astute and innate these children are and even the > family > > animals are when they are present at this wonderful life-time > experience. > > Again they are just as wonderful at the other end of the life > cycle death. > > My grandchildren have given me the most wonderful assistance and > I have > > learnt how they are able to cope with anything when they helped > me care for > > their dying grandfather at home. Peter Lucas will support me on > this one. > > > > I have a plethora of slides and these are used on Power Point to > share with > > others, to show how these children are innate and how they each > participate > > in their own special way. Children are wonderful full of innate > knowledge. > > Each child is special and will deal with the situation in a very > individual > > way. Just tune in and see and feel the experience. I have been > involved > > with hundreds of children and family pets and they are my > teachers. My video > > Birthing Naturally shows the involvement of 4 children in the > same family. > > I am sure Jan Robinson and Annie Sprague will back me up on > this. Listen to > > the children they know than we can imagine they know. Just like > the newborn > > so far advanced they have taught me just how wonderful they are > at > > communicating right from the minute they are born. > > > > Best wishes to all > > > > > > Robyn Thompson > > Melbourne Midwifery > > Specialist Services Pty Ltd (abn 34 007 423 994) > > Independent Midwifery Practice > > > > Midwife Practitioner > > * Homebirth > > * Lactation > > * Maternal & Child Health > > > > www.melbmidwifery.com.au > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > I agree entirely with what Robyn has put forward here. > I too have learned much from children and family pets present at > births and > love to prepare them to be present if that's what they want ... > Many > memories came flooding back as I read Robyn's contribution. > Seeing the role of the white rat held in a young child's arms for > comfort as > he watched his new sister come into the world (my first homebirth > 21 years > ago).... then on to pet budgies talking through the woman's noises > but > respectfully quiet when she was quiet also .... to small dogs > running in > circles around the room, joining in the family's excitement at the > new > arrival ... and a cat (not belonging to the couple) coming and > sitting on > the doorstep and cleaning itself just after I had to resuscitate a > newborn > baby (we all thought the cat had come to share one of it's nine > lives). The > cat just sat in the filtered morning sunlight cleaning itself for > a while > and then when all had settled in the household, disappeared, and > we never > saw it again. The couple had never seen it before either... It > just seemed > to come from nowhere during the crisis and then disappear after > all was well > again. > > The latest episode of animal behaviour was "Mohican" a Rhodesian > ridgeback > who doted on his mistress and never left her side all day of her > first > labour. When she entered the pool late in the labour and was > resting her > head on the side, Moey just put his head right next to hers and > let her know > he was still there with her and waiting. After the baby was born > he never > left his side all night. Every day I would visit and Moey would be > there > beside the baby (apart from greeting me). Pets really understand > the art of > comforting. > The children already seem to gather great understanding of fetal > growth and > development as they are closely involved in the prenatal visits. > They pat > the baby, measure the baby and listen to it's heartbeat and always > tell me > "their" name for the baby. They love to feel the baby's movements > under > their hand (sometimes little ones are a bit rough on their poor > mother who > patiently lies there while they "attend" to the palpation. Often > little ones > then lie down on the floor beside their mother and demand that I > listen to > "their" baby as well. Up comes the T-shirt while I listen to their > heart > with the Doppler. > At birth children are so supportive of their mother (if they are > awake.) > Sometimes the older boys just want to get back into bed and be > woken when > the baby is coming, the the girls stick by their mother through > thick and > thin and learn so much about patience and perseverance through this > experience. All love to get into the action with the new baby and > cuddle > into mum while she breastfeeds. I have even seen little boys sit > beside Mum > with their teddy who they breastfeed while Mum feeds the new baby. > > Really tiny toddlers can sometimes be a nuisance in that they take > away the > mother's focus on her contractions. Often the labour slows down > and not > until they are taken for a walk or a special treat does the labour > suddenly > hot up and the baby pops out like magic. New babies seem to know > innately > when the time is right to get Mum's undivided attention. > > The major benefit to older children is that they see natural birth > and their > father supporting their mother in a loving way while they all > welcome their > new baby into the world. They can then move on to have baby's of > their own > without fear sometime in the future. > Tiny tots reinforce what they have learned from the experience by > acting out > the maternal role (and sometimes what they have seen their father > doing) for > ages. They talk unceasingly about "when we had our baby" and will > often tell > me when I visit "they can't talk know, they are busy having the > baby!" > My own grand daughter is good at that one! She uses it as an > excuse when she > does not want to come to me. When she eventually goes through the > motions > and decides to honour me with her presence I often remind her > about the > placenta.. And she pops back into her favourite place and stands > up and > "pushes the placenta out". Then we have a cuddle. > > I'm started on one of my favourite subjects here, thank you Robyn > and Annie. > Perhaps there is an idea for a book here .... Any other ozmidders > want to > contribute their stories of children and pets at birth? I'd better > get off > this list before I start to write it! > > Cheers to all > Jan Robinson > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -------------------------------------------------------- Looking for a free email account? Get one now at http://www.freemail.com.au/ --------------------------------------------------------
