What age is too young to witness child birth?

I’ve been reading a posted question from a mother asking if people think its ok for her son to watch he give birth. I find it very intriguing and I also wonder what age is too young? My daughter is a very mature 3.5 year old who has been so excited about the upcoming arrival of her baby brother or sister in November. She started getting into it all when I pregnant with my now 14 month old. We were watching a lot of ‘Baby Story’, ‘One Born Every Minute’ etc on Foxtel. She knows exactly how babies are born and what happens during labour and goes into great detail with what happens. I feel like she would be able handle seeing the labour. I wonder if I had her around me until it was time to go to hospital and then have her following my husband and I in another car with a relative and then come into the room as the baby was being born so she can experience what is happening, would that be too much for her. I was wondering what others think?

Posted by anon, 27/06/2013

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- - Ellen said
  - 08 Oct 2020
    8:57 am
When you’re happy with it yourself and think your daughter would love this and can handle it, then go for it !
- - mom390666 said
  - 28 Aug 2019
    2:42 pm
I think 3.5 is too young… personally
- - june11 said
  - 29 Jan 2016
    8:27 pm
If your daughter is in with you and gets distressed is she going to be willing to leave if need be without distressing you and making you handling the birth worse too. I doubt the hospital will agree to your idea. I doubt they have gowns etc. small enough to put on her. I know a 14 year old who attended her sister when she gave birth. She had to wear a gown etc.,
- - mom143044 said
  - 18 Oct 2015
    8:00 pm
I would never let my children watch. Given that so many things can go wrong, I just feel its too much for children.
- - mom81879 said
  - 14 Sep 2015
    6:59 pm
I would never have my kids in at a childbirth. How traumatic for them to see someone experiencing so much pain. No way especially as they’re not even old enough to fully understand what’s happening
- - mom99528 said
  - 28 Apr 2015
    10:18 pm
Ultimately it is your decision, if you think she could ask her.p what she would like to do.
- - mom105598 said
  - 01 Jan 2015
    11:22 pm
Everyone will have there own opinions, go with your gut feeling, its your life and family and if ppl cant accept that its not your problem, good luck.
- - lozzamill said
  - 11 Aug 2014
    9:31 pm
Depends on the child’s maturity but a child under 10 I probably wouldn’t, especially being the parent of the child watching….lots of scary noises with child birth
- - Mis Jo said
  - 30 Jul 2014
    11:53 am
Under 5 i would think!
- - fruitwood said
  - 01 Jun 2014
    10:13 pm
I think it really depends on your personal opinion. Many hospitals have an age limit for birthing rooms. Personally I think anything under the age of 8 is too young but it’s completely up to you. Maybe discuss it with your midwife.
- - ljsalomon said
  - 24 Jan 2014
    1:43 pm
What did you end up deciding?
- - tobysmummy said
  - 08 Jan 2014
    10:38 pm
She may understand it when watching television, but when that’s her mummy crying out, it may be different.
- - coppin85 said
  - 30 Dec 2013
    8:39 pm
what did you decide on?
- - kathryn said
  - 29 Dec 2013
    9:56 am
I think it depends on the child and so the parent would be the best person to judge. I don’t think there is a specific age.
- - ljsalomon said
  - 28 Dec 2013
    9:50 pm
It is purely up to you. As long as you think it won’t effect her in any way.
- - meltingmoment said
  - 22 Dec 2013
    9:18 pm
Did you decide to let your daughter to witness it or not?
- - kjgarner said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    11:53 pm
What did you end up deciding?
- - snoopy said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    10:29 pm
I hope you have found some helpful suggestions here.
- - meltingmoment said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    6:07 am
I think that is a little young – she won’t want to see you in pain or crying, the smell of blood isn’t that pleasant. Maybe a teenager yes.
- - snoopy said
  - 21 Oct 2013
    7:44 am
I can’t see how a 3.5 year old could comprehend it all. Maybe parts of it, but not everything that happens in the heat of the moment. It is not worth the risk if something unforeseen were to happen to her mummy, I think that would be awful for a young child to witness.