Be There When Your Grandchild Is Born!
The birth of a new family member is a momentous occasion. The happiness, fulfillment and spiritual joy that every baby brings resonates within the hearts of all family members.
In the past we have mentioned how important it is for grandparents to attend the birth of their grandchild. Many families remain reluctant to do so, though ... for lots of reasons. One young mother only wanted her husband with her in the delivery room. A grandmother- to-be said: "I know my daughter-in-law would rather be with her own mother at a time like this." And according to a delivery ward nurse: "I can't have the whole family in the delivery room, it isn't sanitary."
As for grandparents themselves, some feel that they're too busy to make time for the birth of their grandchild. As one grandfather said: "I can't leave work."
As legitimate as they may be, these arguments miss the point. Of course some people are modest, some people are busy, and hospitals have policies for a reason ...
But the point isn't to have Grandma and Grandpa looking over the doctor's shoulder when the baby comes. Just being nearby is enough. Whether it's Grandma in the delivery room and Grandpa in the waiting room, or both just outside the door, the point is that grandparents should be there to welcome the baby, thank the new parents for the gift of the child, offer to help in any way necessary ... most of all to share the joy.
We would like to know how you feel about attending your grandchild's birth. What are your experiences and your feelings on this important matter? Let us know!
One happy report"I have to tell you that this was the most profound experience of my life. Even giving birth to my own two daughters was overshadowed by this experience.
"My daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby boy just before midnight. Her husband and I had been with her since early afternoon helping her with her breathing and her pushes. Her father was in the room as well watching and taking pictures. I watched her work, and her husband and I worked right along with her. Being part of this gave me the opportunity to see my little girl, my baby, turn into a beautiful, loving mother.
"As midnight approached, she was becoming
exhausted, and then...with one more push...the baby's head began to appear. I could hardly
contain my joy...I cried out loud 'Oh, you can see his head coming.' She kept
pushing and we kept counting and all of a sudden, he popped out! The tears were flowing down everyone's cheeks and the excitement was
almost unbearable. Our work had come to a glorious end and our love and joy was
boundless. It was the greatest celebration I've ever been to...that Celebration of Life!
"I heartily recommend that every grandparent who has the chance to participate in the birth
of their
grandchild do so. There is absolutely nothing on this earth like it. I sincerely hope I
get another chance to do it."
Another view.
"My daughter became pregnant at 17, near the end of her sophomore
year of high school. I intended to stand by with a camera for the first shots of the new
baby. Unfortunately, when she was at about 8 months, she went into premature labor.
"At the hospital, they handed papers to my husband to sign and threw me a pack with a scrub suit in it. They had asked her who would make her less frightened and she had said Mom. So I got to be there when my granddaughter was born, although I really didn't see much because my daughter was so scared, I stayed sitting at her head talking to her. I think following her wishes and not making her feel guilty about who she wanted with her was a very important thing to her.
"I had told her that by
delivery time she wouldn't care if there was a crowd of strangers in there, but it was
important that she had the final word on that before she actually was in labor.
Grandparents should never force their way in, and certainly not with cameras, without
being sure that it's what the mother wants. It was great to be there with her, but the
waiting room would have been just fine, too."
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