"We're having a homebirth!!"

It's no big announcement that we are planning a homebirth with this little munchkin, so I recently purchased a kid friendly book to explain the process to Lucas. It is a short book, but covers all of the important topics; such as the role of a midwife, the importance of being a good labor support to mommy (while ensuring to give her lots of space, too!), noises that mom might make, the delivery of the baby and the placenta, cord cutting, and breastfeeding.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a toddler that they want present for their siblings birth. Although the book is rated for children ages 3-8, Lucas really enjoyed it. And more importantly, I feel that he comprehended it very well. I asked him about the book the following morning and he reiterated that the mommy had a baby in her belly...and that she has to push really hard to get it out! It was actually pretty funny listening to his account of childbirth.

He was also very intrigued by the cutting of the cord. I asked him who gets to cut the cord and he immediately answered, "daddy!" But then after a moment of thought he said "I wanna cut the cord with my baby scissors!" Watching him imitate scissors with his fingers and then run off to find his plastic play-doh pair was absolutely priceless! I can totally picture him attempting this task when the day comes, too. Oh geez!

There are two parts to this book that I particularly like. The first is how it explains that mommy is going to make lots of noises when pushing out the baby...kind of like an elephant! It's great that they try to relate the birth process to something familiar to a child. (Although I barely made a peep during my whole first labor!) The second was that it mentioned how daddy will cut the cord a short while after the placenta comes out. I am very adamant about delaying the cutting of the cord, and I'm glad this book believes in that same approach.

I am going to continue reading this book to him frequently, and then once again on the actual day. I labored so well with him, so I pray that this second time is just as simple...if not easier. I want him to be present to see, and hold, his baby brother as soon as he possibly can. I think he's half as excited as we are!