One of the other women at the birth encouraged her to hold her baby brother shortly after birth.
She was reluctant at first but did finally consent to hold him. And she fell in love. The whole family was so strongly bonded
by this experience that the past hurt and distance was left behind and they continue five years later as a strong, close,
loving family.
I feel this healing was so important. If the environment had been different,
if these feelings had not been addressed and the emotional expression facilitated, a prime opportunity would have been missed.
If the daughter had continued to feel separate from this event, who knows when or if healing would have occurred and their
family life would be very different.
When my first daughter was being born I had a friend
to be with my boys. She kept trying to take my four year old in the other room to read him stories. He would have none of
it and wanted to be right where the action was though this was a fast, tumultuous labor and I made a lot of noise. Kids handle
birth very well with minimal preparation. They come to the experience fresh, open and loving and have less mental stuff to
overcome than many adults. I would encourage all parents to consider involving their older children in birth to the full extent
that they desire.
This article is from my first book, Tree Of
Life: Stories Of Birth
