Most people would freak out if they were having to help a woman deliver a child, but for three-year-old Hunter, it was the most exciting thing imaginable. Hunter's mom, Rebecca Joseloff, wanted her young daughter to witness the birth of her son, so they arranged for a special delivery that has taken the internet by storm.
The toddler had to study up if she was going to be a part of something so huge, so the doula (also known as a midwife) Nicole Lahey helped prepare her by showing her birthing videos, teaching her the anatomy she would need to know, and the words like "placenta" so she wouldn't be uncomfortable.
"Kids perceive things in the way adults react to it, so if birth is not made out to be scary or traumatic or what not, kids are not going to think that it is," Joseloff said. They told Hunter everything she should expect for the birth, and when the time came she was ready.
She handled the birth much better than some men seem to...
"Birth is such a natural part of life and such an awesome moment, especially for a brother or sister to be there when their sibling is born," Joseloff said. "It really makes such an awesome connection for them for the rest of their lives."
While Joseloff was in labor, her young daughter was her biggest cheerleader. "She asked questions, she played with her babies, she ate snacks, and she kept us all entertained with her adorableness," Lahey said. "She didn't cower when her mother roared her brother out and she didn't get nervous or concerned about it, at all."
While her mother gave birth she would stroke her mom's hair, and apparently even reached out to be the first person to touch her brother's head as he crowned.
After the birth, they had Hunter engage in skin-to-skin contact with her brother. "She did ask me, "˜Why am I taking my shirt off?'" Lahey said. "I replied, 'Brand new babies love the feeling of your skin, and you will love it, too.' She was in heaven, and didn't want to give him back to his mum."
Lahey has heard some parents saying that the younger child shouldn't be there for the birth, but she believes it should be up the the parents. "Every child is different and every parent-child relationship is different," Lahey said.
"I feel that siblings who watch their little sibling's birth are much more connected and compassionate with one another. If parents really want to have their other children present at the birth, the best thing to do is prepare them with videos, talk about every aspect of birth, and speak about birth in a positive way."
