Do some hospitals allow children in the delivery room?

[Limonada]

I think I've seen a couple of women post about how they were planning on bringing their other child(ren) to the hospital with them when they have their baby.  So I was just curious.....do some hospitals allow this, even let the child(ren) in the delivery room?

The hospital where I'm going to deliver in another couple of weeks - where I had DS 3 years ago - absolutely DOES NOT allow children in the room.  They'd have to remain in the waiting room outside the childbirth ward.  I cannot imagine bringing DS before the baby is born, even if we had someone else (like one of his grandparents) committed to watching him in the waiting room, etc.  I think I'd be too distracted, worrying about how he was doing out there....and it would probably take away some of DH's focus from coaching me as well.

With that being said, we do want him to come to the hospital to visit his brother or sister, but after he or she is here.  The visitors policy at the hospital where I'll be states that no children under 12 are permitted to visit - unless they are siblings of the newborn.

[Limonada]

Sorry, I meant BIRTHING rooms

[Limonada]

Wow....thanks :) The nothing rooms at our hospital were redone 5-6 years ago.....tubs for waterbiths, a place for your support person to sleep, etc. - but not to the extent you describe.  DS has gotten very clingy to me as of late - he's 3 and I suspect he knows more than I give him credit for sometimes, with regards to the impending birth. I think he'd be pretty agitated to see me in any discomfort or pain (he's a pretty sensitive kid), so I think he'll be better off at home with DH's parents...

[Victoria01]

Yes, the hospitals where I am from allow children in the room. There are no restrictions on age or how long they can stay. They can even be there for the actual delivery and not just labor if you want them to be. DS will go to the hospital with us and see the room and then my mom will come to watch him. Once I am settled he can come in and out, though I won't have him in there for the actual delivery. He is only 3 1/2 and won't like seeing mommy in too much pain. :) The birthing rooms at the hospital are more like little apartments where they even have video games and toys for children to play with. For my DS, I think it would be worse for me to just disappear into the hospital and him not know what is going on than to see a little and understand that mommy is okay.