Recollections and Perceptions of Childbirth Among School-Aged Children Who Witness the Birth Event

The purpose of this study was to describe the recollections and perceptions of 6 to 12 year-old children who witnessed the birth of their sibling, and to gain information which will be used to provide anticipatory guidance to parents considering children's involvement at birth. The concepts of birth as a socio-emotional event, Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development, and Dorothy E. Johnson's Theory of Nursing guided this study.

Interviews and drawings were used to collect data from five children who were 6 to 12 years old. The data were analyzed and organized into categories; this gave insight into the child's recollections and perceptions of birth. The categories were: people who do things at birth, steps in a baby being born, things people do at birth, best parts of being there, worst parts of being there, things that are gross at birth, things that are scary at birth, and things for kids to know about being there.

Childbirth was perceived by the children as a family-centered event which triggered feelings of happiness, excitement, curiosity, and anxiety. Birth was defined as an event the child did not want to miss. All experiences were positive in terms of the child's behavioral response at the interview. Information was gained to assist health care professionals in preparing parents and children for the birth event.