We were looking at this when T was born, because we weren't sure if we were going to get our support person in time (or at all - it's a long story!) The plan was that M would have been with S in another room, and then would have come in after the baby was born. I didn't want him in the room with me when I was in labour or birthing - mostly because I didn't want to be distracted, wondering if he was OK.

Now he's older, if we had another baby, I still would prefer him not to see the birth, for the same reasons - I need to focus on my and not him (and I would feel torn between the new baby and him). I don't even know how my daughter would go - if I were giving birth now, she probably wouldn't be too distressed, but she's only 13 months, after all.

Saying that, you know your daughter best! And lots of children see their siblings' births and share a fantastic bond with them because of that. In the end, it's what will make things easier for YOU, so that you can focus on labouring and birthing, and if you feel happiest knowing she's nearby, then there's your answer. I think there's a few films around which help prepare children for being present at a birth - someone's sure to be able to point you in the right direction there