Updated May 11, 2013.

Question: How Many People Can I Have in the Delivery Room?

Answer:

When you are planning your birth experience one of the things that you probably think about is who you will have with you at the time of birth. Most people automatically assume that you can have everyone you want with you, it’s your birth after all, right? The truth is who you are allowed to have with you and how many people in general is truly dependent on a few factors.

If you are planning a hospital birth, they may have a policy in place that addresses your questions. They may tell you that there is a limit to the number of people. A fairly frequent thing is to have it limited to just a handful of people. Three is a fairly common number that I hear from the various births I’ve attended as a doula in many locations, and from others around the country. This number may be altered for a few reasons.

For example, if you choose to have an epidural, the number of people who stay with you during the actual procedure may be limited. In fact, it may be zero. (There are some places that offer exceptions and allow a doula to stay with you while an epidural is placed.) Once the epidural is in place, they may ask that you limit the number of people so that you can rest, but this may be a preference rather than a policy.

One thing that is fairly consistent, is that while you’re allowed to have someone with you if you are having a cesarean birth, it is typically limited to one person.

This is usually due to the limited space in the operating room and the risk of a large crowd being problematic. Some facilities have a different policy if you have a doula, allowing both the doula and one other person, like your partner or parent. You may also be able to switch off if the operating room is used. This means if dad goes in while the baby is being born and he follows the baby to the nursery, the doula or friend can go in to stay with mom for the rest of the surgery. (See how a doula can help you during a cesarean section.)

Sometimes the rules of the operating room apply, even if there is not a surgery being done. Examples of when this might happen include:

• a forceps or vacuum delivery
• a vaginal breech birth
• a twin delivery
• the hospital has run out of labor rooms

If you are having your baby in a birth center, they may have more lax rules about how many people can stay with you. They also tend to have nicer family waiting rooms than many hospitals. This can often include the use of a kitchen, which is particularly nice during a long labor and it keeps the family busy. This also allows people to go in and out as the mom wants. For a home birth, there are typically not limits placed on the mother and her team as to how many people are allowed in the room. Though this is not a reason to fill the room with as many warm bodies as possible. Each guest should be carefully considered and specifically invited. I’ve recommended before that you think about who you invite and consider giving each of them their own job.

So, in the end, ask the hospital, birth center or your attendants what they advise for the number of people that can be with you at a birth. If you have any special circumstances, it’s better to talk about them prior to the birth and have them addressed in the birth plan.