# Poll: how old were you when you first saw a baby born? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981 "2010-10-04T06:08:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/1 "2010-10-04T06:08:07Z")
Thinking of [this MPSIMS thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=580245), I want to conduct a poll about how old people were the first time they saw a baby born. **In person,** I mean, not on film. And not an animal birth. I was six, and while it’s a bit unusual, it’s not unheard of. Is it? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/2 "2010-10-04T06:33:16Z")
Even when I was with my wife in the delivery room, I didn’t actually \*see \*my son born. I focused on my wife’s face and hand, and I let the professionals deal with her other end. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/3 "2010-10-04T06:33:41Z")
I am 46-year old woman and the whole concept skeeves me out to the extent that I never wanted children… ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/4 "2010-10-04T07:16:47Z")
Never. After seeing the film in HS I’ll die happy never seeing it again. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/5 "2010-10-04T07:39:57Z")
Present at birth of my daughter, I was aged 30. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/6 "2010-10-04T08:24:42Z")
I’ve given birth, but I wouldn’t say I witnessed it. There was lots of stuff going on down at the business end, but I was rather busy and not really able to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Rubik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dec6dc/32.png) [@Rubik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubik)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/7 "2010-10-04T08:32:27Z")
One second old, as I witnessed my own birth. I don’t recall it, but apparantly the midwife called me a chubby lil’ bastard. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/8 "2010-10-04T09:44:10Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Never. After seeing the film in HS I’ll die happy never seeing it again. Thank god I missed the film too. I guess the birth of a child is a beautiful thing - as long as I don’t think too much about it. If I do, the first images that pop into my head are from Alien. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/9 "2010-10-04T10:36:44Z")
never witnessed one. > [@](#): > > If I do, the first images that pop into my head are from Alien. I tend to liken it to “Quaiiiid… start the reactor…” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/10 "2010-10-04T10:40:23Z")
Aside from films, never saw one. I don’t particularly care to see one live either. I’ve seen the films, and I’ve cleaned up the mess from a birth, and there’s nothing beautiful about it. ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/11 "2010-10-04T11:24:42Z")
My youngest brother was born at home (planned homebirth) when I was nine. I could’ve watched, but was grossed out by the idea. I heard it happening and wished I was someplace else, though I was delighted with the baby afterward (I’m still quite fond of him!). I’ve never understood why some parents think it will be so wonderful to have their children around when giving birth. I didn’t want to be there as a child and I didn’t want to have my children there when I was having their siblings…I didn’t want to have to worry about whether they were being frightened or bored or misbehaving. I’ve given birth four times, at 27, 29, 32 and 36. Honestly I can’t remember if I saw anything. Last year at age 40 was the first time I ever actually saw a baby being born when I attended my niece’s birth. I don’t have strong feelings either way about it…if I never saw another birth again that would be fine…if I end up the only person who assists at births in the post-apocalypse village I retire to that will be ok too. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/12 "2010-10-04T11:39:00Z")
Never seen it live, never intend to. Saw the film in high school sex ed, assist at and clean up after lots of critter births, that’s beyond plenty for me. That shit is just plain _gross_, and I say this as someone who will pick maggots out of an open wound with one hand and eat Chinese food with the other. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/13 "2010-10-04T12:21:32Z")
Never until my first child was born, but _she_ was present, at age two, at the birth of her sister. The two of them were twelve and fifteen when they witnessed their brother’s birth. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/14 "2010-10-04T12:21:41Z")
I delivered my 2nd and 3rd child, my wife managed to be in another state for the first one. So I was 22. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/15 "2010-10-04T12:34:54Z")
I was 35 for my second child. My wife had a VBAC, I wasn’t allowed to watch the operation for the first. I was upset at that since I really wanted to see. I’d watch another one if given the chance. My brother was at my sister’s birth, he was 9 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/16 "2010-10-04T13:03:39Z")
Other: I have a child, but I was not awake when she was born, so I’ve never been present for a birth in any meaningful sense. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/17 "2010-10-04T13:54:53Z")
I saw that stupid video, wasn’t that enough? I never want to see one in person. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/18 "2010-10-04T13:58:19Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > I’ve given birth, but I wouldn’t say I witnessed it. There was lots of stuff going on down at the business end, but I was rather busy and not really able to watch. What she said. Although if this counts, then I was 24. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/19 "2010-10-04T14:38:43Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > I’ve given birth, but I wouldn’t say I witnessed it. There was lots of stuff going on down at the business end, but I was rather busy and not really able to watch. Ditto. I was 28 when QKid #1 was born. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981/20 "2010-10-04T14:44:06Z")
I was 18 when my son was born, but they wouldn’t set up a mirror so I could watch. (Patronizing assholes.) I’ve helped out with lots of labors, but generally left before the delivery. The first birth I witnessed was when I was 32 and assisted at my friend’s (hospital) childbirth all the way through. The nurse even let me towel him off and do his first APGAR! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-old-were-you-when-you-first-saw-a-baby-born/555981.md?page=2)