Having had my oldest present at the birth of her baby sister, I know firsthand the joy it brings to be surrounded by those you love and who love you during labor and birth. I also know the positive impact it has on small children - to wire their brains to view childbirth as a positive, normal, and safe experience. Also, it helps rewire our brains, as adults, to perhaps view childbirth as less taboo. In talking and sharing our birth experiences with anyone, including our children, it helps us normalize the process. ​ The Birth of Our New Baby is a way to bridge the gap in talking about and preparing your children for the incredible event of childbirth. This soon to be big sister in the book will walk you and your child through snippets of her mama's pregnancy, labor and birth experience. This can be used as a guide for your child on what to expect during the process, as well as providing parents a list practical, used-in-real-life, suggestions on other ways to help prepare your child to be involved through pregnancy and birth. ​ Let's cultivate the idea in our children's minds that birth is a rite of passage and nothing to be hidden or shamed. If we aren't talking about childbirth to our children, the rest of the world surely will once they get a hold. Think back to your first introduction to childbirth. If it was like many of us, it likely involves scenes of women being told to lay in a hospital bed and pushing and screaming while in agony. Or perhaps it was hearing conversations exchanged between family members talking about how negative their birth experience was. Does any of this sound familiar? Let's debunk this and take back childbirth. Let's work together to raise children, both boys and girls, who respect childbirth and view it in a positive light. We are the ones who hold the most power to shape our children's minds. ​ Here's what you can expect from The Birth of Our New Baby, ​ Filled with fun, bright, colorful illustrations, this book is mindful of including the soon to be big sister throughout her mama's pregnancy, labor, and birth experience to really make the journey feel like a family oriented experience. There are a few interactive bonus pages in the back of the book that include: - Ways to promote bonding between the pregnancy and soon to be sibling, as well as ways to prepare the soon to be sibling to be present at the birth of the new baby. - Identifying the different parts of mama's growing womb, including the baby in it. - A page to rip out and color! - A page with different objects that are to be cut out and used for pretend and imaginative role play in conjunction with the page you and your child colored! - A couple pages where your child can tell about the birth experience through their eyes! Perfect for a memorabilia from the birth! This book is ideal for ages 2-6 but is great for all ages!