Or the kid being at school?
Dear Prudence,
I am going to have a baby soon. I also have a wonderful 9-year-old stepdaughter. My husband and I have agreed that we want our daughter in the room when her sibling is brought into the world. Although I have an amazing relationship with my husband’s ex, she is insisting she also be in the delivery room. At first I thought she was joking, but she expressed concern about my stepdaughter getting overwhelmed during the birth process. I want my stepdaughter to be a part her sibling’s life from the very beginning. However, I was planning on limiting hospital time to the three of us and possibly my mother. I want to come up with a diplomatic solution. What should I do?
—Party in Labor and Delivery, Room 7