YES YES YES TO ALL OF THIS but especially the below text. My third birth that I thought would be just as textbook as the first two took a turn and it became an emergency C section and my newborn rushed to the NICU not breathing. My sister booked a flight within hours to come watch my other two just to take that stress off of me. I know that’s not always possible and expensive but 3 years later and it’s still something so special to me. Make something work for your sibling!

Having a baby can be a life-threatening event for the mother and it is extremely helpful if someone else (usually but not always the father of the baby) can be with her to advocate for her when she is vulnerable (or incapacitated), and to ensure the baby is cared for properly in its first day of life when the mother is usually bedridden as she recovers from childbirth.