Arrival of younger siblings - were you aware in advance?

I have two younger brothers, one is 7 years younger than me and the other one 14 years younger than me. I think that my older brother and I knew a few weeks before when the first one was born as the midwife used to visit. He was born at home and my older brother and I went next door to our gran while it was all happening. I was 14 when I read a letter that my mum's sister had written to her. It mentioned that my mum was pregnant again at 40. I was disgusted and must have confronted her and vowed not to have anything to do with the baby. How could I tell my school friends such embarrassing news! He was born in hospital so being 14 I had to do everything for my dad and brothers at home. Of course I did eventually help with the baby and when I took him out in his pram some people thought he was mine!

As the youngest of three I obviously have no recollection but my sister had her second child at our house (husband in RAF) and I remember being shuffled off for the day with father uncle and a cousin while Mum and Auntie assisted midwife. I was 11.
Fast forward to when my DD3 was on the way. We had laid our plans :- if it happened during the night our next door neighbour and good friend was going to come round and sleep in our spare room. It was 1 am when I started. Rang hospital (Northallerton Maternity lovely place 40 years ago!) they said come in right away but be careful roads are bad. Mid Dec.Rang neighbour. No answer -although we could hear their phone ringing! By now getting bit urgent so wrapped DD's 1 and2 in their duvets and headed for Northallerton. Met by welcoming staff ' Bring them in' They enjoyed a nap and milk and toast with the nurses whilst I brought forth their baby sister at 5.20am. So after their father and staff they were the first to see their sister (they were 8 and 5 at the time) and they spoiled her rotten - and still do!

My mother had a stillbirth at 7 months, about which I knew nothing. A few years later, when out with my father, an acquaintance stopped to speak. She asked if I was his only child, and he told her that they had ' lost a boy '. I wondered how on earth they could have lost a boy, and who was the boy? When I questioned my mother later, she gave me a brief explanation. Had all gone well, I, like others, would have been presented with a baby brother, out of the blue.

I'm the eldest and my sister was born when I was just over a year old so don't remember that at all.
3 years later our brother was born, my dad took us into their bedroom and there was mum sitting up in bed with the new baby. I remember that clearly but had no idea he was coming.

jenni123 that's beautiful ? ?