Michele and Serena Lanzetta were determined to have their five children, ages 2 to 13, in the delivery room for the birth of their baby last September at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. When they first mentioned their plan during a pre-delivery visit, a nurse said it was impossible: The limit was two observers.

But the Lanzettas knew the policy allowed for exceptions, so they called Barbara Wallace, the hospital’s director of Labor, Birth, and Recovery. “How am I going to make this happen?’’ Wallace recalls thinking. “Five children in there with their cuddle blankets?’’

Wallace met with the obstetrician, nursing staff, anesthesiologists, and neonatologists. They promised to respect the Lanzettas’ wishes as long as the family adhered to some basic guidelines: If everything looked normal as the baby emerged, the children could come close. If their mother bled heavily or experienced serious complications, they would need to leave.

During the birth, everyone in the family had an assignment: Luca, 4, and Anna, 2, shouted “push, push.’’ Paolo, 7, cut the umbilical cord. Laura, 9, gave the baby her first bath. The oldest, Clara, 13, helped mind her younger siblings during the 15-hour labor and delivery.

“We wanted the children to help welcome the baby into the world,’’ Michele Lanzetta said in an interview last week. “It’s a very important moment for the whole family.’’

Irene’s birth, on Sept. 18, went smoothly, and since then the Brigham has updated its information for families, welcoming siblings at birth. Likewise, a growing number of hospitals say they are fielding requests from families to have children present during delivery and relaxing policies to accommodate them.