Should the Father be at the birth?

[acepepper]

A colleague of mine told me today that his wife was pregnant and that he was looking forward to being at the birth. As someone who's had the "pleasure" of witnessing three births, I felt it was my duty to try and persuade him to make any excuse he could think of to avoid being there.

Let's face it, for a woman, giving birth is a fairly straightforward procedure. They don't actually have to watch what's going on, as the poor man at the sharp end has to.

To be brutally honest, for a man, watching a woman give birth is like watching horror porn.

In my opinion, the father shouldn't be there at all. We should have a special fathers room where you can watch TV, have a beer and chill out while the deed is being done. And don't call us in until everything is cleaned up. My wife looked like a complete skank after giving birth. Sweaty, smelly and wearing an unflattering gore splattered hospital garment. I don't want to see that. Why don't they have someone to do their hair and makeup and some nice clothes for them to change into.

And please, give the kid a rinse. I don't want to see it with something unpleasant congealing on it's forehead!! I saw photo's of my SIL's baby post birth and it looked like it had been sprayed with chopped liver. GROSS!!!

I don't think that's too much to ask and I think most DIS father's will agree.

 

[katerkat]

Bored, Ace?

DH and I were discussing this, as he probably won't be around due to the military. He really wants to be there and I don't understand why. I agree - babies look gross when they come out! I want it cleaned up before they give it to me, too! (And sure, all the mothers are going to say it doesn't matter when it's your kid.)

 

[onecoolmama]

Well Ace,

Let me ask you. You said you have done this three times..why? After the first one you knew what to expect and hoe grossed out you would be. So, why did you go to the other two?

 

[Pop Daddy]

the fathers work has already been done

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I say "he who does the crime, has to see the slime!"

 

[acepepper]

Originally posted by onecoolmama
Well Ace,

Let me ask you. You said you have done this three times..why? After the first one you knew what to expect and hoe grossed out you would be. So, why did you go to the other two?

I was young and didn't know any better. I feel a duty to try to prevent other poor unfortunates suffering what I had to suffer.

 

[Pop Daddy]

Originally posted by IMGONNABE40!
I say "he who does the crime, has to see the slime!"

lol

 

[dcentity2000]

If not to watch, then at least to support? He really should go, just for her sake Being alone is an awful thing in life anyway - being alone during a trial is even worse Yes, she'll have doctors, but she won't know them - she'll end up alone in a room full of people. I say he should go and stand by his wife



Rich::

 

[mickey4ver]

Oh Ace, you never fail to make me laugh!

I think if a father wants to partake in the delivery, fine, but what really gets me is watching these baby shows on TV when the whole da*n family and every friend they have is invited into the living room to witness the blessed event or into the family "tub" for the under water delivery. That I find bizarre and would never agree nor want, no way no how!

 

[figment95]

LOL!!! My kids are 9 and 7 and my DH still gets grossed out just thinking about it. I guess it was better for me, I didn't have to see what was going on.

 

[Sandy V.]

Weren't you the one that started the "Childbirth . . . is it really THAT hard?" thread? Have you forgotten how fast that one went downhill?

One wonders why you insist on stirring this pot . . .

By the way, I told my husband, "You were there at the start of all this - you're going to see it through to the end!" He did get to pig out at the Hospital's Christmas party at the birth of our first!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I think they should be there , but if they really wanna miss out on the wonders of giving birth .....

EX Husband was there and I didnt ask him to be , he wanted to be there . I didnt want him there i was mad at him LOL

 

[lulugirl]

He he he....this is going to be very amusing!

 

[floridafam]

My husband still gets queasy when I mention the word placenta. He said I should have warned him that was coming.


I'm sure I looked like a total skank, too but DH told me I was beautiful. I don't care if he was lying.

 

[Pam]

Well.... my DH and my 2 boyfriends drew straws - and DH was the lucky winner both times and so he went to the birthing room with me....

 

[Boo'sMom]

someone pass the popcorn

 

[MelessaG]

My DH was fascinated by the whole process and only sorry I never needed a c-section which prevented him from ever seeing one "live." (Yes, he was once an EMT)
On the other hand, I definitely wanted my first baby cleaned before I held her. I didn't care so much with the subsequent babies. I became more aware with each baby of everything that could go wrong and less picky about how they looked when they were born, just as long as they were each pink and screaming. And I'm very lucky that each one was.

 

[02bBarbie]

a total skank?

what a WONDERFUL way to refer to the woman who bore your child

 

[meandtheguys2]

DH was there for all three, and he still says it "we" didn't have too hard of a labor! Of course with DS10, when I delivered the placenta, he thought I had passed a kidney!

Michelle

 

[Bichon Barb]

Awwwwww. Acepepper wants us to all tell our beautiful childbirth stories again.

Hey, why not persuade her to have a C-Section! You know, zip her open, zip her shut, and be done with it!