Can husband catch the baby?

[citymonkey]

Has anyone ever asked about this? I am talking about husband catching the baby when it actually emerges (assuming all is going well and no complications etc and assuming of course there will be others around to instruct - I am having baby (first child) at Kensington Wing at C&W).

I will ask consultant an next appointment but just wondered whether it would be an immediate 'no'!

[Ripeberry]

Won't it freak your DH out? Tis not a pretty sight when they come out. I woud let experts get on with it and maybe he can just watch from the 'interesting' end.

[tortilla]

I would let the midwife do this TBH, but then get them to involve your DH as much as possible from then on. I didn't want him to have to catch her as midwives are experienced and the baby would be slippery! So instead I had in my birth plan for DD that I wanted DH to cut the cord and also be the one to put her on weighing scales, dress her etc and be given the chance for his own skin to skin contact - basically to minimise handling by anyone other than me and DH. As it was, DD was delivered straight onto a mat as I was kneeling with midwife just gently breaking her 'fall' so she wasn't really handled by anyone when born and I was the first to pick her up. Because DD's birth went well and there were no problems, midwife was brilliant at letting DH do pretty much everything as per my birth plan, and it was fab for him to not be sidelined. So there are plenty of ways to involve your DH without him having to do anything difficult!

[citymonkey]

He is actually really keen on the idea...

[msbuggywinkle]

DP caught DD2, he loved doing it. The midwife put her hands over the top of his to guide what he was doing, but she wasn't touching the baby. He plans to do it without the mw helping with DC3!

[citymonkey]

That's awesome msbuggywinkle!