We're expecting our first baby and DH has told me today that he's not too keen on being present for the majority of the labour in hospital (although he does want to be there for the birth itself) as he's concerned about the following (possibly amongst other things): seeing me in pain and not being able to help, feeling like a spare part and not knowing what's expected of him, trying to be useful and doing the wrong thing, being sidelined and the midwives thinking of him as yet another useless man of no significance cluttering up the place, being bored, being generally very stressed.
Obviously I don't want him to feel he has to be there if he doesn't genuinely want to, and have explained that I'd totally understand if he did want to sit it out in the cafe and come along just for the actual birth, but he's determined to be present throughout, in no small part because he feels it's expected of him and doesn't want anyone to think badly of him if he wasn't there (although I don't think anyone involved would).
I think part of the issue is that women are provided with a lot of information and have a better idea of what the experience will be like for them whereas it's probably quite difficult for men to know what to expect.
Just wondered if any other men felt like this in the lead up to their PFB's birth and what their actual experiences of being with their partner through labour and birth were?
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Dads' experiences of labour and birth please?
25 replies
pitteddates · 28/03/2015 20:49
OP posts:
VoyageOfDad ·
29/03/2015 19:42
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