Childbirth: "a disgusting moment"

[bojo7]

Cannot see this anywhere else.

Footballer Jeremy Doku plans to leave his Belgium team mates to be at the birth of his first child.

From BBC website:
However, Doku's plan to leave the USA and return home has brought fierce criticism from L'Equipe channel presenter France Pierron, who labelled a father "completely useless" at the time of their child's birth.
"The World Cup is an incredible joy," she said in a message posted to the Facebook page of French sports publication L'Equipe.
"There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your shoes. It might never happen again in your life.
"You're living out a childhood dream, yet you're going to walk away from it all to attend the birth of your child - a disgusting moment, if you'll pardon the expression, where the dad is completely useless."

Obviously in the UK men are mostly at the birth of their children BUT if my partner was an international sportsman, I would want him to attend the World Cup (or the Olympics).

Yes he sat there like a bloody lemon. No idea what to do or say then remarked to a female friend I looked like an Irish navvy pushing his baby out.

Ex husband 4 years later.

She’s done her work- who’d heard about her before this, now she’s a topic of conversation. Horrible views.

What kind of man wouldn't want to support his partner in childbirth, if she wanted him there? A pathetic, useless one, that's what kind.

Has he actually gone yet though.? His wife isn't due to give birth until the 2nd week of July so he could potentially stay until the quarter finals or more if she goes overdue. I appreciate its a long way to travel back at short notice though . It does seem a strange decision to go I'm the first place unless he had discussed it with his manager and they had agreed he stay for the group stage then return.

Minutes after birth DH noticed that my baby, who had been laid on top of me, had turned blue and wasn’t breathing. I wouldn’t have known from the angle baby was lying in and also because of exhaustion/euphoria. Midwife was doing something else at the time. He alerted the midwife and baby had to be resuscitated. I’m so grateful that DH was there and was paying attention.

Some people childhood dream may be to see their child born!

Not me. We divorced a couple of years later but I wouldn’t have wanted to give birth without him.

It was a pretty disgusting experience for me. However, glad I had my husband there.

In this context, the man’s career means he is playing in the World Cup. When men go off to war, there are no guarantees they will be on leave for the birth of their children. Certain careers might mean you miss the birth. Women know this when thy decide to have a baby.

Haha

Nobody tells me Should

Some back paddling going on after the backlash:

On Saturday, France Pierron posted a message on X. “I understand that they may have shocked, offended or hurt some of you, and I am sorry,” she wrote.
The journalist clarified that it was “a personal opinion, expressed in the context of a debate” and added: “My intention was never to minimize the place or role of fathers alongside their partner and their child.”

Her intention was never to minimize the place or role of the father? I mean she literally said 'the dad is completely useless'. If that's not minimizing the place or role of the father then I don't know what is.

My first birth was traumatic and I would have been absolutely furious if my OH had been kicking a bag of wind round a field instead of being there for me and our son when I nearly died.

Childbirth is horrible. Shame you can't just get knocked out for the duration of it.

Twilight sleep used to be performed!!!

Going off to war is a bit different from "preferring not to be there". And he's not going off to war, he's a footballer and he clearly does have a choice because he's choosing to attend the birth of child.

You reckon he’ll regret being at the birth of his child? I wouldn’t have thought so.

For context, he’s missing a game against Iraq - a game given France are basically through to the next round anyway and HUGE favourites to win he would likely be rested for anyway…

the French pundit just wants to make headlines.

I think he’d regret not winning the World Cup with his team!!!!

Jesus christ how awful

Bring it back!

There were severe safety risks!!!

So many footballers popping out kids before they're even 25-if you're going to screw up the opportunity of a lifetime because you can't plan better then leave it to someone who is actually dedicated to the sport. I say the same thing about Tennis.

Didn't have the father of my kids/ex at either of my births because he was awful. Had my mum there instead and it was brilliant (so far as it could have been). That said, I do sometimes think about my births and feel sad about it. I would have loved to have had a better partner who I would have enjoyed sharing the birthing experience with. Nobody ask me why I had kids with him because I don't know.

Oh and no, obviously a football match isn't more important than witnessing the birth of your child. If he'd rather be off playing football I wouldnt even want him there.

Did she apologise for the 'disgusting moment' comment?