The miracle of birth brings a mix of emotions for the parents and while mothers are usually sharing their delivery room stories, a group of fathers is opening up to their experiences as well in an online community.
On Reddit, user Sakuramochi_Chan asked dads to share their delivery room stories and received hundreds of replies. Some fathers shared the loveliest stories of the birth of their children while other dads admitted it was terrifying to witness because of all the blood.
"You would have thought I was holding an alien," one dad said about the birth of his firstborn. "Nothing prepares you for that." However, by the second birth, he admitted that he was more relaxed and got to watch some football on the TV while waiting for the delivery. He said that while he tried to help, his wife wanted her mother instead but he was able to cut the cord.
Most dads shared that their experience was a roller coaster of emotions but one father, whose wife had an emergency C-section because the baby's heart wasn't beating, said he would never want to do this all over again. Another father described the experience as "the most nerve-racking, emotionally-draining time in his life but it was also the most excited he has ever been.
"The rush of love when you hold your new baby is amazing," he said.
Should Dads Be in the Delivery Room?
Movies or TV shows depict fathers fainting or causing more commotion than the mothers during the baby's delivery that someone raised a question in Quora, another community, if fathers should even be there. The thread received more than 500 replies with most answers, including from the moms themselves, stating that it's important for dads to be with their expecting wives.
A father replied that while he knows that he didn't have a huge role in the actual birth since he isn't a medical professional, he was proud to be there for his wife. He believes that his presence made the delivery easier as he held his wife's hand the whole time.
Another father said that since marriage is a partnership, dads should be with their partners as they lay on the bed scared, in pain, and tended by medical people. The father is likely the only familiar face for the mom and that can be very reassuring for her.
One dad shared that this is a major event in their lives as partners, so he wanted to be there for the birth even if he knew that he would likely faint. He was shocked and uncomfortable as he watched the birth but he bawled when he held his baby for the first time.
For some fathers, the birth itself was a messy experience as their babies either peed or pooped on them and they had blood all over themselves. However, experiencing the birth brings couples closer than ever and they feel more love for their partners as well.
Daddy's Role Inside the Delivery Room
According to WebMD, 81 percent of dads who saw their baby's birth first hand find this experience "rewarding and enjoyable."
The main role of the father is to support the mother who is about to give birth. Some fathers could be very enthusiastic and participate in the birthing classes prior to the due date to become the mother's birth coach. Other dads, however, might be cheering from the sidelines or taking charge of snapping the photos or documenting the event on video.
The baby's delivery can be long and challenging so it's a good idea for parents to prepare a detailed birth plan. The father has to discuss interventions with the mother just in case something unexpected happens.
