A GUY’S GUIDE TO THE BIRTHING ROOM

The pending arrival of a baby is a wonderful time! It
doesn’t matter what the circumstances, when a new baby
comes into the world, it is a true miracle. As is expected,
much of the focus in the delivery room is on the woman.
After all, she is the one who is enduring the pain of
childbirth. What many people don’t consider is that the men
in the delivery room have their own issues as well.

Years ago, men weren’t allowed in the delivery room.
Guys were relegated to the waiting room, left to pace a hole
in the floor as they waited for their offspring to be born.
Today, however, there has been an enormous shift in
tradition, with 90 per cent of dads now taking a hands-on
approach in the birthing process.

The journey begins not only with conception but with
choosing the nursery furniture, picking out names, and
taking Lamaze classes. Even with the best of training, guys
may still feel out of place when attending the birth of a child.
With the advent of birthing rooms taking the place of the
sterile operating room, grandparents, uncles, friends, and
even siblings are invited into the birth experience.

Obviously you cannot know exactly what it feels like to
carry and birth a newborn; however, you can learn as much
as possible about all the stages of pregnancy, labor,
delivery, and newborn bonding. Perhaps once you
understand the prenatal class basics you might start having
doubts about how you will be able to handle it all. Try to set
those uncomfortable thoughts aside. Studies show that men
are more likely to get and stay involved in the care and
nurturing of their children if they are present at the births.