No Men Allowed in the Delivery Room

Just because your husband helped you make the baby, doesn’t mean he should be there to help you HAVE the baby says one doc.

Whether or not your husband can tolerate the site of blood, tears, and the inevitable poop that comes along with childbirth, according to an OB/GYN in the UK, your husband needs to stay out of the labor and delivery room! Michael Odent, a childbirth specialist and leading obstetrician in the UK, believes that the father’s presence can lead to his partner needing a caesarean delivery, and even to marriage break-ups and mental illness.

“The ideal birth environment involves no men in general. Having been involved for more than fifty years in childbirths in homes and hospitals in France, England, and Africa, the best environment I know for an easy birth is when there is nobody around the woman in labour apart from a silent, low-profile and experienced midwife—and no doctor and no husband, nobody else,” Odent told the Observer. “In this situation, more often than not, the birth is easier and faster than what happens when there are other people around, especially male figures—husbands and doctors.”

While we don’t disagree that men tend to slow things down and make natural situations more tedious and annoying (i.e. Costco on Saturday, mowing the lawn, getting the kids ready for school), we have a hard time giving our husbands the green light to sit back and have a cold one (maybe even catch the last half of the game), while we’re bearing the brunt of the job, figuratively and literally. Not to mention, if said husband is in fact the father of said child, wouldn’t he (and you) want him to be there to witness the miracle? Surely, a little poop would not stop someone from taking part in such an incredible and life changing event ...

Or ... would it?

Here are some confessions revealing what our moms on our confession site, TruuConfessions are really thinking, but afraid to say aloud!

Anonymous says: “I’m six weeks pregnant with my first ... I’m thirty-seven. Not afraid of the pain of childbirth but more the complete humiliation of it all ... am I alone in thinking breastfeeding is just plain gross? I have only been married six months. My husband and I “hide” when one of us has to do a #2, and now I’m expected to allow him in the delivery room with me when I’m moaning like a cow, bleeding, pooping and farting on the delivery table? Here’s to a great future sex life I’m sure!”

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I can not see how your partner/husband could be a hinderance to labor. My husband will be there for moral support and to witness the miricle of the birth of our daughter. After 13 years of trying, I would like to see someone try to keep him out. Course after almost 14 years of marriage there is little that embarrass either one of us, I am more worried about the strangers that will be looking on ie the nurses & Dr's.
11.10.2009
samantha jones
o and just to clear any misconceptions i was referring to the Dr not the poster....
11.10.2009
samantha jones
what i dont get is this....the person sayin that men shouldn't be around is a MAN??!!! this make sence to anyone else? and my husband-to-be will be there. he dosn't really have a choice the way i see it. i need his support and he darned well should give it to me considering im giving birth to a part of him....
11.07.2009
frances davanzo
I had my husband in the room with my two previous labors, and I plan on him being there for this final one. He has a strong stomach, but we do have an unspoken "eyes up here" rule. Hell, even I don't wanna see that! They offered me a mirror with my first born, so I could "witness the miracle". I politely declined.
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