15 Courageous Dads Who Decided to Be Present at Childbirth, But Something Went Wrong

Childbirth is no longer a private matter where only women can be present. Nowadays, men are happy to support their partners during labor and childbirth and help them cope with pain and fears.

At CHEERY, we are sure that these stories from Internet users who experienced childbirth will leave no one indifferent.

• I tried to be a modern supportive husband for the birth of our firstborn, 43 years ago. We took a Lamaze course together. I stayed with my wife for her 23-hour labor. I tried to be encouraging and supportive, “You’re doing well! I love you.” My wife replies, “Shut up, it’s all your fault!” Later, I asked her what I did wrong. Her answer was, “It made me feel better to yell at you.” I asked why didn’t she yell at the nurses. She said, “I didn’t know them.” I’m glad I was there. © Mark Mostow / Quora
• When we had our first child born over 30 years ago, my husband was with me the entire time too. As I went into labor in the middle of the night, we were both tired. When I looked over at my husband and saw he had his eyes closed, I poked him in the face. He was shocked and asked why I did this as I myself was trying to sleep. I said, “I’m giving birth to your child, so you don’t deserve any rest at all!” He didn’t try it again, not even during the next 2 births. © Denise Yeroian / Quora
• When I had my 4 kids, my husband was there. I didn’t yell but I did throw wet face cloths at him. Especially when I was in transition. Only him. I would, in a menacing tone (as he described it), tell him I needed a face cloth wet with ice water. He would put it on my forehead. I would take it off and whip it right at him. I’ve never done it since. © Catherine Thomas / Quora

• I and my pregnant wife went from watching Ghost Adventures to her clutching my arm, making noises I’ve never heard her make before. I calmly get on the phone with our midwife and say it’s gone time. They are about 10 minutes out when mama says something I will never forget, “I feel hair!” It turns out my wife has a huge pain tolerance and shrugged off contractions until it was legitimately time to give birth. I rolled up my sleeves and calmly asked the midwife “What do I do?” over the phone. Like a true professional, she guides me through the process, and voila! I deliver my daughter from my beautiful wife and lovingly deposit her into mama’s arms. © Michael Wolfe / Quora
• When I went into labor and we were getting close to the end, my husband had to get through all the pain of me squeezing his hands as much as possible because I forgot to cut my nails. The next morning, my parents came to see the new arrival, and they were shocked to see that my husband’s once jet-black hair had masses of grey through it. © Bernadette Mary Sassen / Quora

• My husband was with me, and labor was progressing. They placed a monitor on the baby’s head with the statistics displayed on a screen that my husband could see. At one point, he noticed the numbers going wacky. I was not aware of it, busy breathing and such. When he pointed it out to a nurse, they scrambled to get the doctor in, and he told us that the baby was in dangerous distress and I needed an immediate C-section. It turned out to be placenta previa which is life-threatening. I sure am glad my husband was in there with me. © Barbara Lenox / Quora
• My husband was there with me for the birth of our first baby. But at the last minute, a C-section was needed. They tell my husband that he can be with me for the delivery if he wants. He says he can’t handle that. I tell him we’re going home because I refuse to have my baby alone. He puts on the scrubs and goes with me, telling me he is not going to look at the surgery. And yet, he watches, and when they pull the baby out, he yells, “It’s Albert!” before the doctor can say, “It’s a boy.” I watch my husband fall in love right in front of my face. © Psam Ordener / Quora

• Our first baby was born in 1959 and my husband was not allowed anywhere near me once he had delivered me to the hospital Queen Charlotte’s in London. He sat down to wait. 3 hours later, a midwife saw him and asked what he was doing there. With no idea of childbirth, he said he was waiting for the baby to arrive. The midwife burst out laughing and said to get himself home, as nothing was going to happen until the next day. He went home as “ordered” and wrote me a heartfelt note, in which he said how he wished he could be with me for the birth of our child. A note I still have 61 years later, somewhat tattered now, but something very special which I will always treasure. Cynthia Fell / Quora
• As my wife was getting to the climax of the birth and the midwife was saying, “Push! Push!” I found that I was pushing in unison with my wife. Eventually, I had to go to relieve myself and on the way out of the room, I noticed some of the medical team making eye contact and smiling at each other. They were all surprised when I returned a few minutes later and asked me, “Are you okay?” Me, “Yes, but I was pushing in unison with my wife and had to go and relieve myself.” All the medical staff burst out laughing and I was told that not pushing in unison with the mother was the very first lesson you had to learn about attending a birth. © Rick Edmondson / Quora

• Family legend says that it took 3 security guards to get mom to stop arguing with dad after she found out what he called me. Story also goes that the guards were not fast enough to stop her tight hugs and that’s why I’m the one and only. So I see no romance in birthing situations. © Little Byrd / Quora
• My birth was high risk. My father gets to the hospital as fast as he could and the medical team wouldn’t let him in the delivery room. My father became enraged. He told them he would break down the doors. So, they let him in, my mom was going to have a C-section where she overdosed. She tried to whisper that she couldn’t breathe, and my dad noticed that her lips were moving. He yelled out, “She can’t breathe!” They resuscitated my mom and she made it, as did I. If my dad hadn’t been present at my birth, there’s a chance either I or my mom wouldn’t be here either. © Phil Philips / Quora

• My mom asked the anesthesiologist to marry her when she finally got an epidural, and when my dad objected, she told him that he got her into this position. She wasn’t wrong about that. © Bella Silver / Quora
• My wife started feeling contractions, so we headed to the hospital. Our baby boy would be there soon. A kind nurse asked if I would like one of those single-serving ice creams. My lactose intolerant self said, “Sure”. Within an hour, my wife was almost 7 centimeters dilated, so it was time to push. I was holding her hand when I felt buildings crumble and bridges collapse in my intestines. “Honey, I’ll be right back, I have to use the restroom quickly.” I heard my wife screaming, and simultaneously I was hurting too. What a pair we made! I forced my pants back on and limped back into the delivery room just in time. I will never forget that again! © Perry Shipp / Quora

• We attended pre-natal classes together, most midwife visits, and all scans. Our midwife asked me around the eighth-month point “would you like to catch the baby” and I was freaked out by the idea. Then the day comes. For 3 hours I clicked an app on and off according to her contractions, so we could track the progress. For the next 5 hours, I held her hand and constantly reminded her to take huge breaths on the gas. Then “stage 2” started. We tried different angles but the only thing that was working for her was the “stirrup position,” so I got a full view of “down there.” And guess what, I wouldn’t have traded that for anything. Seeing the first bit of my child’s head come out, I told my midwife, “Yes, I will catch the baby.” And the tenth round of contractions later I caught my baby girl. © Ron Peterson Montgomery / Quora
• I was at the hospital on both my children’s birthdays. The first time I was not prepared for the long wait. We got to the hospital at night and were still there at 1 p.m. It was a bit boring. Food in the hospital was only for the mothers. Now when it was our second baby’s turn to make an appearance, I was ready this time: I took my own hidden away bag with iPad, snacks, packed lunch, packed breakfast, book, music, headphones, etc. I was not going to make the same mistake. At 10 p.m., we went to the hospital. Wouldn’t you know that baby number 2 arrived in 12 minutes? I had not even opened my bag or had one bite of my sandwich! © Mark Blaxall / Quora

Do you think your partner should be with you during childbirth? Share your opinion in the comments below.