Men should never watch a woman give birth, doctor argues
Sharing the experience of my children being born with my then-boyfriend-now-husband were probably the two most amazing and emotional moments of my life.
Having him there to hold my hand through contractions and seeing the expression on his face when the midwives first lifted our babies up to me - those are moments and memories so deeply engraved on my heart, and on his too, I am sure.
I know back in the day having dads in the delivery room was very much unheard of, and my mother-in-law, who has seven children, cheerfully tells of a time when the husband would drop you to the door of the hospital when you were due to give birth, and pick you – and the baby – up again a few days later. Those were the days, eh?
Nowadays, however, a whopping 90 percent of dads-to-be are there by their lady's side through labour and birth.
The thing is, though, a UK doctor has come and said that, in his opinion, those were actually the days and the right way of doing things.
"Men should never watch a woman give birth"
In fact; Dr Michel Odent thinks that men should NEVER watch a woman give birth, and should not be expected to be in the delivery room for the delivery of his baby.
This, the doctor argues, is better for everyone involved, father, mother and for the baby. The reason he gives is that without their partner by their side, women can relax easier – which in turn will speed up labour and delivery. Oh, and it doesn't end there. Odent also claims a woman needs to be left alone for a while after she has given birth too, and says this will help with the bonding process.
In conversation with Netmums, he explained:
"After birth, too, a woman needs a few moments alone with her baby, particularly between the time the child is born and she delivers the placenta. And this is not just about her need to bond with her baby. Physically, in order to deliver the placenta with ease, her levels of oxytocin – the hormone of love – need to peak. This happens if she has a moment in which she can forget everything about the world, save for her baby, and if she has time in which she can look into the baby’s eyes, make contact with its skin and take in its smell without any distractions."
What do YOU think, mamas? Did your husband/partner stay with you for labour and delivery? Did you love having him there or would you have preferred it if he waited outside? Let us know in the comments.
