Forget the Tom Cruise idiot eating parts after the birth

[RB TexLa]

What is the fascination with watching this happen to begin with? I mean if I had to help someone in an emergency situation of course, it's just something you have to do. But I would never care to see a baby being born. What happened to the medical people doing their job, then bringing the baby to the mother and calling the father or whoever in from the waiting area?

[ZombieNixon]

1. I can understand the father wanting to be there.

After all, he did do some of the work. Sure, it's gross, but so is sex when you think about it from a purely mechanical aspect.

Also, I hear it hurts a lot, so I can understand if the mother wants the father to be there, either for emotional support or "You did this to me" abuse.

[Left Is Write]

4. It's really not gross. Messy, yes. Gross? Not in my opinion.

And yes, it certainly is nice to have the moral support of one's partner when giving birth.

[Beaverhausen]

2. I was there when my nephew was born and treasure the experience

And don't forget, babies have been coming into the world long before there were such a thing as "medical people," hospitals and anesthesia. It is life, pure and simple.

[Left Is Write]

3. Wait a minute...

What happened to the medical people doing their job, then bringing the baby to the mother

The medical personnel doing THEIR job and then bringing the baby TO the mother? Where do you think the baby came from in the first place? The job of birthing the baby IS the mother's. If she's attended by medical personnel (such as giving birth in a hospital), their jobs are to assist her.

Do you think it's strange that many fathers want to witness the births of their own children?

[RB TexLa]

5. Yes I find it strange anyone would want to watch that happen n/t

[dr.strangelove]

15. I find it strange that anyone would NOT want to watch their child's birth

[HEyHEY]

6. How did you even figure out how to turn the computer on, gramps?

[RB TexLa]

7. gramps?

[HEyHEY]

8. It's just your thinking is a bit old fashioned

Most women want their men in the room with them for comfort.

[Skittles]

12. I wouldn't

no spectators, thank you

[dr.strangelove]

17. why is the father a spectator

He is just as much a part of this as the mother. Assuming the baby will be raised by both parents, he has every right and duty to be there. A father has the same legal obligations (and I would say moral as well) to the child once he/she is born, why should dad not be a part of the birth? It is not about eating popcorn like you are watching a film (sorry, not a big fan of your use of the word spectator), it is about starting your role as a parent to the child and as a co-parent with the mother. If there is a situation where the dad will not have any legal or moral obligations to the child, fine then I understand that he should not be there, but if it is a "traditional" parenting situation, he should be there if he wants to.

[xchrom]

14. i would faint -- fall -- hit my head --

bleed all over -- wake up see the blood -- faint again.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. Modern American culture seems to feel it's mandatory for dads to

participate in this.

I've attended hundreds of deliveries and C-sections. As a general rule, the involvement of the dads is a good thing and they mostly provide good support to the mom.

However, all people and situations are not the same. The bad thing is when we try to hammer them all into being the same thing.

Most of the dads want to be present, watch the delivery, and be as involved as is reasonable. But some frankly don't want any part of the whole scene, and would be just as well pacing the waiting room floor with a cigar like some stereotypical 50's sitcom dad.

One hospital I worked in had the dads cut the umbilical cord after delivery. Some of the dads, squeamish or not, had NO DESIRE to have any part of that, but people would still sometimes try to make 'em do it ("oh come on!").

If they don't want to, leave 'em alone, I say. Sometimes the lack of involvement or desire for involvement by the dad is a clear sign of other pathology in the relationship, but even so, those problems are generally nothing that will be fixed during the time of the delivery.

[CanuckAmok]

10. "Yob! Yob! Where's my Yob?!"

.......

[CanuckAmok]

11. yeah, how is the Vatican supposed to substitute Lee Remick's baby

with the satanic son of the Jackal if her husband is right there?

[Mad_Dem_X]

21. LOL! n/t

[Deja Q]

13. The media loves a freak show.

Plus it helps quell the belief Cruise is a homo.

[Midlodemocrat]

16. I can't imagine not having my husband there when I had our kids.

I mean, whose hand would I chomp on during contractions?

[miss_american_pie]

18. It's a new life, not a pizza

I didn't really care where my hubby wanted to look, and at the actual delivery part I didn't pay any attention to him at all, but I can't imagine not wanting to be there when your child takes his first breath.

To each his own.

[Dangerously Amused]

19. What are your reasons for not wanting to be there?

[kay1864]

20. Your premise is wrong

You make it sound like rubbernecking. It's not a "fascination with watching this happen", it's providing support to the mother, who is often going through a very painful and stressful process. While some dads might not want to "watch it happen", they still want to be there to help the mother bear the child whose life he helped create.

Personally, I revel in the fact that I was the first to see my daughter's face, and watched her draw her first breath. Your description of a hospital birth is straight out of a 60's sitcom.