[kbclary4]

Ok, I am due in May (yay, it's a girl!!!!!!!) with my first baby, who by the way has the most beutiful U/S photos you have ever seen! Anyway, my husband is super squemish (very much on the wimpy side) to the point of utter ridiculousness. The whole idea of pregnancy and childbirth grosses him out so much he refuses to even speak of it. Ticks me off, but that's another story. When the subject of C-sections came up he just lost it, I thought he was going to just hearing the word. He says if I have to have one, he does not want to be in the room at all because he will faint.

My question is: how many guys, who think they are going to faint, actually do? I mean, do some guys get in there thinking it is going to be horrible and then are so overwhelmed by the birth of their child that it is not as bad as they imagined? I am pretty upset about his comment and my first instinct was to tell him to suck it up and be a man, but then I felt selfish and then I felt that I had a right to be selfish as the worst of it would be happening to me and not him. Oh, those wonderful hormones!! Ha ha.

Should I let him off the hook or have him come in and hope for the best? (if I have to have one)

[wannabeL&D73]

Originally Posted by kbclary4

Ok, I am due in May (yay, it's a girl!!!!!!!) with my first baby, who by the way has the most beutiful U/S photos you have ever seen! Anyway, my husband is super squemish (very much on the wimpy side) to the point of utter ridiculousness. The whole idea of pregnancy and childbirth grosses him out so much he refuses to even speak of it. Ticks me off, but that's another story. When the subject of C-sections came up he just lost it, I thought he was going to just hearing the word. He says if I have to have one, he does not want to be in the room at all because he will faint.

My question is: how many guys, who think they are going to faint, actually do? I mean, do some guys get in there thinking it is going to be horrible and then are so overwhelmed by the birth of their child that it is not as bad as they imagined? I am pretty upset about his comment and my first instinct was to tell him to suck it up and be a man, but then I felt selfish and then I felt that I had a right to be selfish as the worst of it would be happening to me and not him. Oh, those wonderful hormones!! Ha ha.

Should I let him off the hook or have him come in and hope for the best? (if I have to have one)

My husband has a pretty weak stomach and managed to make it through a vaginal birth and a c-section without fainting. I am sorry, but I think he does need to suck it up and be there for his wife. They can have him sit on a chair by your head and he doesn't have to look over the curtain.

Shannon

[AggieNurse2B]

Yeah, my husband is pretty squeamish--They had to send him out of the room while they did the epidural b/c he looked like he was going to pass out. He was there for both of my c-sections and even took some VERY graphic pictures! So, THAT'S what my uterus looks like! Hee, hee. With the first baby, he was just a little hesitant to be in there, but the second time, he jumped right in!

[Marie_LPN, RN]

Pardon me for the bluntness, but i think he's being a little over-the-top about it.

The husbands were i work get a plastic chair to sit in. They are to say seated in the chair and are not permitted to peer over the drape.

[LuvMyGamecocks]

I had an emergency section with my first, and scheduled section with my second (and last). My husband was concerned about me the first time around, with everyone rushing to get me to the OR. Since he was allowed in the OR, he held my hand and rubbed my head and tried to calm my fears as best as he could. He told me only later that he was soooooo grossed out by the sounds and smells, but he wouldn't have been anywhere else. Stayed right by my side through the second, less-eventful delivery.

Tell him to suck it up. YOU'RE the one going through pregnancy and childbirth...the least he can do is be there as your cheerleader! Good luck and congrats!!

[tencat]

Tell him to quit being a twit and get over it! You have to go through pregnancy, the least he can do it hold your hand during a c-section.

[Mississippi_RN]

The husbands at my hospital can come in and SIT beside the mother behind the drape...can not get up. And if at all possible, (say he is super squemish) if we have an extra nurse they might sit there with him. At another local hospital here, they don't allow fathers in there at all... They had a case where the father was holding the mother's hand and he fainted and pulled her off the table in the middle of the section.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I have never seen a dad/ or other family member faint if he/she stayed sitting next to the anesthesiologist behind the blue curtain. Even my dh, who can't STAND that stuff, did FINE during my csection. The ones who DO faint are the ones who stand up, peek over the curtain and look and are PRONE to fainting. I tell them ALL never to do this---and so does our anesthesiologist.

Don't worry--he will be fine. Just tell him to focus on the BABY!

[HRTTX]

I've had Dads pass out on me during vaginal births and C/Sections. It can make things pretty difficult, now you need to get MORE help in the room to take care of Dad. I once had a Dad pass out and break his nose, he kept passing out so we needed to get him on a stretcher and take him to the ED. A few pointers...... not to sound harsh. Just because you are not eating in labor doesn't mean he shouldn't eat. Dad's should rest if possible too, if your able to rest (as in pain med or epidural he should rest too.) Im all for Dad's being right there--they should be, but there have been a few times when I came out of a delivery feeling like I spent a little too much time taking care of Dad. Probably the ideal situation would be for another family member to step in, a very close friend to help coach or just be with you so your husband could get out of the room and get some fresh air outside every once in a while.

[GooeyRN]

My husband normally faints when getting bloodwork done. He was able to watch me give birth vaginally while seated and he even cut the cord w/o fainting. He knew better than to try and get out of being in there w/ me. If you want him there, don't let him wimp out! It's you who will be suffering, not him!