All Dressed Up

I watch pregnancy and birth shows everyday. Hell, there are approximately 276,459 of them on TLC and DHC. It’s hard to avoid watching them. In all the birth stories I’ve seen, there’s one thing to which I take great exception: extended family in the delivery room. Children and fathers of the parents, especially. In my opinion, if you weren’t present for the conception, you don’t need to be there for the birth.

First, let’s address the issue of children witnessing the birth. I’ve seen children from under the age of five on up to 16 watch the birth of their siblings. I think it’s too traumatic for a young child to see their mother go through birth. And having older children there is just weird. I saw one episode with a single mother who had her 16 year old son as her birthing coach. Um, hell no. When is it ever appropriate for your teenage son to see you naked?

Then, there are women whose fathers and fathers-in-law are in the delivery room. What’s this all about? Excuse me, but my dad and Gerald’s dad do not need to see my business on display like that. One woman even had her father-in-law cut the cord. Yikes! No thanks. It’s just all kinds of creepy. Grown men who aren’t my husband or OB are not invited to see me give birth. It’s just too personal and intimate.

I understand the concept that some people want to make the birth of their child a special event for the whole family. Isn’t there a way to do that without having extended family in the delivery room?

My pregnant best friend’s dad wants to be in the delivery room when she has her baby. His reasoning? He was there for her birth. Yeah, but she’s a grown woman now! She just kept putting him off because she didn’t know how to tell him she was really uncomfortable with the idea. I mean, how do you say “No, dad. The thought of you watching me have a baby creeps me the hell out?” without saying it? Luckily, I think he got the hint after a while.

Filed under: uncategorized on November 13th, 2006