• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Because dads don’t always think like moms™

  • Dad
    • Celebrities
    • Gay Dads
    • Sex
    • Single Dads
  • Pregnancy
    • Labor or Delivery
    • Pregnant Wife
  • Baby
    • Baby Naming
    • Feeding
    • Sleep
    • Toilet Training
  • Kids
  • Teens
  • Activities
    • Local
    • By Age
    • Movie Reviews
    • Celebrations
  • Toys
    • We Recommend
    • Toys
  • Coaching for Dads
  • Great Dad Talks Podcast

A top obstetrician on why men should NEVER be at the birth of their child | the Daily Mail

May 14, 2008 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

Well, this should burn up the wires. This top UK obstetrician, as he writes in the the UK Daily Mail thinks that men should not be allowed in the delivery room:

For many years, I have not been able to speak openly about my views that the presence of a father in a delivery room is not only unnecessary, but also hinders labour.

To utter such a thing over the past two decades would have been regarded as heresy, and flies in the face of popular convention.

But having been involved in childbirth for 50 years, and having been in charge of 15,000 births, I have reached the stage where I feel it is time to state what I – and many midwives and fellow obstetricians – privately consider the obvious.

That there is little good to come for either sex from having a man at the birth of a child.

This attitude seems to come right out of the 1950s when human sexuality and reproduction were kept out of sight and under the sheets and child-bearing was meant to be some mystery never understood by men. This guy even suggests that some eroticism is lost when dads see their wives in childbirth. I’m sure this attitude carries forward into keeping women barefoot, pregnant, and stuck in the nursery where fathers are never seen. Thank the heavens that we’ve come a long way from then. I’m sure the good doctor will get a lot of approving head nods from people wishing we also lived in a time where skirts covered women’s ankles and children were allowed to work in garment factories.

For my part, being in the delivery room was an experience I would never have missed. I was first to hold both my babies while doctors tended to my wife, but that didn’t interfere at all with her bonding with them just minutes later. We saw this as a very special experience that was the the first major event of our new family and I wouldn’t miss it no matter what a hundred “experts” say.

Filed Under: Baby, Medical

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks
Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
byPaul Banas

Today we delve into the complexities of fatherhood with David Marcus, Ph.D., an expert with over forty years of experience working with families and children. In this enlightening conversation, we explore the essential components of communicating with your child, focusing on the development of a common emotional language. Learn about the four assumptions of emotionality that parents often make and discover strategies to foster a safe and open environment for meaningful conversations at any age.

Check out Dr. Marcus’ website at parentrx.org

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC  

50% off for podcast listeners with code PODCAST50

145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
May 13, 2025
Paul Banas
144. Exploring Mindful Fatherhood with Odeani Mc Bean
May 6, 2025
Paul Banas
143. Overcoming Dad Burnout with Scott Anderson
April 29, 2025
Paul Banas
142. Building Resilient Kids with Dr. Richard Oelberger
April 24, 2025
Paul Banas
141. Exploring Men’s Sexual Health with Dr. Elliot Justin
April 22, 2025
Paul Banas
140. Instilling Values and Financial Literacy with Barclay Roper
April 15, 2025
Paul Banas
139. Adaptive Cooking Tools and Techniques with Douglas Katz
April 8, 2025
Paul Banas
138. Exploring Masculinity and Men’s Groups with Jason Lange
April 1, 2025
Paul Banas
137. Modern Tech for Kids with Damien Schreurs
March 25, 2025
Paul Banas
136. Addressing the Gender Education Gap with Sean Kullman
March 18, 2025
Paul Banas
Search Results placeholder

More to See

Barclay Roper and Paul Banas on Great Dad Talks

Instilling Values and Financial Literacy with Barclay Roper

April 17, 2025 By Paul Banas

Adaptive Cooking Tools and Techniques with Douglas Katz

April 24, 2025 By Paul Banas

Copyright © 2025 . GreatDad