Posted on 07/04/2014 8:42:07 PM PDT by canuck_conservative
... But then there’s a lot about labour that nobody puts in so many words. Nobody ever told me that after the birth, I would feel as shaken as if I’d been in a car crash. That was how I felt for about two days after my oldest son was born, 32 years ago.
I now see it as my fatherly, comradely duty to pass on that kind of information, sparing no gory detail, to young men about to see service in that war zone for the first time. Nobody else — certainly not those fluffy prenatal classes — will fill them in.
“You do know about the afterbirth?” I murmur solicitously, watching them go green with a certain satisfaction. Nobody told me. When it appeared — about five minutes after the main event — I was already cooing over my first-born son. “Dear God!” I exclaimed. “There’s another one arriving!”
New fathers also need to be told that, when they enter that room, they might not see daylight again for a long time; and also that, in the endless night to come, they are likely to witness sights no civilized man should ever see except in gruesome hand-to-hand combat with axe and pike.
My older daughter was born after 30 hours of labour in hospital, culminating in an emergency Caesarean with 18 medical staff in the operating theatre (plus my irrelevant self). The next day, I asked the Registrar: “How is it that we can calculate the weight and circumference of a planet 10 billion light years away, but we can’t know the weight of a baby before it’s born?” (He answered: “That’s an interesting question and I wish I could give you an answer, but what I can tell you is that, if this mother had been ....
(Excerpt) Read more at life.nationalpost.com ...
Our oldest daughter was 18 @ birth of youngest.
It was the best birth control she could ever take. She was fearful but in awe to witness it all
She was the only person in the world besides me to have been there
Birthing rooms are pretty posh these days....not the sterile nurse Ratchett joints they once where
As long as you and your wife felt comfortable with her there, I think it was a very good thing.
True southern girl here. Just had to look good going to the hospital!
“Gory” is the word used in the article
When I was in labor with my youngest, just prior to our leaving for the hospital hubby was in fact painting my toenails.
Priorities and all.
I wore makeup for all 3 of mine. My mom purchased the fashionable PJ’s and robe (matching, of course). Had my hair done about 3 days prior for each. Last 2 were totally unplanned so I just lucked out with that.
Hubby didn’t say anything about my primping. Although he did question all the froofy clothes for the newborn daughter. Both grandmothers hissed at him for that. My babies came home in hand stitched (entirely), hand embroidered antique organza dresses with matching booties and hair bands.
You’ve likely driven by the hospital I had my kids in a bazillion times. Maybe even born there yourself. Nobody batted an eye at my primping or the daughter’s clothes.
And hubby was in the OR all 3 times. He was fascinated. He’s cleaned & butchered his own deer since he was 12 or 13 so he wasn’t grossed out at all.
I, on the other hand, had to tell him to stop giving me the play by play. I did get grossed out. I don’t want to know all the details about that, just give me the baby when you’re done.
Ditto.
1977,1980 and 1982.
I was there for all three of my childrens’ births.
Made their mother seem even more wonderful in my eyes for delivering them.
That is really cool! I’m sure you rose to the occasion!
Indeed. People say they hate guns and love animals but they eat meat that was killed with a device similar to a very powerf air rifle.
Also there is a difference between birth and trauma, just like going to shooting range vs. The trauma of accidental discharge or being shot at. These are two completely different things that leave the person very different marks, in control vs. ptsd
To compare birth to a car accident or giving ptsd vs. The horror of abortion and unexpecting infecting sex is really the projectioning hypocrisy.
No, I was wondering how anyone could think it wasn’t gory. It was gory as all get out!!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.