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Daddys of Gaf, how did you experience your child's birth?

I prefer to be called GAF Daddy thanks, has a nicer ring to it.

Jokes aside my wife was built to have babies, she didn't get sick or vomit once over two pregnancies. Other mums curse her out when they hear about how easy she did pregnancy and delivery. No pain meds and no c-sections to deliver our kids to us. She tried gas and hated it but she didn't want our baby affected by the epidural as it can sort of "space" them out when born. She went for it and has the strength of a mountain, I've never had so much respect for women and what their amazing bodies can do.

Kid #1, our son -
Total time from pains at home to delivery was about 6.5 hours. It's weird the first time as the misses and you are sort of unsure as "when" to go exactly. They offered wifey a warm bath and there was some cultural Indian music playing in that bathroom for some reason (we're not Indian BTW). I could not resist a joke during a moment when we were alone. Big mistake, she wasn't in the mood for jokes and I got snapped at. The raw energy comes out somewhere. Just be there to get things, take things, pat/wipes heads, bullshit them about breathing and pull that dad face like you're doing something. Wife opted to donate her placenta blood, which took about 20mins right after birth and she recalls that being quite uncomfortable and cold etc but she's happy she did it. Nurse asked if I want to see the baby crowning and that one is staying with me forever. You may wish to google that beforehand or pay attention in parental class (if you do that) so you don't have a stupid reaction for your wife's sake.

Kid #2, our daughter -
This was fucking wild, no pains and misses was asleep while I had our son and neighbour's daughter in our backyard playing that morning. Wife crawls out our backdoor and couldn't yell or barely move/speak at the time and I just happen to see her halfway lying out the door and basically throw my neighbour's kid over our fence back to their dad. We get in the car and just gun it as we're aware she's quite far along all of a sudden (by comparison to the last time). We pull up to the hospital and I don't care where we park and I grab one of those wheelchairs on standby outside and stack the misses in. One hand pushing her wheelchair and the other pulling my son out of the back seat and running them inside. I shit you not my son's legs were flapping in the wind cartoon style like when characters are pulled off stage really quick, misses has the same memory of it today. His feet never touched the ground from car to inside hospital. I get everyone to the maternity ward at the check in desk and just gun it right past that shit into an empty room and transfer my wife to the bed while just yelling...baby coming, baby coming. A nurse had taken our son back out to the check in desk as I had brought him into the room. Total time from seeing the wife crawling out the back to baby arriving was 37mins. We nearly had her in the car.

My daughter was born "in the caul" which is where the embryonic sac doesn't break and she came out looking like the underwater helmets with lights on from that movie The Abyss. Clear as day I have that mental image of the first time I saw my daughter's face inside of purple water helmet bubble. My wife didn't get to see it as she had haemorrhaging from the rapid birth and needed attention. I was sent outside with my baby girl after a quick wipe down and wrap as they had 4 nurses sorting out the misses. My mum had arrived from the nurses calling her and was watching my son, she was really surprised I had my daughter in my arms in the hallway immediately but she got to see her and loved that she was there.

So we had a thing that the misses names our first born and I get to name the second, things change when your wife has just given birth. I was going to call her Sienna. Nurse asked my wife what is her name for the wrist identifier/birth certificate and the misses just blurts out "Indiana", we never even discussed that name at all. So my brother rings up an hour after hearing the news from my mum I guess and without saying a word starts singing the Indiana Jones theme song down the phone on speaker. Classic end to a fast and furious morning.


My advice is just be in the moment and remember to take pictures during pregnancy and when your child is born. You don't get those moments back for a second photoshoot. Best wishes and we'll punch your dad card for you too.
 
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Durien

Member
I was sharing these stories with my wife and she said, the closer you get, make sure you have a bag set aside with personal items and maybe an extra blanket just in case since it could be cold. If it isn't a scheduled c-section, you never know when the baby decides "now is the time."

Oh and we still use baby wipes for cleaning and wiping down surfaces. Lol
 
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Kreen101

Member
Our baby is due in a few weeks and I'm interested in your experiences. I find it hard to find no-bullshit stories in the internet without phrases like "overwhelmed by emotions" blabla. I need some hard facts here.

Was there a lot of cursing in the delivery room? Or - God forbid - poop?
Did you rush her to the hospital herself or did you take a taxi? How long did the whole thing take?

Oh and, did you have to take off your shirt and put the baby on your naked chest? I saw a lot of pictures of topless guys with their babies on their small chests. So is that a thing? Is that mandatory?
I have four kids. I drove my wife to the hospital for three of the births, a friend of hers did for one of the births, because I had to look after the other kids and take them to school.

When the first kid was born, I felt an emotion coming up, but repressed it because I didn’t want to cry like some wuss. It was the closest I got to being « overcome by emotion »; for the three other births I wasn’t emotional at all.

For the second one, I fell asleep like 2 minutes after he was born.

For the third, I missed the birth because, like I said earlier, a friend of my wife drove her, and I got there too late. I was happy the whole thing was over by the time I showed up.

For the fourth birth, it was business as usual.

The thing about putting the baby on the father’s naked chest is lame, it’s based on pseudoscience and it’s the least virile and based thing a man can do. I laughed at the nurse when she asked me to do it, and she was surprised as I guess most modern fathers go for that kind of effeminate stuff. I cringe at guys whose first contact with their children is basically them playing mothers.
 

Kreen101

Member
As someone who never wants kids, I salute each and every brave and hardy cunt here who has endured/enjoyed the birth of their child.

GIF by Broad City


Sounds fucking gross, lads.
There’s really no non-ideological, non-feminist reason why the husband is even supposed to be there. I had a friend who told me, as a secret, that he couldn’t screw his wife for like 6 months after the birth because of how grossed out he was by seeing her like that. Ain’t a sight meant for husbands, and mankind knew that for millennia before like the stupid 1970’s.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
My kid was born in this large bathtub in a room that looked like it was decorated by Martha Stewart. My wife’s water broke around 2 AM. I drove her to the hospital. I missed the first turn into the hospital, which I’ll always remember being hard on myself for. It was peaceful in the room, but I remember it was like a scene from Jaws once the baby started coming out. The baby came out, I cut the cord, and I did skin to skin.

The first couple seconds when he didn’t cry as soon as he came out scared me to death, but it wasn’t long before he started crying. I’ll always remember holding his tiny body in my arms. He is my only child as I had my cords snipped a month or two later.
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
Wow! My wife said she's jealous LOL!!!
Yes, she is really incredible (my wife, but yours as well). We changed hospital for the second baby since we moved and were afraid we won’t make it in time the second time. That was also when they wanted to keep her the day before but she said she has work to do and she will hold the night. She did , came back in the morning, 20 minutes, done.
 

jsnake19

Member
If you're not extremely emotional then you are either dead inside or things went too fast/easy and you're in shock. It's a big undertaking and highly stressful for both partners. My wife's first birth was close to 10 hours long and had like 3 hours of actively trying because my daughter just wouldn't come out. At one point they thought that a C section would be necessary and at another they started getting worried for the baby and brought in a new doctor to try to help with one of those suction devices. I helped with my wife's legs and unfortunately caught the business end and saw things that I will never forget lol. The nurses were pretty quick to wipe all of the fluids that were leaking out....but yeah, by the time it was over it was a huge emotional release for both of us and that moment when everything is over and the baby is healthy is indeed overwhelming. BTW, they encourage skin on skin contact immediately because it helps with the bonding experience for both baby and parents so that's why you see the pics of guys with no shirts holding the kids.
 

Peggies

Gold Member
I prefer to be called GAF Daddy thanks, has a nicer ring to it.

Jokes aside my wife was built to have babies, she didn't get sick or vomit once over two pregnancies. Other mums curse her out when they hear about how easy she did pregnancy and delivery. No pain meds and no c-sections to deliver our kids to us. She tried gas and hated it but she didn't want our baby affected by the epidural as it can sort of "space" them out when born. She went for it and has the strength of a mountain, I've never had so much respect for women and what their amazing bodies can do.

Kid #1, our son -
Total time from pains at home to delivery was about 6.5 hours. It's weird the first time as the misses and you are sort of unsure as "when" to go exactly. They offered wifey a warm bath and there was some cultural Indian music playing in that bathroom for some reason (we're not Indian BTW). I could not resist a joke during a moment when we were alone. Big mistake, she wasn't in the mood for jokes and I got snapped at. The raw energy comes out somewhere. Just be there to get things, take things, pat/wipes heads, bullshit them about breathing and pull that dad face like you're doing something. Wife opted to donate her placenta blood, which took about 20mins right after birth and she recalls that being quite uncomfortable and cold etc but she's happy she did it. Nurse asked if I want to see the baby crowning and that one is staying with me forever. You may wish to google that beforehand or pay attention in parental class (if you do that) so you don't have a stupid reaction for your wife's sake.

Kid #2, our daughter -
This was fucking wild, no pains and misses was asleep while I had our son and neighbour's daughter in our backyard playing that morning. Wife crawls out our backdoor and couldn't yell or barely move/speak at the time and I just happen to see her halfway lying out the door and basically throw my neighbour's kid over our fence back to their dad. We get in the car and just gun it as we're aware she's quite far along all of a sudden (by comparison to the last time). We pull up to the hospital and I don't care where we park and I grab one of those wheelchairs on standby outside and stack the misses in. One hand pushing her wheelchair and the other pulling my son out of the back seat and running them inside. I shit you not my son's legs were flapping in the wind cartoon style like when characters are pulled off stage really quick, misses has the same memory of it today. His feet never touched the ground from car to inside hospital. I get everyone to the maternity ward at the check in desk and just gun it right past that shit into an empty room and transfer my wife to the bed while just yelling...baby coming, baby coming. A nurse had taken our son back out to the check in desk as I had brought him into the room. Total time from seeing the wife crawling out the back to baby arriving was 37mins. We nearly had her in the car.

My daughter was born "in the caul" which is where the embryonic sac doesn't break and she came out looking like the underwater helmets with lights on from that movie The Abyss. Clear as day I have that mental image of the first time I saw my daughter's face inside of purple water helmet bubble. My wife didn't get to see it as she had haemorrhaging from the rapid birth and needed attention. I was sent outside with my baby girl after a quick wipe down and wrap as they had 4 nurses sorting out the misses. My mum had arrived from the nurses calling her and was watching my son, she was really surprised I had my daughter in my arms in the hallway immediately but she got to see her and loved that she was there.

So we had a thing that the misses names our first born and I get to name the second, things change when your wife has just given birth. I was going to call her Sienna. Nurse asked my wife what is her name for the wrist identifier/birth certificate and the misses just blurts out "Indiana", we never even discussed that name at all. So my brother rings up an hour after hearing the news from my mum I guess and without saying a word starts singing the Indiana Jones theme song down the phone on speaker. Classic end to a fast and furious morning.


My advice is just be in the moment and remember to take pictures during pregnancy and when your child is born. You don't get those moments back for a second photoshoot. Best wishes and we'll punch your dad card for you too.
Oooh "the caul", I know that from that show "Hemlock Grove". I'm glad everything turned out fine!
 

Peggies

Gold Member
I have four kids. I drove my wife to the hospital for three of the births, a friend of hers did for one of the births, because I had to look after the other kids and take them to school.

When the first kid was born, I felt an emotion coming up, but repressed it because I didn’t want to cry like some wuss. It was the closest I got to being « overcome by emotion »; for the three other births I wasn’t emotional at all.

For the second one, I fell asleep like 2 minutes after he was born.

For the third, I missed the birth because, like I said earlier, a friend of my wife drove her, and I got there too late. I was happy the whole thing was over by the time I showed up.

For the fourth birth, it was business as usual.

The thing about putting the baby on the father’s naked chest is lame, it’s based on pseudoscience and it’s the least virile and based thing a man can do. I laughed at the nurse when she asked me to do it, and she was surprised as I guess most modern fathers go for that kind of effeminate stuff. I cringe at guys whose first contact with their children is basically them playing mothers.
So they really ask you to take off your shirt, haha. Seems odd, to say the least. Even If you do, don't share pictures of it. It looks weird.
 

Peggies

Gold Member
There’s really no non-ideological, non-feminist reason why the husband is even supposed to be there. I had a friend who told me, as a secret, that he couldn’t screw his wife for like 6 months after the birth because of how grossed out he was by seeing her like that. Ain’t a sight meant for husbands, and mankind knew that for millennia before like the stupid 1970’s.
Ha, that's exactly the information I was curious about! So that's really a thing?
But you guys sound all so devoted to your wives.
 
D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
Ha, that's exactly the information I was curious about! So that's really a thing?
But you guys sound all so devoted to your wives.
It wasn’t a thing for me, the thing that kept us from having sex was my wife’s nethers were all rearranged and it was extremely painful for her. She had to actually go to a physical therapist after a few months to understand what sort of exercises and stretches/relaxation stuff she needed to do to handle my insanely massive, but below the GAF average, penis. Thankfully with the second kid it wasn’t nearly as bad, we got back to it in like 6 weeks instead of 6 months.

Anyway, our first kid wasn’t so bad, it just took like 30 hours in the hospital and required forceps. Our second kid…holy shit I haven’t told the story here and probably won’t because it was a bit traumatic for me, but let’s just say we didn’t make it to the hospital because of numerous reasons and I needed some heavy duty carpet cleaning afterward. But I got laid a lot sooner, so I had that going for me, which was nice
 
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mekes

Member
I was there for the whole thing.

We we’re both at home just chilling doing our own thing. She popped her head around the living room door and casually said she thought her waters had broke. She was really calm. She went for a shower, I packed a bag, we grabbed our 2 dogs and about an hour later drove to her mums to drop the dogs off. We went to a shop after to get some supplies, and then walked to the hospital.

We were given a bed in the ward where we stayed for slmost 24 hours. During this time you could hear ladies screaming, lady next bed from us passed out because of pain. It was a weird place to be for a first time. Because of the noise, I didn’t see much of anything, people had their privacy from sight at least.

About 20 hours later a we spoke to a nurse who mentioned they may need to do something to speed up the process. But after a few tests they found out that she was ready to give birth right away. My GF doesn’t deal with pain by screaming or crying, but since we could hear that fairly often in the ward, she just thought she wasn’t ready yet. We were rushed right into the birthing room.

And it was all pretty chill to be honest, my GF was a champ. She needed a cut at the end to finish the job. I definitely positioned myself strategically so I limited what I would see. After the cut I did have a look but there was so much blood that it was like looking into an area the space of an a4 piece of paper that somebody had dropped a 2 litre bucket of paint on. No clarity, just the colour red.

My son was born and honestly, I’m glad I was there. My GF was glad I was there. I wouldn’t change that for anything.

I will say, it’s not easy at all. It can take a long time. You will feel exhausted. You can gross yourself out if you look to. You’ll need food for energy. But so what. For us it’s a once in a lifetime thing. For other people a twice or 3 time thing. I personally recommend being there, it’s even better than the Dreamcast launch day or the Soul Edge opening cinematic.
 
It's strange to me reading about some of you guys not instantly connecting with your kid. I know it's not uncommon either for a lot of father's to feel that way, but it was such a strong guttural connection for me, like my soul reached out and made a this bond with something that I've never felt before or since. This last year and half watching my daughter grow and learn every single day has been the happiest years of my entire life. My daughter though, has been the easiest kid I've ever met. She chills a lot and just goes with the flow and when she does decide to go wild playing exploring it's like the whole world is a charming little playground and she's just so happy. She's always laughing and smiling, it's so strange as my sister had a daughter about 4 months before me and her daughter is a little brat and super stubborn.
 
Ha, that's exactly the information I was curious about! So that's really a thing?
But you guys sound all so devoted to your wives.
I didn't even think of that honestly. I don't think that would be a factor for me. But I do think that the father literally just sits there doing nothing, and its awkward and weird for them. Kind of like asking your wife to come in and watch your colonoscopy. Might as well just wait until I'm done getting my rectum explored by a team of strangers, but I guess that's just me lol.

I'm sure it's a beautiful experience for some. :lollipop_frowning_mouth:
 

Peggies

Gold Member
I didn't even think of that honestly. I don't think that would be a factor for me. But I do think that the father literally just sits there doing nothing, and its awkward and weird for them. Kind of like asking your wife to come in and watch your colonoscopy. Might as well just wait until I'm done getting my rectum explored by a team of strangers, but I guess that's just me lol.

I'm sure it's a beautiful experience for some. :lollipop_frowning_mouth:
See, that's kind of the problem. I don't want my husband to think of me as the stretched out cut open poopy lady for the next year. But I actually don't believe he will. But I guess you'll never know for sure....
black and white vintage GIF by Turner Classic Movies
 
See, that's kind of the problem. I don't want my husband to think of me as the stretched out cut open poopy lady for the next year. But I actually don't believe he will. But I guess you'll never know for sure....
black and white vintage GIF by Turner Classic Movies
I seen my wife reenacting the chest burster scene from Alien only with more blood, once the shock had subsided and we where back home I was pawing at her like a love sick teenager on a hormone high and she was beating me off with a stick so seriously don't worry about that shit
 
There’s really no non-ideological, non-feminist reason why the husband is even supposed to be there. I had a friend who told me, as a secret, that he couldn’t screw his wife for like 6 months after the birth because of how grossed out he was by seeing her like that. Ain’t a sight meant for husbands, and mankind knew that for millennia before like the stupid 1970’s.
Haha when my dad dropped my mum upto the hospital the nurse politely told him to fuck off and he went and waited in the bar until he got the phonecall, but tbh I wouldn't have missed both of my kids births and would've moved mountains to be there but tell me to take my top off and bond and you'd be getting laughed outa the fucking ward, we're men ffs like I said our job is to be there for the real superstars giving birth
 

Peggies

Gold Member
I seen my wife reenacting the chest burster scene from Alien only with more blood, once the shock had subsided and we where back home I was pawing at her like a love sick teenager on a hormone high and she was beating me off with a stick so seriously don't worry about that shit
That gives me hope. Thank you, my friend!
 

Mossybrew

Banned
Both were C-Sections so not a lot of drama, no complications. They gave me the option to watch but I noped to seeing my wife cut open, was in the operating room still just had a little curtain area around the gross stuff but still got to see bebes fresh and new. Good stuff.
 

Kraz

Banned
I didn't even think of that honestly. I don't think that would be a factor for me. But I do think that the father literally just sits there doing nothing, and its awkward and weird for them. Kind of like asking your wife to come in and watch your colonoscopy. Might as well just wait until I'm done getting my rectum explored by a team of strangers, but I guess that's just me lol.

I'm sure it's a beautiful experience for some. :lollipop_frowning_mouth:
Sitting there and doing nothing is one possible beneficial role. Or not even being there.
Many different situations and people, there's no one right way.

My role in the one I described was a bit more involved. There was with the midwife and her assistant, two nurses who handled all the medical equipment and family doctor who was there anyhow coincidently who peeked in occasionally early on. Grandparents in the waiting room. A solid crew. I was positioned on one side near her elbow. Some handholding during early contractions, talking between them, then holding limbs later on and doing sympathetic breathing like Midsommar. Her mom taking a few pictures once she got there. Nothing clinical, above the waist stuff. Didn't see much of the delivery, eyes mostly on her face. Occasionally did look around the room and curious by nature.

I find that even objectively there is a profound primal beauty to it, even in that setting. A person arriving into the universe.
 
See, that's kind of the problem. I don't want my husband to think of me as the stretched out cut open poopy lady for the next year. But I actually don't believe he will. But I guess you'll never know for sure....
black and white vintage GIF by Turner Classic Movies
Honestly, I don't think most people have that issue lol. We're kind of messing with you.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
See, that's kind of the problem. I don't want my husband to think of me as the stretched out cut open poopy lady for the next year. But I actually don't believe he will. But I guess you'll never know for sure....
black and white vintage GIF by Turner Classic Movies
You wont be able to have sex for at least 2 months. for some women, it can last 6 months to a full year depending on post natal depression and surgery pain. I can promise you one thing, He will on you like Harvey Weinstein 6 weeks in. you will be the one saying no.
 

Peggies

Gold Member
You wont be able to have sex for at least 2 months. for some women, it can last 6 months to a full year depending on post natal depression and surgery pain. I can promise you one thing, He will on you like Harvey Weinstein 6 weeks in. you will be the one saying no.
Haha, ok
Meg Ryan Love GIF by HULU
 
D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
lmfao OP I just realized you’re the woman here, that’s what I get for posting in the middle of the night while feeding the baby (which is the most obnoxious post-partum activity). I wouldn’t have made that GAF penis size joke if I knew that.

Anyway, I recommend the PT for your birthin parts afterward, my wife didn’t know about it for the first baby until months later which prolonged her recovery, second baby went much smoother in that regard because she proactively sought it out
 

SirTerry-T

Member
Remember my wife saying "I don't want to be pregnant anymore" just a the maternity nurses' final "sweep" kicked in, then I went to the vending machine and nearly missed everything.
Probably not my finest fathering moment ;)
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
lmfao OP I just realized you’re the woman here, that’s what I get for posting in the middle of the night while feeding the baby (which is the most obnoxious post-partum activity). I wouldn’t have made that GAF penis size joke if I knew that.

Anyway, I recommend the PT for your birthin parts afterward, my wife didn’t know about it for the first baby until months later which prolonged her recovery, second baby went much smoother in that regard because she proactively sought it out
Nah I thought she was a dude too. I had no idea until she mentioned the husband on this page.
 

FUBARx89

Member
When my kid was born, I'm not gonna lie, I cried alot. It was a surreal experience. I didn't do the topless thing, but holding her was unreal, felt like I was holding a porcelain doll or something which was wierd as I've had nieces and nephews half my life.

My ex wife did shit herself giving birth, which I did have to stop myself from laughing at though so the nurses didn't stab me.

Oh edit - she was induced bright and early, we went to a mcdonalds drive through cause the nurses said we could. Well. She started feeling something going in the drive through. I smashed my foot down back to the hospital lol. Still didn't give birth til she had a bath lol.

40 mins labour iirc, no gas and air, painkillers etc. I was really proud of her. More so since they say induced labour is hell.
 
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Peggies

Gold Member
lmfao OP I just realized you’re the woman here, that’s what I get for posting in the middle of the night while feeding the baby (which is the most obnoxious post-partum activity). I wouldn’t have made that GAF penis size joke if I knew that.

Anyway, I recommend the PT for your birthin parts afterward, my wife didn’t know about it for the first baby until months later which prolonged her recovery, second baby went much smoother in that regard because she proactively sought it out
Come on man, we know each other from Meta. You told me the story of your wife ruining the carpet because you didn't make it to the hospital. Remember?

Besides nothing wrong with a good penis joke.
 

Amiga

Member
It was a strange new feeling I didn't have before. You are no longer the main priority in your life. takes a while to sink in. Also makes you better understand your own parents.
 

Kreen101

Member
So they really ask you to take off your shirt, haha.
They offer it, and the way the nurse seemed taken aback when I said no seems to indicate most fathers go along with it. There was a wall of pictures of fathers with their slimy newborn babies on their naked chest. A real wall of girlie men. And the justification was such pseudoscientific nonsense : "babies get extra feels from the touch of the naked skin, so it's important fathers touch them this way as well as mothers". Yeah, I'm sure it's been demonstrated scientifically that me not spending 5 seconds at the age of 2 minutes on my father's hairy chest has made a noticeable difference in my psychological development over decades...
 
D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
Come on man, we know each other from Meta. You told me the story of your wife ruining the carpet because you didn't make it to the hospital. Remember?

Besides nothing wrong with a good penis joke.

The dad brain is real over here, especially after 14 hours of travel with the younglings and early morning hours thread skimming.

Anyway, you’ll do great champ! Just pump your arm up and down and yell “choo choo motherfucker!” and that baby will depart your vagina like it’s a water slide
 
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Kreen101

Member
If you're not extremely emotional then you are either dead inside or things went too fast/easy and you're in shock. It's a big undertaking and highly stressful for both partners.
Giving birth was seen for thousands of years, by people just like me and you, as strictly a physical process that was a difficult, potentially deadly but necessary part of nature and marriage, and that women took care of themselves with midwives, or with a doctor who saw the birth as a purely medical event. It's only very, very recently in human history that childbirth has become associated with all of this almost mystical reverence, in which fathers are supposed to partake. For centuries, women would usually have many children over many years, and being pregnant and giving birth was both "no big deal" in the sense that it happened all the time, and a big risk in the sense that many women and newborns died in childbirth. A good birth was anytime the woman and the child survived, and people wanted nothing more out of it than that.

As for me, I was neither nervous nor "extremely emotional": the births went well, there were no complications, and I was happy to have the new child in the family, but it wasn't like a religious experience. I was like, ok, let's go home now.
 

Kreen101

Member
Wait the OP is a woman? I didn't think there were any women posting here. I phrased my posts assuming it was a guy asking the questions.
 

Kilau

Gold Member
The whole skin to skin contact thing for the dad seems to depend on the hospital. My brother was asked to do it at the hospital they went to but for both my kids they never brought it up.

As for the birth it was just more feeling useless until the time finally came. I was of course very moved when our children were born but I had 9 months of preparing so I wasn’t overwhelmed.

I had no problem being there for my wife even though I’m pretty squeamish in general, nothing bothered me. Muscle memory is wonderful thing

Hopefully poop doesn’t bother either of you because the next few years will be spent elbow deep in it.

Congratulations btw, best feeling in the world when you have a moment to take it all in.
 
D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
Giving birth was seen for thousands of years, by people just like me and you, as strictly a physical process that was a difficult, potentially deadly but necessary part of nature and marriage, and that women took care of themselves with midwives, or with a doctor who saw the birth as a purely medical event. It's only very, very recently in human history that childbirth has become associated with all of this almost mystical reverence, in which fathers are supposed to partake. For centuries, women would usually have many children over many years, and being pregnant and giving birth was both "no big deal" in the sense that it happened all the time, and a big risk in the sense that many women and newborns died in childbirth. A good birth was anytime the woman and the child survived, and people wanted nothing more out of it than that.

As for me, I was neither nervous nor "extremely emotional": the births went well, there were no complications, and I was happy to have the new child in the family, but it wasn't like a religious experience. I was like, ok, let's go home now.
Ok Mr. Spock, some of us felt some profundity in becoming a parent or other events where our lives change forever and that’s not exactly a modern human experience
 
D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
Oh as far as holding the baby topless: I wore a loose tank top the first time just in case, and it was for the best as my wife couldn’t hold the baby for about an hour after birth because of the epidural. Apparently adrenaline builds up and the body can’t really work its way through it quickly because its biggest muscles are numb. So she was basically shaking uncontrollably for a while, so I was on skin to skin duty until she could hold baby.

There was no epidural for the second one because of the whole doing that shit live in the living room with paramedics, so she was able to hold that baby all the way to the hospital, I only got to hold the baby after driving there when they started delivering the placenta
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
So, from what I gather it's going to be bloody and noisy and dirty.

Kind of like an episode of Vikings. I think I can do that.

tv show GIF by Vikings on HISTORY


Also a big applause to your missuses and babies and youse of course.
Minus the axe this is pretty much the action they use to pop a C-section baby out.
 
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