Should Fathers be Present at the Birth of Their Children?

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

60 years ago it was almost unheard of for a father to be present at the birth of his child. Today the opposite is true and fathers are expected to play an active and supportive role during labour. But just because it’s become the norm – should fathers to be present at the birth of their children?

 

Yes – Naomi
I think it’s ridiculous to suggest that fathers shouldn’t be involved in the labour and birth of their children. After all they played an active part in conception so they should be there to support their partner through everything that follows.

A father can be a great support – both physically and emotionally to a woman who is in labour. He can ensure she stays calm, provide massage to help ease discomfort and just be there to provide emotional support. Midwives are often too busy to give all the support that a woman needs during labour and so the father of the child should be available to provide all the help he can. And although a woman could take her mother, sister or friend into the labour ward, usually it is her partner who she loves and trusts the most and wants him to be with her.

Being at the birth is also a great way for a father to bond with his new baby. Seeing a child come into the world is one of the greatest experiences in life and not something that fathers should miss out on. By taking an active part in the birth, fathers will find the bonding process much easier than if they are waiting outside. And in future years, they will be able to tell their son or daughter about the magical moment when they saw them being born.

 

 

No – David
It has become accepted that a man will be by his partner’s side as she gives birth but there really is no good reason for him to be there. Men simply aren’t experts at giving birth and can’t provide the support that a woman needs during labour. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that the presence of a man in the delivery suite could actually be harmful to a woman giving birth. If he’s stressed and anxious, his behaviour will be picked up by the woman who will in turn become stressed, making the birthing process more difficult.

It’s natural for a man to want the best for his partner so it can be distressing to watch her going through labour. He may therefore suggest medication or intervention that the woman doesn’t necessarily need just because he thinks it will help. This can interfere with the natural process of birth and slow things down considerably. A man’s natural instinct is to try and help when quite often all a labouring woman needs is to be left alone in peace to get on with things.

I think it’s far better for a woman to be supported through birth by another woman – someone who has gone through it herself and knows the right type of support to give. This is much better than a man, who hasn’t really got a clue, trying to do his best but ultimately making things more difficult for everyone.

Categories: birth, children nbsp, fathers, giving birth, labour, Support, woman

Sex-Induced Labour Doesn’t Exist, According to Study

It’s a common old wives tale, that if you want to induce labour then you should have sex. This widespread belief that sex in the later stages of a pregnancy can kick start the labour process has been found to be false, according to a new study carried out in Malaysia. Researchers found that there were no differences at all in the timing of delivery between women who abstained from sex and those who had sex near term. Dr Tan Peng Chiong, obstetrics and gynaecology professor at the University of Malaya, said that they were disappointed to find no association, claiming that it would have been nice for couples to have a safe and effective way to induce labour if they wanted. Researchers have suggested that many women believe sex can induce labour, but there are some scientific explanations of why it may help. For one, semen does actually contain a hormone-like substance called prostaglandin, which is used in synthetic form to induce labour. Breast stimulation has also been thought to hasten the labour process, and orgasm can trigger uterine contractions. There are many myths and legends about ways to jumpstart labour, from sex to eating spicy foods, but what actually works? This study may have found the answer.

Few studies have really investigated the link between sex and labour, and the small amount of evidence found was inconclusive. Labour induction for prolonged pregnancy is a common practice, and many women are tempted to do this for a variety of reasons to trigger the labour. The study involved over 1100 women, all of whom were 35 to 38 weeks pregnant and none of whom had had sex in the last six weeks. Around half of the women who took part were advised to have sex frequently as a means of safely inducing labour. The other half were told that the effects on labour were unknown even though it is safe. These women were then tracked to determine how long their pregnancies lasted for. It was discovered that around 85 per cent of women who were encouraged to have sex followed the GPs advice, while 80 per cent of the other group also had sex.

However, the rates of induced labour were very similar – 22 per cent of those who were advised to have sex, and 20.8 in the other group. The difference between each group was so small that it was likely to be down to chance rather than a real change in the activity. Earlier research has relied on surveys from women about their sexual experiences during pregnancy, but this was the first study that really attempted to randomise the experience and that’s quite a difficult thing to do. Experts recommend that patients don’t use sex for the express reason of going into labour, but that there aren’t any hazards in having sex when you’re pregnant. It’s perfectly safe to carry on having sex during your pregnancy, but the studies have shown that there is no proof that it can help you begin the labour process. The study showed that pregnancy evolved to be resistant to disruption where labour was concerned, but that human pregnancy has to be robust to such adventures like intercourse. However, where sex as a pregnancy induction is concerned, it seems that it’s a little too robust. If you’re worried about having sex during your pregnancy, or have any concerns surrounding the issue, you should speak to your GP or midwife who can advise you further.

Categories: induce, induce labour, induced labour, labour, labour process, pregnancy, Sex, study, Women

Could you Achieve A Natural Childbirth Using Acupuncture?

For pregnant women who are nearing their due date, the issue of how they are going to give birth can be an all-consuming subject. Of course, the most important outcome is one where the wellness of mother and child are preserved, and most women have the wellbeing of the baby as their top priority, but there are also certain things that many women hope to achieve from childbirth. For some, this is the success of a natural labour and delivery.

 

When women are overdue, they are generally offered an induction, as it is known to be in the best interests of family wellness (of both the mother and child) for the baby to be born before the 42^nd week, when the placenta may start to deteriorate, placing the health of the baby at risk.

 

There are many official forms of induction, but one of the more successful natural methods is acupuncture.

 

Acupuncture is completely safe for mother and child and can help the body to prepare for childbirth, with the effacement and dilation of the cervix. The key to acupuncture is that it promotes blood flow through the body and also helps to decrease anxieties. The increased blood flow can help the body to prepare, and it is also well known that stress and anxiety can help to prevent labour, so releasing these tensions can help the baby to move down into the pelvis and trigger labour.

 

Mothers who have a session or two of acupuncture prior to the establishment of labour have been shown to have a much higher chance of having a natural delivery, as the body is more relaxed and prepared, and this leads to smooth dilation of the cervix and effective pain control, as labour can be halted or hampered by the presence of stress hormones.

Categories: acupuncture, childbirth, labour