As a dad myself, dudes who willingly deny themselves being in the presence of the miracle of childbirth let alone being there for the entirety of what comes after baffles me.
It’s a miracle but it’s also gnarly. Let’s call it like it is. There’s a lot of blood, fluids, poop, flesh.
Good news is, you can just stay topside, by the mother’s head. You don’t have to be in the trenches if it’s something you can’t stomach. My husband did not care (after my c-section he very lovingly and in awe said “I saw your insides. I saw your muscles and your fat and your viscera” like that was the most metal thing he’d ever seen or could be allowed to see, me just strapped down and gutted and saying “he’s here! He’s here!”) but if it’s not something you can stomach, again, just stay up top.
Hah. We spent the entire weekend trying to induce, and then spent 12 hrs in the delivery room. I massaged her back and shoulders all through the day, didn't dare to leave her side.
At a certain point, the midwife turned to me and said "at this point, you should go get some snacks for the two of you. There's a supermarket just outside."
I ran like the wind and got two whole grocery bags full of fruits, nuts, crackers, juice, protein shakes, what have you. When I got back, I presented my haul and said "what would you like, honey, I got everything!" She said "it's alright just put them down somewhere, babe".
I realised that was the midwife's method for getting me out of the room for The Part with the Poop.
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u/[deleted] Apr 24 '26
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