Mad Men: Pete Has a Baby Girl!

Baby's Birth: Do You Expect Your Partner to Attend?

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Birth happens once! If a parent isn't present for their baby's debut, there's no second chance. In last night's episode of Mad Men, Peter Campbell was anxious about his baby's birth until his father-in-law (and most of the partners at the firm) brushed it off as no big deal Years ago, even men who went to the hospital weren't in the room for the delivery. Now, laboring ladies can extend the invitation to their spouse and others. Do you expect your partner to be present?
Photo courtesy of AMC

Birth

13 Comments

JessicaVincent98990 JessicaVincent98990
I had my mother and son's father with me when I gave birth. Neither him nor me wanted to see the process, but he was by my side, holding my hand the whole time. If I have another child, I'll want my partner with me.
EvangelynaThurman EvangelynaThurman
I'm all for doing it old school and having daddy to be wait in the waiting room with everyone else. If I didn't have to have a doctor/nurse/midwife there either I wouldn't. I'd much rather just pop the kid out by myself and then have people come in when I'm ready to see them.
BreyannaBrewer BreyannaBrewer
My husband was there the whole time. It was him and one nurse there with me until even after the baby crowned. The doctor came in the last couple minutes. I liked it better that way. It made it feel that much more special. We're not old-fashioned anymore. I don't know how he did it. They brought the mirror over and I freaked out. He's definitely the strength I needed.
CoryLeany CoryLeany
my husband was there for all three in fact with our second I went so fast that he wasn't in the room when I needed to start pushing but I refused to roll onto my back to get into the pushing position. he had gone to get some change for his dad and sisterinlaw to get out of hospital parking when I went from 5cm to 10cm. His sisterinlaw and dad weren't even out of the parking lot when we phone the cellphone to tell them that she was here.
Studio16 Studio16
I actually just want to do it Betty Draper style and be knocked out, but my mom says that they don't do that anymore, so that ruins those plans. C-section it is, I suppose. And I wouldn't care if my husband was there for that. On the off chance I do have a vaginal birth, I'm totally doing it Trudy Campbell style. There have been a lot of articles recently saying that men became impotent after watching their wives give birth. I don't blame them, seeing your wife scream, cry, sweat and poop can't be that much of a turn-on. The second reason for this ban on people entering the delivery room is safety - if you're not a doctor or nurse, you don't need to be there. Birth isn't magical or beautiful, it's a medical procedure. I wouldn't even allow my mother in the room.
Heather Maddan Heather Maddan
My husband was at all three of our children's births and I can't imagine it having been any other way.
My husband and mother were both in the delivery room. We used a birthing centre, where I was able to have a birthing pool, but also move around. He was able to do things like spray my back with hot water while I squatted on a stool. He also felt the baby's head as it crowned (something he SWORE he would never do when we saw Knocked Up, btw!) and he also cut the umbilical cord. All amazing memories. Now, my dad is of the school of "I was there for the laying of the keel, I don't need to see the launching of the ship", but even 40 years ago, he was sitting outside the delivery room while my mom labored.
FrankiLee FrankiLee
I couldn't imagine my labor & delivery without having my boyfriend there! To see our daughter during the first few seconds and minutes of her life together was something we will share forever. Having his encouragement through everything was something I can never thank him enough for!
WarEagleNurse WarEagleNurse
Yes!
runningesq runningesq
Yup - I absolutely expect him to be there! The baby is 50% HIM and I expect support and encouragment during L+D!
starbucks starbucks
I would have taken my mom in with me. He wanted to be there, though, so I let him. In the end I was really glad he was there. It was a magical moment seeing her for the first time together!
RoaringSilence RoaringSilence
I don't really care if he's there or not, that would be totally up to him. I think I'd rather not have my mom there, either.
stellaRuby stellaRuby
If I had a baby I am all about doing it Mad Men style. My mom and MIL can be in the room and that is it. My husband and I plan on adopting if we have kids, so there is a good chance neither of us will be present for the birth.
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