There was a time when fathers were rarely present at the birth of their children, they paced up and down outside, provided the hot water for the midwife and went down to the pub to the wet the baby's head. Within the last 3 decades it's become the norm for the father to be there, fully versed in breathing techniques and the cutting of the chord.
But some women are now leaving their partners out and asking a female friend to see them through labour. So even if he wants to get stuck in, how involved can a father really be? Stephen Armstrong, father to two daughters, reflects on the male experience of birth in the 21st century.
Fathers' Direct
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