We talked about having the dads in the delivery room earlier and we talked about how helpful and supportive they can be. For those dads who may not know, there are a few things you need to not do when you are in the delivery room.
- Do not eat in the delivery or labor room – your wife may tell you it’s okay, but she can’t eat and you need to remember that a mother-to-be’s sense of smell and hearing are heightened
- When the doctor is checking how far the wife is dilated, don’t tell her to say ‘ahhh’ – in fact, be careful of all jokes directed at the wife during this event
- There is often a television in the labor room – especially in modern hospitals – if you want to turn it on, find something your wife is interested in
- For those of you with laptops and wireless connects – logging in to give your friends and family the blow by blow or quick snap shots of the wife in labor may not be the way to go
- No jokes about the baby’s appearance – i.e. the worst one I ever read or heard was the dad who suggested they name the yellow jaundice baby Elton Jaundice (Ugh)
- The delivery room is a tough place for dad to be – don’t make it tougher on both of you – catering to the wife’s whims and needs is the best way to go!
What are some of your best delivery room stories?