My husband stepped out. He's a normally shy person and I think he felt awkward around the doctor examining me. He came back in when the doc used the doppler, so he heard the heart beat. My husband will be there during labor no matter what.
Good for you. You absolutely did the right thing. I would have thought the same thing. How the hell are you going to be able to make it through labor if you can't get through the doctor's appt. Kudos to you for telling him like it is:)
It's important to establish your expectations right from the start, don't want any confusion about what kind of support you want from your "DH." So you definitely did the right thing in my book.
I was exactly the opposite. If it were a female OB I wouldn't have a problem with stepping out if I were asked, but with a male getting between my DF's legs and looking "in there" I want to watch and make sure he doesn't try anything funny and that she can handle it if he does. I've stayed during every examination any of my kids' moms went through, and four of the five exams DF had done before miscarriages.
must comment, however, that the men who want to step out probably don't have a problem with seeing your "down there" as much as seeing somebody else messing with it. They may also still need some time to adjust to the entire pregnancy-procedure thing. They may still be in shock about the pregnancy and the procedures may be too much for them to handle right now. Don't worry - most times they're ready and as comfortable with the procedures as the ladies are by the time D-Day comes around. Besides, a pap exam isn't going to result in seeing your child, it's just a medical thing. If you aren't afraid of the procedure and they don't want to see another man with a finger in your hole, let them step out. I hold my DF's hand during bloodwork and IVs because she's afraid of needles nd would never miss my baby's birth if I could help it, but if she was okay with being stuck I would rather not be there for blood tests because blood and my loved ones in pain are two things I'd rather not see. And if my baby was dead I wouldn't want to be there when it came out either, for the same reason.
Re: Anyone else's DH say this?
I was exactly the opposite. If it were a female OB I wouldn't have a problem with stepping out if I were asked, but with a male getting between my DF's legs and looking "in there" I want to watch and make sure he doesn't try anything funny and that she can handle it if he does. I've stayed during every examination any of my kids' moms went through, and four of the five exams DF had done before miscarriages.
must comment, however, that the men who want to step out probably don't have a problem with seeing your "down there" as much as seeing somebody else messing with it. They may also still need some time to adjust to the entire pregnancy-procedure thing. They may still be in shock about the pregnancy and the procedures may be too much for them to handle right now. Don't worry - most times they're ready and as comfortable with the procedures as the ladies are by the time D-Day comes around. Besides, a pap exam isn't going to result in seeing your child, it's just a medical thing. If you aren't afraid of the procedure and they don't want to see another man with a finger in your hole, let them step out. I hold my DF's hand during bloodwork and IVs because she's afraid of needles nd would never miss my baby's birth if I could help it, but if she was okay with being stuck I would rather not be there for blood tests because blood and my loved ones in pain are two things I'd rather not see. And if my baby was dead I wouldn't want to be there when it came out either, for the same reason.