Did your SO surprise you during labor? & PIP

nopegoat · January 2011

So I decided to go down memory lane the other night and go through every single pregnancy/labor/newborn photo I had of Mathieu and I found this one...

During my pregnancy I remember making my DF watch a couple labor videos to help "prepare" him and watching him turn green and thinking there is NO WAY he is going to make it. Then when the time came he was amazing. He held one of my legs and actually watched Mathieu come out. Then I think the most surprising thing was he started crying (which he is still doing in the picture above in case you can't tell) and was totally bummed that we didn't get a video of it.

So how did your SO do during labor? Did he surprise you? Did he cry? **Share those first pics too if you have them!

MrsW722 · January 2011

DH doesn't make it through safety classes that he's required to take for work because he feels like he's going to faint, and when he's tried to give blood in the past he never makes it past the question part because he has to lay down on the floor so he won't pass out.

So, I expected him to pass out during the labory and delivery, but he actually did really well. He held my leg up, watched H being born, and even cut the cord. I was really proud of him!

NicoleR524 · January 2011

you definitely brought a tear to my eye making me remember that day. I can't even describe how amazing DH was. He was a rock, I couldn't have done it sanely without him. He went through 24 hours of labor, counting, breathing, holding my hand, rubbing my back and feet, encouraging me, standing up for me, crying with me when we decided it was time for an epidural and then again when we realized a c-section was our last resort (for a baby who never made it past 0 station). He marveled at us the first time I breastfed and beamed when he changed his first diaper on his own. I will never forget those days in the hospital from checking in to get induced and watching DH fall asleep on the uncomfortable pull out chair to the first time he held our son to how gentle and caring he was as he helped me shower for the first time after surgery to how slowly and carefully he drove on our way home.

I fell so much more deeply in love with him after that experience and can't wait to do it again.

Lambie. · January 2011

He surprised me by sleeping through my entire labor and almost missing the delivery. In his defense though, I didn't think there was any friggin way I would be delivering by 6 AM (water broke around 10 PM and 1st baby) so I let him sleep because I wanted him to be on his A game for what I thought was going to be a long day the next day. It actually was a long day but not because I was laboring.

acppa · January 2011

DH did great during my c-section. He even took pics of her coming out! With DS they took the baby to my room and DH went with him but this time DD and DH stayed with me every moment so it was wonderful getting to spend the first few minutes of her life with her and DH.

logansmom3212 · January 2011

My DH is the light-headed, gonna pass out at the sign of blood kind of guy and I actually thought that in the moment, it would all go away and he would do great. Well, that didn't happen. He started out holding my head and encouraging me, but by the 2nd hour of pushing he was sitting in the corner with his head between his legs. After over 3 hours of pushing we decided on c-section and he was going to try to toughen up and go in with me, but the nurse came over to us and described exactly what he would hear/smell/see in the OR and we collectively decided that he should wait outside. Thank God my Mom was there ... I was a mess by then and she was amazing. She later said that it was the thrill of her life to be there with me and to get to hold Logan first as she brought him over to me. Logan ended up needing to go to the NICU for about 7 hours and DH was great at that point. Going back and forth between my room and the NICU to check on him and bring me pictures. He changed every diaper in the hospital and helped me so much with everything I needed. He really made up for not being able to keep it together during delivery.

doremi29 · January 2011

I was actually looking through my old posts the other day and came across one from 3rd tri where I asked if anyone else thought their DH would be little to no help in the delivery room. So many other girls agreed that their husbands would be clueless to their needs. I couldn't have been more wrong. He was awesome. He was the most encouraging and supportive he's ever been during the entire process. When the baby was born, he was beyond excited and whenever Mason would let out the littlest cry, he would want to be the one to comfort him. It was awesome.

sabrina_nb · January 2011

After saying that there was no way in he!! he would watch, he watched the whole thing!

And then this:

ali_bl-nov05 · January 2011

Absolutely. Let me start by saying that DH actually puked and almost fainted once when he was getting his blood drawn, so I thought there was no way he could be in the OR with me. He kept talling me he could do it and I really wanted him to, so I was careful not to tell him what I though (that he could not do it)

Come the day of my c-section, DH gets in the OR fresh as a cucumber and starts talking to me, rubbing my face, taking pictures and all that jazz. I figured they had not really started and that was why he was acting so normal. Well I later learned that by the time he got there, my belly had been cut open and that was the first thing he saw when he walked in. He had been acting normal the whole time!

The only moment when he acted strange was when the head popped. I remaber he got so amazed he almost dropped the camera and I heard my doctor saying "photo, photo", it was so funny! Other than that eh was always calm and a huge support, a real trooper.

mommabird77 · January 2011

What surprises me is all the people that got to take photos of their babies coming out during surgery! My hospital forbid any pictures of my vaginal delivery, and we could only take picture after the baby was fully out and the cord was cut. Hmph!

My husband surprised me by being totally useless during early labor! I think it was because he didn't know what to do with himself. Once the contractions and real pain started he was right by my side the whole time.

jennygirlmt · January 2011

He cried? How sweet! DH swore he wouldn't cut the cord. When the doc asked DH to I interjected saying he didn't want to, but he cut me off and said "Ok!" and did it, and my mom caught it with her camera despite it happening so fast, and nothing "gross" was showing so it can be a picture I show DD :-)

MrsEricH · January 2011

I had a scheduled C-section, and my DH works in the operating room at the hospital where I delivered... he was actually able to pick the people he wanted for the "team" that did the surgery, which was cool. So I wasn't really surprised at how he handled it- he's around that kind of stuff every day.

But beforehand, he said he didn't think the birth would be as emotional because I wouldn't be going through labor, having my water break, pushing, etc. But he stood up and watched over the drape as they pulled her out, and the waterworks started (for both of us). He was surprised at how emotional he was, and I was glad that it affected him so strongly. I mean really, having your first child be born is KIND OF a big deal. He's pretty great.

Qmommy · January 2011

I wasn't surprised by how supportive my DH was during the whole process. I was surprised at how just seeing him smile and light up while I pushed was encouragement enough. He stood "down there" and watched my DD's head peep through at every push then hide again when I stopped pushing. I will never forget his smile during that part of delivery. Then when she came out (we were team green) the doctor showed my DH her girly parts and he announced through tears... "It's a girl!"

BBunnyFan1 · January 2011

DH was awesome during my labor and delivery!! But, I knew he would be. He's totally the guy that you want close by in any emergency type of situation. He's an engineer and very analytical, so he handles stress and trauma very easily since he kinda "compartmentalizes" in his head. During labor he was very calm and just watching me for ways that he could help, but I withdraw into myself when I'm in pain so there wasn't much he could do but help me when I wanted to pee or change positions. When I started pushing he peeked down there because the nurse was chuckling about all of DD's hair and invited him to look. They offered me the mirror, but I was afraid it would distract me. (I'm totally using it next time!) We had talked about him cutting the cord, and he decided not to because I wanted him by my head during delivery but we had them delay cutting the cord, so DD was on my chest when it was time and he went ahead and did it. (Not that I remember, I was too busy focusing on DD to even notice he was gone.)

Oh, we were also Team Green, but the nurse was the one that finally asked what DD was!! I had a very quick delivery (like 10-15 minutes of pushing) so the OB was occupied trying to get everything settled since she was only there for the last 2 pushes and DH and I were too busy just marveling at this little person to even care what the gender was. Surprise