Advertisement

Dads Shouldn’t Always Attend Their Babies' Births, Say Experts

Father-of-four Gordon Ramsey chose not to attend to the birth of his children, claiming that his sex-life “would be damaged by images like something out of a sci-fi movie.” And new research shows he may’ve had the right idea by steering clear of the delivery room

Times have moved on since the days of no dads being allowed in delivery rooms. Nowadays it’s estimated that around 95 per cent of fathers are at their partner’s side when she gives birth.

Most men want to be there when their child comes into the world – and most women want their partner to be by their side.  

But researchers are suggesting that having the dad in the delivery room isn’t the best idea for all mums.

Dads may add to the pain of childbirth, instead of helping lessen it [Rex]
Dads may add to the pain of childbirth, instead of helping lessen it [Rex]



A new study, conducted by University College London, has discovered that women who struggle to be emotionally intimate with their partners could experience more pain when giving birth with their partner by their side.

Researchers gave 39 women relatively painful ‘pinprick’ laser pulses on their fingers both with and without their partners present.

They found that the pain wasn’t always improved by having their partner present –particularly with women who admitted that they avoid emotional intimacy in their relationships.

“We wanted to test whether this personality construct, termed attachment style, might determine whether partner support decreases or heightens the experience of pain,” says Dr Charlotte Krahe of the King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.

After the women rated their pain themselves and the researcher’s analysed their brain scans, it was clear that women who tend to avoid emotional intimacy experienced more pain when their other half was around.

Some women might be better off giving birth without their partner [Rex]
Some women might be better off giving birth without their partner [Rex]



And the presence of men around the women who seek closeness in relationships showed to have neither a good or bad effect on their pain levels.

“Overall, this study suggests that partner support during pain may need to be tailored to individual personality traits and coping preferences,” says Dr Katerina Fotopoulou, the lead researcher. “Individuals who avoid closeness may find that the prescence of others disrupts their preferred method of coping with threats on their own.

“This may actually maintain the treat value of pain and ultimately heighten the individual’s pain experience.”

[Parental Leave: Most Men Think Childcare SHOULD Be Shared Between Parents]

[Would You Let Your Mother-In-Law Be Your Birth Partner?]

What do you think; should dads attend their baby’s birth? Let us know in the comments.