Tips For New Dads In The Delivery Room

You’re going to be a new dad soon, and you’re wracked with uncertainty about what to do in the delivery room. Birth is a beautiful yet stressful experience, especially for the mother. So whether you’re having the delivery at home, a birth center, or a hospital, you’ll want to know how to make things easier for your partner and your newborn child. 

Day University has shared a few handy tips to help you be your best in the delivery room. Follow our advice to make this profound experience even better for your family!

New Dads in Delivery Rooms: What’s Your Role? 

Many expecting dads come into the delivery room not having a clear idea of what to do. Are you supposed to stand there and say words of encouragement? Hold her hand as she pushes? You can do all these things, but your most important role is to support your wife. 

Let’s be real for a second: your wife has done 90% of the work in this pregnancy. She’s the one who carried the child inside her for nine months, and she’s now about to experience the most painful and stressful part of pregnancy. Right now, all you can do is be there and take on a more supportive role. She needs to see that you’re part of the team, even if she’s doing most of the work.

Find Out Her Expectations

Playing a “supportive role” is vague and broad, so make sure you both agree ahead of time about the specifics. Ask her to communicate her expectations and talk through anything you’re unsure about. 

What does she envision while inside the delivery room? Are you going to be someone who’ll take videos to immortalize the moments? Will you be there to buy snacks and go on supply runs in case you have to extend your stay? 

Having these discussions not only makes your role clearer but also shows that you’re willing to communicate with your partner and that you value her input. If you communicate ahead of time, then once you’re actually in the delivery room, you’ll have no problem understanding what your wife expects of you.

Know Your Limits

Giving birth is a precious moment, but it’s definitely not rainbows and sparkles. There will be blood, liquid, and other bodily tissue coming out of your wife. If you’re not comfortable with these things, then make sure to know your limits. It’s better to avoid looking at all than to have you faint at the sight of blood. 

When you know your limits, you’ll have a better time communicating with your wife as well. This helps with the first point — determining your role. If she knows that the smell and sight of blood make you squeamish, then she’ll understand if you stay near her head or if you have to go into another room at certain points. It’s all about balancing her expectations and knowing what you can actually deliver. 

Be Her Advocate

Your wife is in physical distress right before delivery. She may not be able to communicate clearly, feel anxious about the upcoming birth, or be in too much physical pain to make coherent statements. Being her advocate is one of the best delivery room tips for dads we can provide.

You’ll need to be able to see if she’s uncomfortable and make things more manageable. Is the hospital staff not giving her enough attention? You’ll need to be the one to stand up and ask — even demand — for the help your wife needs. Let your wife focus on her body and labor while you handle the rest. 

Stay Calm

Childbirth is stressful. Not only will you see your wife in physical pain, but there are also lots of emotions — excitement, hunger, tiredness, etc. Without any presence of mind, you could easily get swept up by your emotions and panic. Staying calm is important during these moments. You have to remain level-headed to provide support for your wife. 

During or after the delivery, you might also have to interact with relatives, friends, and other people who want to be involved in this milestone. Managing your heightened emotions during this volatile period helps you navigate these interactions more easily. You can deal with them so your wife gets the rest she needs while the others get the chance to see the baby or say congratulations — if that’s what you want as a couple.

Expect the Unexpected

You can make all the plans in the world, but one minor unexpected thing could end up derailing your expectations. There are simply no guarantees what could happen. Labor can take hours — even days. You can encounter something on the road that delays your arrival at the hospital. There are just too many variables that could affect your meticulous planning.

To make yourself ready for anything unexpected, you must prepare for various scenarios. It’s better to be too ready early on than to panic at the last moment. If something truly unexpected comes, stay calm and roll with it. What’s important is to keep communicating with your wife as long as she’s able to. Your priority is to keep her and the baby safe. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your relatives and even the hospital staff.

Wrapping Up: Delivery Room Tips for New Dads

Childbirth is one of the most precious moments in your life. It may seem like a daunting experience, especially for new dads, but there’s help all around. Our tips are a great starting point, but you can also ask other men in your life about their experiences and what they can advise. The delivery room is just the beginning, and you need all the help you can get to become the father you always wanted to be.

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