Birth Stories about Dads (Courtesy of Sunrise Viewers)

When Channel 7's Sunrise program featured the Beer and Bubs workshops in 2004, they asked viewers to email in their stories about how their husbands supported them during the birth. Here are our favourites ranging from hilarious to heart breaking. These are quick and entertaining...

A close friend of mine's wife was at home and going into labour with their third child. As it was the early stages he suggested that he would have a shower first. He finished his shower and she started hers so he said he would get the car ready. When he came back inside he was greeted by his wife standing in the shower cradling their newborn daughter. - Nigel

My husband tried very hard to help me during labour by being in charge of administering the gas and air for me during contractions. Unfortunately, he forgot to turn on the canister and he was actually suffocating me by forcing the mouthpiece on me with no air coming out of it! I did recover thankfully and went on to have two more children! - Pauline

During the birth of both our son and our daughter, my husband was a GREAT help. He didn't complain when I bit his thumb during the first labour, and his nipple during the second! He was in the process of taking away the gas-and-air and I was trying to get it back with my teeth! Anyway, he gave me ice to suck on, mopped by brow, gave me massages. A big thumbs-up for dads at labour. And the best thing? To see their faces when their new child is born. I would not miss it for the World. - Terri

My husband was wonderful during my labour with my son. He ran back and forth to the microwave heating up my heat packs and rubbing my back. He ended up delivering my son on our lounge room floor after a very quick labour and stayed calm throughout the whole thing. He was amazing even though he was furious with me for not agreeing to go to the hospital earlier! - Nikki

I had my son in 1977 when Dads were just beginning to attend births. A junior doctor told us all the stories concerning the Dads. One I love: While Mum was being transferred to the delivery room, the doctors were busy and told Dad to go another room to get a surgical gown. Dad left on his own and came into the delivery room WEARING ONLY THE SURGICAL GOWN, exposing his bear bottom and receiving a few looks from the staff. He thought he had to be completely sterile. - Anne

I had my first baby 4 months ago and if it wasn't for my amazing husband's constant support and encouragement during a long and exhausting Labour, I don't think I could have kept going. He was an absolute angel and this continued after the birth. He organised all the paperwork for us to get our "baby bonus" and birth certificate, emailed all our family and friends with the good news, cleaned the house and stocked the fridge with all the yummy things I hadn't been allowed to eat during my pregnancy! When I got home from hospital I was treated like a princess! I think that we both appreciate each other a lot more after going through the labour and birth experience together! There should be more men out there like him...I'm a very lucky girl! - Mia

For my first child I was single and gave birth with my mum and sister helping, I swore a lot during that birth and had plenty of pain killers. When I met my husband we had a child of our own together and he was a great help massaging and saying what a great job I was doing. Six hours later I gave birth to our son without drugs or swearing or yelling at him. Our son was 9lb 4 ozs. Our third child was stillborn and we new this before labour Started. I couldn't have got through it without him, he delivered our daughter again drug free. Our forth child was a very scary birth but again my husband was a tower of strength and he also delivered our second daughter, another drug free labour. I would like to thank my husband Murray. I love you. - Kelly

For our first he had to sit on a chair, due to feeling faint. For our second he had to lay on a couch. Our third he fainted and knocked himself out for a while. It was like the movies, they were all around him and I'm in last stage of labour. When I was due with our forth I thought he wouldn't survive it. Lucky it only took an hour. He was trying figure out the mask and oxygen with the nurse while I'm pushing saying "it's a bit late". I asked him for a face washer and he put it over my whole face and I couldn't breathe. Our fifth he wasn't to bad, and by the time we had our sixth just last year he had mastered the whole thing and was my rock! - Nicole

Whilst in labour with my first child, which lasted two and a half days, my husband decided to go out when he needed a breather. On one of these occasions came back with news that he was going to buy a new car for the baby of course and thrust papers at me between contractions to sign. I wasn't impressed that he got me at a very weak moment it was very stressful trying to concentrate on giving birth and worrying about how were to pay for this damn new car! - Gail

I was in labour with my third bub after having just moved house. I was exhausted and had gone far beyond being polite to anyone! I wanted the labour to stop, to go home and get some sleep. As the contractions increased in intensity I needed something to distract me so I turned to hubby and through clenched teeth, demanded that he talk to me. "About what?" he asked. I replied "anything, it doesn't matter." His response... "um, does it hurt?" The midwife left the room barely able to contain her laughter. The only reason he draws breath today is that I couldn't get off the bed to kill him!! - Sam

My husband is an obstetrician and gynaecologist by profession and has delivered thousands of babies. At the birth of our daughter he was a quivering shaking mess. When asked if he would like to cut the cord (a fairly minor part of the birth) he said "OH my God, what if I stuff it up!" and had to be persuaded by my obstetrician, a long time colleague of his, to do it. My obstetrician said he was one of the most nervous fathers she had ever supervised in this task! - Angela

My partner is my soul mate so not having him at the birth of our child just was out of the question! In the whole entire time my labour lasted for which was 16 hours he only left for 20 mins to grab some tea because he hadn't eaten all day. But even though he left me he made sure my mum was called so I had someone for support. Both of them then stayed for the birth of our son Wesley James and I don't know how I could've done it without them. Support people are very important! - Michelle

I was overdue by two weeks with my first baby and on Friday the doctor said he would induce me on the following Monday. My husband who had been "on call" since the due date took that as the go ahead to go to the pub. Well, of course I went into labour that night and had to page him to come home. Well, he was so drunk he got into the hospital bed beside me!!! The nurse kept coming around and making him get out (so he'd get on the floor... but in the end, the nurses gave up and let him sleep it off a bit and pulled the curtains around us. - Pauline

My partner Paul was excellent. He delivered both our children. The first time the obstetrician stood next to him and talked him through it, BUT THE SECOND TIME - our doctor had gone home for lunch, thinking I would be a while yet. When things started happening quickly the midwife went into the other room to phone the doctor to come back, and Paul had to catch our second son as he made his speedy entry into the world - just as the midwife was coming back into the room. He was the talk of the nurses for the next few days, and he is very proud to say he was the first person to ever touch both of our boys. - Trinity

I had a two and a half day labour. Two days into it my husband turned to me and said "I'm bored, at least you have something to do!" I can tell you he was not a very popular boy after that. But not to worry, there has been plenty for him to do since her birth. - Rebecca

OH! So the guys are actually there to help the wife??? My hubby thought he was there to help the staff! I was in labour so long he learnt how to change the paper roll in the foetal heart monitor and actually read the instructions from the packet for the "new type" of heart monitor that the obstetrician was using for the first time!!! Is it any wonder the experience was so traumatic that I have blanked everything out except those two small memoires!!! Where were these birthing classes when I needed them!!! - Andrea

My husband was as handy as tits on a bull at the birth of our second daughter. He arrived in a drunken state just as she was about to greet the world and was subsequently "evicted" from the labour ward. - Trish

I was in the process of having an emergency caesarean when my husband asked the person who was monitoring my vitals "What is that?" as he looked over the curtain. The nurse replied, "That's her uterus?". My husband then proceeded to say, "but it's on the outside!!!" - Dannyelle

My gorgeous husband was really trying his hardest to help me during the birth of our son Kaleb, however the shoes he wore to the hospital that day created static electricity. Every time he tried to wipe my brow or help me in any way there were sparks. After a particularly large zap to the forehead during a contraction he was politely told to stay away. - Kim

I went into labour on New Years Eve. My husband went home that evening as my labour had stalled and ended up attending a New Years Eve party (as you do) only to be recalled when my labour started again. I was relaxing in a full bath and he was supposed to be pouring warm water over my tum, when suddenly I heard a "splahh" and looked up to see he had dropped the jug and was snoring peacefully at the end of the tub. I have never let him forget it and our daughter in now soon to be 12. - Jane

On October 23rd 1992 I was pregnant and ten days overdue. At 8.30am on that Friday morning my husband had an accident in a shearing shed where he was hit in the knee by a sheep. We lived 30km from the nearest hospital. My husband's boss brought him over to our house after the accident and left him with me to take care of. At nine months I dragged my husband into our car and drove him to hospital. They then discovered that he had snapped both the crusiat and medial ligaments in BOTH KNEES. I had to book myself into hospital on Monday because they would not fly my husband to Adelaide for surgery until I had had the baby. I had an allergic reaction to the prosteglandins and my husband was in a wheel chair while I eventually gave birth to our son Tyler on the Wednesday morning. It took five years for them to reconstruct his legs. It nearly destroyed us but we have now been married for 13 years and still love each other. But giving birth with both of us on the gas and him in a wheel chair is not something I would like to go through again! - Di

My husband was very useful during my two births. Especially the first as I spent 7 hours in the shower. He had the shower head and every time I had a contraction he had to put the water on my tummy and between contractions it had to be on my back. After the birth he told everyone that it was a hard job!!!! He was also very helpful during the second just by doing whatever I asked. - Brenda

My love and respect for my partner was elevated to a new high at the birth of our first child. As I lay in the foetal position, holding his hand, he told me to squeeze his hand every time I was in pain and the stronger the pain, I should squeeze harder. Needless to say I nearly broke his hand, but it gave me something to focus on. He is my hero!!! - Diane

My partner was invaluable at the birth of our daughter, Chloe. Not only did he massage my back, give me drinks and change the music, but he actually delivered Chloe while midwives and doctor stood back and let him do it. It was quite amusing when he attempted to walk away with his new daughter when she was still attached to the umbilical cord! I couldn't have done it without him. - Tanya

My husband and I successfully delivered our first child in June this year at Selangor Private Hospital at Nambour. My husband was more excited than everyone else about the birth. For the previous 9 months he had been researching everything and every day would tell me little tidbits about my pregnancy (which got quite annoying after a while) and we attended all our classes and doctor appointments together. During the birth he was absolutely amazing. I had a water birth and he stayed right next to me during the 10 hour labour. He helped by providing me with ice chips and warm face washes and telling me how good I was doing. I don't think I could have done it without him, and I don't think any male should miss out on the opportunity to see their children being born as it is the most wonderful experience. - Naomi

Whilst my husband was fantastic during the labour - doing the back massage, running to my every whim - it was a bit of a comedy routine when he firstly tripped over my drip! (luckily it was taped to my arm very securely!) then..just as the baby's head was coming out and I was about to push the baby out he realised there was no film in out camera. So whilst I panted madly to try and stop the baby from arriving he raced back to our room (quite a run!!) and grabbed the spare film and reloaded our very tricky SLR camera on the way back! He arrived back with seconds to spare! My second child is due on Thursday and we now have a digital camera...with lots of spare batteries!! Looking forward to what he gets up to this time! - Juliet

After a near fatal car accident and a cancer scare my husband and I were almost sure babies were out of the question. I fell pregnant however one week after I went off the pill!! We were stunned and sooo excited!! I had a dream pregnancy, my husband and I attended all the antenatal classes, but I wasn't sure if he had taken it all in. From the time I went into labour he was amazing, I couldn't have wished for more, so ladies don't prejudge your other half as you just don't know what labour can do to a 'typical Aussie bloke'. Five hours later we had a beautiful boy, Charlie Nicholas who is now four months old and Daddy adores him more each day - along with all the rest of us!! - Lisa

My husband lovingly rubbed my back and my belly with every contraction throughout 7 hours of labour with our son. He was as exhausted as I was at the end. After I went and had a shower and came out into the birthing room and the lights were dimmed and they were both asleep together on the bed. It is one of the most beautiful things I have every seen. - Christina

After being told at my 36 week check up by the obstetrician that my baby had to be born the following morning by caesarean due to complications I was in complete shock and not able to think about anything at all, but my husband remained completely calm and went about organising everything as if he did it every day! Being 4 weeks away from my due date I was COMPLETELY unprepared - I didn't even have my bags packed properly. Although we didn't have the traditional birthing experience, I can honestly say that if my husband had not been so calm and unfazed I would have been a complete and utter mess. Thankfully we now have a happy 4 month old daughter Emma. - Theresa

My first child was relatively easy, as I was only in labour for about 8 hours, so imagine my surprise when the next day, hubby asked for a leg massage - his legs were sore from standing up for so long during the birth. - Jacinda

I just had to tell you my husband was the best support person in the world. After a 16 hour labour (which was drug free!) and the birth of our beautiful daughter Ella, he didn't leave my side once. The next day he told me he was busting for the toilet, I said why didn't you go and he said I didn't want to leave you. I couldn't have done it without him. - Annlees

When I was due to give birth for the first time, the first Iraq war had just broken out. The TV in the birth room had really poor reception and my husband worked himself into such a state trying to follow the war that he offered to fix the reception himself! Because I had asked him to be 'strong' for me and refuse all pain relief, when it came time to call for an epidural, he refused to budge even though I was begging! In the end, he decided to negotiate a set of golf clubs and buggy in order to go and find a nurse!! I agreed but didn't get the epidural anyway because by then the birth was imminent. Townsville had had 24 days of continual rain and in areas where there were small puddles on the floor, he also kept dancing in them!! In addition when I was vomiting, he continuously wiped my mouth and then would drag the same washer through my hair!! When they asked would he like to cut the umbilical cord he stated that he would as he'd gutted plenty of fish and thought the comparison would be close?! Fortunately we're still married and 3 children later, he doesn't mind being reminded of 'our' birth stories and often tells new prospective fathers just how easy it all is. He certainly could have done with a class or 10! - Lee