MASS MEDIA DISTRIBUTION NEWSWIRE

LABOR AND DELIVERY DOS AND DON'TS FOR DADS-TO-BE
January 31, 2007

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Glenn Lawrence (813) 300-5454 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

LABOR AND DELIVERY DOS AND DON'TS FOR DADS-TO-BE

Nothing compares to watching the woman a dad loves give birth to his child. But it can be overwhelming even for the bravest of dads-to-be.

TAMPA, Fla. -- There’s nothing more exciting, emotional and even scary than seeing the birth of a child.

The hospital delivery room can be overwhelming for even the bravest of dads-to-be.

So InteractiveDad.com, the free online magazine for fathers, is out with a Top 10 List of Labor and Delivery Dos and Don'ts For Dads-To-Be to coach new dads through the process.

1. DON'T THINK IT’S ABOUT DADS
If there’s one thing dads should know, nothing about giving birth is about fathers. Dads don't deliver the baby. Fathers are in a supporting role. Get used to it. It's the way it is.

2. DON'T PLAY VIDEO, COMPUTER GAMES
Your attention as dad-to-be must be focused on your spouse and the upcoming birth. That means no game playing -- including Gameboy or cell phones. Dads need to focus their attention on their spouses.

3. DON'T EAT IN FRONT OF HER
Moms-to-be can eat ice chips. Dads can get chicken strips, a burger, whatever he can find at the hospital cafeteria. All things considered, it's best for men to excuse themselves and eat the food outside the room instead of in front of her. But do eat. Dads need your energy. Those who are hungry tend to be less patient and irritable. Things can get dicey during delivery. Fuel up to prepare for it.

4. DON'T TAKE OVER THE TV
Most labor and delivery rooms are equipped with TVs and a VCR/DVD. By all means pack movies for the room. Just make sure they’re movies moms-to-be are interested in watching. Remember, this is about HER. So if the ballgame is on, forget about it.

5. DON'T YELL AT HER 'TO PUSH!'
During delivery, it’s important to help moms-to-be by encouraging her to push. But this isn’t a football or baseball game you’re attending. There’s no yelling needed. Be encouraging, but don’t overdo it. Depending on how much pain medication she’s taking, birth really hurts and hormones are raging.. She's not going to be a happy camper. Don’t give her reason to be aggravated with you.

6. DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT BACK PAIN
When she's several centimeters, and her body is stretching like noone's business, the last thing she cares about is a man's pain. Sure, it might hurt standing and holding her legs and helping nurses for a while. It can cause a dad to have back pain, but suck it up! It doesn't measure up.

7. DON'T FORGET TO BRING A CAMERA/VIDEO CAMERA
There’s little worse than forgetting the video and/or still camera. It's a sure way for a dad-to-be to become the butt of jokes for years to come.

8. DO VIDEO TAPE/PHOTOGRAPH WHERE APPROPRIATE
Use common sense when and where to video tape. Video taping during a painful contraction may be a bad idea. And so might taking video of the actual birth. We recommend dads check with their spouses BEFORE labor to find out what she's comfortable with. Also check with the hospital and doctor as to what they will allow.

9. DO BE SUPPORTIVE OF HER DECISION ON PAIN MEDICINE
How you’re spouse decides to have the child is entirely her decision. If she wants to go through labor without taking pain meds, fine. If she wants pain meds, fine. It’s not a dad's job to pressure her do anything.

10. DO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR SPOUSE
The primary role of a dad during the whole labor and delivery process is to support his spouse and be her advocate. That means making sure she’s comfortable, gets the pain meds she wants if she wants them or anything else.

About InteractiveDad.com

InteractiveDad.com is a daily online parenting magazine for dads.   It offers expert fatherhood advice and timely articles on parenting and finance written for today's dads to help motivate fathers to be better parents. The site is free and also offers an Ask the Expert section.

Source:  Selig Media, LLC.

CONTACT:  Glenn Lawrence, Editor, InteractiveDad.com and Interactive Dad Magazine (813) 300-5454 or email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

Web Site:  http://www.InteractiveDad.com

 
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Press Release Summary

Nothing compares to watching the woman a dad loves give birth to his child. But it can be overwhelming even for the bravest of dads-to-be.