A labour and delivery nurse in the US has shared the five biggest mistakes she sees dads-to-be make in the delivery room, saying these behaviours give her and mums in labour “the ick”.
Nurse's advice to expectant dads
Kim Houk, a labour and delivery nurse based in California, is a mum of seven and has been a nurse for almost a decade. In a TikTok video, she said male guests can do things in the delivery room that make her feel sorry for the woman giving birth.
She rounded up the top five irritating habits she has witnessed first-hand.
Top five mistakes
The first type of dad that frustrates Kim is the “gamer dad”, who brings his Xbox or PlayStation to the delivery room and immediately asks how to connect it to the TV so he can play video games while his wife is in labour. She said: “You're telling me you're going to play video games while she's in labour? How about you come help her? Make yourself useful.”
Second, Kim said one of the biggest mistakes expectant dads make is answering questions on their partner's behalf, such as speaking over her when she is asked important questions about pain relief or an epidural. She added: “You aren't the one having a baby come out of your body. Maybe we'll let her answer that.”
Third, Kim said many dads say they are going to “take a little walk” and then come back “clearly high as a kite” and smelling of marijuana. She said: “You're not fooling anybody, we can see it from a mile away. Actually, we can smell it from a mile away, because now the entire unit smells like skunk and cheap cologne.”
More issues and honourable mentions
Fourth, Kim criticised dads who take work calls in the delivery room and try to talk loudly over the birth. She explained: “If you're going to be loud and on the phone while she's trying to be relaxed and in labour, maybe you can go in the hallway or take it outside.”
Finally, Kim called out men who “oversexualise everything in the labour and delivery process”, saying it makes her very uncomfortable. She said: “It's disgusting. You're giving creepy guy vibes. I'm putting gloves on to check her dilation, and you're talking about a threesome.”
Kim added honourable mentions for the dad who eats food the entire time while his wife eats popsicles and ice chips, the dad who is too afraid to kick visitors out even though the patient wants to sleep, and the dad who flirts with the nurse the entire time.
