Guest Blogger – Mr. Pete!

My Guest Blogger is my husband of almost 28 years- Mr. Pete! I’m afraid I’m going to have to break up his article into two posts. Part one now and then part two next week when we get back from a very short trip to Michigan!

So here’s Pete!

My wife asked me to consider writing an article on the childbirth experience of men (from my perspective) and how we see the conflict between protecting our wives and yet having that second, third… or sixth child and how I came to grips with it.

First off, I would like to state that first childbirth for men is a total walk into helplessness. You are the odd man out and you are supposed to be “there” for your wife, but to this day I often wonder in what capacity. The hospital staff often looks at you as some ditz who is in the way or a know-it-all pain in the ass, who also seems to be in the way. You can usually do nothing for your wife’s pain or help her in anyway to make her more comfortable. If your wife needs something, you are forced to ask another person for it. You are out of your element, so you are uncomfortable. Your man’s job as protector is out of your hands.

If your wife has a difficult labor the first time (our first was approximately 24 hours of labor ending in a Cesarean) as opposed to the two hour labor and grunt it out you see on t.v., you as a man ask, “Do I want to put my wife through this again?” I should mention that I am an optimist. You know the glass is half full an I could probably make it last for a week, in fact if you ask my wife, she thinks I am the most optimistic man that she knows (but she’s a pessimist).

So the first baby is here and you start to serve him or her and your wife. That is part of a man’s duty to protect and serve. You learn the most important lesson that God has been trying to show man since Adam; through willing service your heart opens up to love. You fall in love with your first child so much in fact, you question whether you will be able to love another child as much. It also makes you love your wife more for giving you such a gift.

So do you put your wife through childbirth again?

Stay tuned to part 2 next week!

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