As Dr. Michael Odent, Europe's leading childcare expert courts controversy by claiming fathers should never attend the birth of their children, Britain's National Childbirth Trust hits back by claiming having the father present is irrelevant if the mother is confident and happy. I'm sure both these sets of views will be correct depending on which set of parents you speak to. Other's will adamantly state the father must be there at all costs. However, I'm astounded at the interference of medical experts in what is ultimately an intensely emotional and personal experience to be shared with whoever each individual couple prefers.
Woman are far better off being accompanied by another woman.
Personally, I could not comprehend giving birth without the presence of my husband and far from disturbing and disrupting the process or interfering with my mental state his attendance added to my experience in a way no other could have. Luckily my partner agreed and through a haze of pain, worry and drugs my husband's presence soothed, relaxed and comforted me. Having a woman by side would not have eased my long and painful labour in this way. However that was my experience, many other woman will have wonderful memories of their delivery accompanied only by their mother present or perhaps a close friend and that would have been the right thing for them. All couples consist of two individuals who make their own decisions regarding what is right or wrong for the birth of their child and the matter of who will attend the birth should not be influenced by the medical world unless it is a medical threat to the child or the expectant mother.