Why is it that fathers weren't allowed in the delivery room with the mother of the child?

I think.

If that were the case then why are they permitted to go in the delivery room now?

In my country Trinidad, Fathers are still not allowed in the delivery room of Public Hospitals. They can go in in Private Medical Facilities. The reason that was given to me when I asked a doctor, is that, in a public hospital, we do not have individual rooms when we are in labor, there may be several of us giving birth at the same time for eg. with my son, it was 3 of us, and all the women are exposed, so it would be indecent to allow fathers in at that point..

I think it had more to do with the way women were back then…. privacy. It’s wonderful that things have changed, isn’t it?

Yes I am glad

They do let fathers or fathers-to-be in delivery rooms and are place in a spot where they are not a hindrance to the doctors and nurses whilst delivering the unborn child. Sorry, I meant to say, in Australia they do allow fathers and fathers-to-be in the room, regardless if the hospital is private or public. In America and other countries, I have no idea. :-)

The processmay be shocking of the father who has never expected that it could be so scary for them to see. What the doctors worry about is that the fathers will be affected emotionally by what they has seen that they would not want to “touch “ their wives again :)

Well in the US they have a choice now but they didn’t used to be able to go in the room

Wow are you serious? I would have never thought that

I think it would have been the same in Australia back in the history days, men were not allowed in the delivery rooms.

Back then not only were the fathers not allowed in the delivery rooms but the mother was automatically sedated. Very little information was given to the woman even if they asked questions. It was a different time, very different from today. It was looked at as a medical procedure only.

I was in the delivery room with both of my 2 boys and helped deliver them. A great moment in my life.

THis is a good answer. Also it was believed in some cultures that having a father in the room makes the woman more stressed out and delays the labour process. Woman can symphatize better with it because the ones accompanying the new mother usually has given birth.

Me too… Ain’t life grand?

My son was there for the birth of his son and so was I…. I was so excited!!!