“I saw my child being born”: experience of fathers in delivery rooms

Abstract

A descriptive exploratory study with qualitative approach was carried out in the Municipal Maternity of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, with the aim of assessing the knowledge of parents as to the rights of the partner during labor and delivery, and to find out about his experience during the birth of his child. Forty young fathers experiencing the birth of their first child were interviewed from June 15th to June 22nd, 2006. It was verified that they were unaware of their right to be present during these events, attributing their presence to the generosity of the medical team. The experience was considered as positive because of the support given to the mothers, demystifying fears and suffering related to childbirth.