Faint hopes for fathers

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33779, 27 February 1975, Page 1

Faint hopes for fathers

Whether fathers should be present during the birth of a child will be considered again by the institutions committee of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, the board decided yesterday. The matter was raised by Mrs M. McG. Clark, who said that in view of the ever-increasing medical, nursing, and public acceptance, and the desire of fathers to be present at the birth of their children, a revision of the board’s policy should be considered.

In the last four years she had heard from many parents and organisations of the widespread wish for fathers to be present at childbirths. She felt that to refuse to allow fathers to be present was a negative attitude “in this day and age.”

The medical superin-tendent-in-chief (Dr L. McH. Berry) said that at present fathers were welcome at Burwood and Essex Hospitals if they had the authority of their doctor, but at Christchurch Women’s Hospital the policy was not to allow fathers to be present at deliveries, although they could attend during the earlier stages of labour. Mr C. F. Whitty said that his son-in-law, an “expectant father,” had seen recently a Plunket Society film on childbirth, and as a result decided he could not take the real thing.

“We don’t want fathers fainting in the delivery room and occupying the time of the nursing staff,” said Mr Whitty.