It's often perceived that birth is women's business. That's right, it is. But I think men need some credit in this area. Think about it.

Men are becoming fathers. Every time a woman gives birth, her husband becomes a father again. It means family needs increase. It means that he worries about his wife, the baby, the process and the outcome. It's a lot of stress on the guys. It's not fair what we've done to them.

What have we done?

Okay, we take these great guys and teach them everything they might need to know about birth so that they can be the support for their wives. We then, take these same guys and... throw them into the fire. They must handle each contraction, increasing in intensity, with a cool calm and level head.

But wait. Most husbands I know can't stand to see their wives suffer. Ever.

Now, here we are throwing them into the center of a process they can only intellectually understand. We are saying- "Hey, get with the program- be calm cool and collected. Remember everything you've learned- but don't expect everything to be exactly that way..." I know that the word to describe it would be: FEAR.

What if the men could get a person to accompany their wives through the process, give the men a chance to be truly helpful, and advocate for his wife and maybe even get a bathroom break? But he would still be front and center, and not miss out on loving his wife and baby. Wouldn't that be great?

The person, who helps a man to give to his wife during birth, is a Doula.

Men have every bit as much right to the support and care of a Doula. Men have every right to know that his wife is in constant, caring and knowledgeable hands. Men experience birth in their own way- but they experience birth, all the same.