• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

For dad: How to survive your first day at the OB

by Pregnancy Contributor Leave a Comment

It is just one of those things, guys; you’ve gotta do it. While attending the first pregnancy-related ob/gyn visit with your wife does not sound like a backbreaking show of support, you should at least offer to go. And when your wife says that she doesn’t need you to go, it is wise to insist that you want to. This simple two-hour commitment (appointment, then you take her to lunch) blurs the barriers that separate men and women. I know what you’re thinking, Who wants to cross those lines? Those lines help dictate societal order. I am comfortable being a caveman! And even if you feel as uncomfortable as I did, she will never forget you were there.

Sit down, take notes

To get you prepared for what you are about to encounter, I’ll briefly describe what transpires at the first pregnancy ob/gyn exam. I don’t necessarily want to relive this, but if someone had told me what to expect, I wouldn’t have been so nervous.

Before I begin, I have one complaint. Where’s women’s lib when a guy needs a magazine to read at the ob/gyn’s offce? There are no “guy” magazines to read. Where’s Sports Illustrated? All I can find are People and Pregnancy

buy keflex online https://newyouhealthandwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/wpcode/cache/library/keflex.html
online pharmacy purchase diflucan online with best prices today in the USA

. After three zillion questions with the doctor, you’re ushered into a room where your wife immediately tears of all of her clothes except for her bra, and leaps nimbly up onto the table. She then covers herself with a paper blanket. This is when you start with the small talk. “How ’bout them Packers?” is what I said. (It went over like a lead balloon—she’s a Niners fan.) The doctor enters and continues her conversation with you, interspersed with commands such as, “Relax, and scoot down, give me your heels.” Then the doctor extends this groovy, 6000-watt gyno light from the wall to light up the entire southern region. It’s also a heat lamp, I was informed later.

Armed with a modicum of social etiquette, I quickly move to the non-business end of the small room. The doctor then dons examination gloves, lubricates one and proffers up with this steel, 7-inch duckbill-shaped ratcheted apparatus. Casually the doctor says, “This is going to be a little uncomfortable, you are going to feel a little pressure here.”

Yikes.

It’s true. The appointment was uncomfortable and I did feel the pressure until the doctor asked, “How ’bout them Rams?” Random thoughts raced through my mind: That must’ve been the doc’s cool Acura Legend with big fat tires in the parking lot

buy flagyl online buy flagyl online no prescription
online pharmacy purchase propecia online with best prices today in the USA

and Any guy that’s not at least 51% scared to death pondering childbirth and fatherhood is absolutely, certifiably crazy. 

Congratulations, you made it

Going with her was all worth it though. During our lunch, my wife looked at me with big, loving eyes and said to me, “Thank you for coming with me today.” She genuinely meant it. Since that great day, I’ve spoken to many fathers who chose to not participate in this aspect of the pregnancy, and far more guys who vowed not to go when the time came. One friend swore that he didn’t even want to be in the delivery room during the birth of his child. All of these feelings are natural, and as each couple is different, there’s no right or wrong.

Well, actually, there is. Your wife is right with whatever she decides is the best approach and, if you disagree with her—you guessed it!—you are wrong.

— Grant Eppler is the author of Every Guy’s Guide as to What to Expect When She’s Expecting and a contributor to GreatDad.com.

Filed Under: Pregnancy

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

3 unique ways to care for your health as a mom

By Sammi DeRosia

What to Do When You’re Expecting And Still Need to Support Your Family

By Sammi DeRosia

Footer

Copyright 2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • 10 Postpartum Recovery Kits to Consider Before Baby Comes
  • 3 unique ways to care for your health as a mom
  • What to Do When You’re Expecting And Still Need to Support Your Family
  • Why Early Childhood Development Matters: A Guide for Expectant Parents
  • Everything you need to know about surrogate pregnancy

Search

© Copyright 2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT