New dad doesn't look at baby during birth because he was worried about his wife's pain, gets chewed out by his mother-in-law and wife: 'She started crying over how I don't love our child'

Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor

Jul 28, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

If you're a parent and not a doctor, birth is extremely unpredictable. If you're giving birth, you're at risk for so many health complications, not to mention that you're fully awake during the most physically painful moment of your life. It can be beautiful and life-affirming, too, but you can't deny that it's also really painful and scary. It can also be painful and scary for the parent who isn't giving birth, but obviously not in the same way. It's hard to know exactly what to do when your child is screaming and crying and your wife is cut open and in distress. Who should you comfort and support first? That's the question one new dad answered after his baby was born. Instead of immediately going to the baby, he wanted to ensure his wife was okay. Because of that choice, he didn't get to see their baby right when it was born, causing a rift between him and his mother-in-law.