Dads without training 'a danger at childbirth'

Duncan Fisher, director of Family Info and former chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, will make the argument today in a debate at the Royal College of Midwives Student Conference.

According to Fisher, fathers can have a huge positive influence when present at the childbirth, but a lack of information can lead to them doing more harm than good. He will be debating with obstetrician Michael Odent, who has recently stated that fathers should not be present at a child's birth at all.

"Fathers are at the birth because mothers want them there and we should trust mothers' instincts - they are making the right choice for them," says Fisher. "What they do really matters and if they are ignorant and don't know what is going on they can make mistakes and cause real difficulties for the mother, when with good preparation they can do the opposite."

More than 85 per cent of fathers attend the birth of their babies, but information provided about childbirth is almost always directed solely at the mother, according to Fisher.

Family Info is also launching a new "Dad card" for midwives to give to parents early in the pregnancy. It suggests that fathers who know their role in the childbirth process can help to make labour shorter and less painful.