Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To describe and explain the expectant father's experience during labor and delivery.
DESIGN:
A grounded theory methodology was used for data collection and analysis.
SETTING:
Semistructured interviews were held in the homes of participants, and data were collected from observations in the labor and delivery rooms.
PARTICIPANTS:
Twenty couples recruited from five hospitals in the San Francisco Bay area.
MAIN OUTCOMES:
The study identified three roles that expectant fathers adopted: coach, teammate, and witness.
RESULTS:
The roles adopted by expectant fathers were related to the degrees of understanding and mutuality within the couples' relationships. The majority of the men in the study adopted the role of witness.
CONCLUSION:
The current expectations of the father in the role of coach should be reevaluated.