> Our doctor *insisted* that I cut Jonathan's umbilical cord. Before we attended child birthing classes, I was a little uncertain and maybe squeamish about that. After the classes, I was pretty certain I DIDN'T want to do it! But when my wife told the doctor that I wasn't going to, he said "Oh, we'll talk him into it."

That's just *weird*. Not that you would want to, or not want to, but that the doctor would insist you *should*. Is that the latest "you have to do it THIS way" childbirth trend? I've also heard stories of occasions where the father, the mother or both did not want the father to be present at the birth, and this was regarded as bizarre and unnatural by all others involved. (How times change.)

Personally, I can't imagine how a woman would want *any* men present while giving birth, whether he's the father of the child or not. Still, what do I know? I guess I'm primitive or something.

Brunnen-"maybe you think differently once the pregnancy hormones kick in"G