The process of giving birth may be a shock and a new experience to modern people, but pre-civilization communities knew what they were doing. A new mother had already helped her own mother, her sisters, and her friends through it, under the supervision of older women who knew more than they did. Sure, men were excluded, which is why women became the experts in childbirth and by extension, other medical events. Giving birth was a team effort, and everyone did their part.
We lost this type of communal childbirth in the modern world, when men took over medical science and women who practiced it were labeled as witches. Not that it ever really went away, especially in traditional cultures. I am glad to see that some of these practices are coming back. While my mother was completely knocked out for labor and delivery, my daughter had a doula, a midwife, and a woman obstetrician in a birthing center that was anything but medicalized.
I'm also glad that fathers are included these days, mainly because it makes them respect what the mother goes through.
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My husband's biggest regret was being banned by the hospital to be present in the delivery room for the births of our 2 children. I'm glad things have changed for the better for men to be with their wives during childbirth now.
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