Dad Didn’t Let Anyone Hold Newborn Son So Wife Could Hold the Baby First

The internet didn’t disappoint. Strangers from around the country chimed in on the situation.

The original Reddit post includes thousands of comments, and readers overwhelmingly agreed with the dad. Read on to see what some people said.

“I can’t believe this is a real thing someone has to deal with. ‘Let me get this straight. You read my wife’s post about how difficult, scary and traumatic her labour and birth was and that reminded you about how unfair it was you didn’t get to hold him right away. Why don’t the two of us look up the word selfish together.’ I would totally LC (low contact) them if they were my family.”

“Yeah it’s a good thing he’s already setting boundaries and sticking to them because I think him and his wife are going to need to be setting a lot of boundaries with mom and sister. Yikes they are entitled!”

“Completely agree with this!! your mama and sister are just mad because they never got a chance to go in there the day that he was born. At the same time this is your son you have a right to do with what you choose. They have no rights here. you already know that this was going to be a problem so you and your wife are already had a solution to it. you did nothing wrong you wanted their first moment to be together and with no one else. That is really sweet!!! I’m glad you your wife and your baby boy are doing great!!”

“I cannot imagine how stressful it must have been for you to have your wife unconscious for that length of time. If anyone was robbed of those first few days with your son, it was her. You did exactly the right thing in prioritizing her holding him first over anyone else – if I was in her situation (I’m pregnant right now!) and woke up to find that everyone else had cuddled my baby before me, I’d be devastated.”

“Your wife went through a traumatic birth experience, and I think any of us would feel equally as devastated if we couldn’t hold our baby for days. You were supporting your wife and respecting her desire of not being the last one to hold your son. I get that your mom and sis were upset for not being allowed to meet their grandson/nephew, but that wasn’t their decision and they need to respect, and truthfully, get over it. Good for you, op for standing up for your wife, and not allowing something that would deeply upset her, to happen.”

A quick tip for when a mom can’t hold her newborn right away

I’m not sure how many true “textbook” childbirths occur each day. Based on stories from my friends and family, childbirth often includes complications of some sort. While all moms would love to hold their little newborn right after birth, sometimes it’s not possible.

If that is the case, here’s a tip I’ve learned. Let Dad cuddle that little one as much as possible while Mom recovers. But, wrap the baby inside one of mom’s softest shirts. This way, the precious little one will breathe in Mom’s scent as he or she first encounters the world.

And, as soon as Mom is able, let her and the baby have plenty of cuddle time together.


Janna Firestone
Janna Firestone
Janna lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and two teenage boys. You’ll often find her hiking, paddleboarding, or enjoying a good board game indoors. She's an unapologetic Dallas Cowboys fan, and an even bigger fan of coffee, dry shampoo, and authentic conversations.

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