7th April 2008, at 11:31am by Caesarean Section (due to baby wanting to come out feet first) weighing in at 6lb 12oz. Ava Grace Mooij made DIYFathers' Eric a father again.

At 3am Andrea knew something was going to happen, but she didn't wake me... at 6 when I left for work, she said to leave my phone on and keep it near me, the baby might be coming early (due date 16th April).

So I did, keep my phone on and close to me.

09:48 I got a call, Andrea didn't need to say anything, I answered the phone with "Are you at the hospital?” "No but I'm on my way" was Andrea's reply.

10:18 I arrived at the hospital, to catch Andrea and the midwife just walking in to the hospital...perfect timing. ... read more >>

Yesterday Encarna came to the hospital to hold the baby so April could take a nap and I could walk home to pick up a few things. I didn't have much time at home, maybe thirty minutes, but I did grab a few DVDs off the shelf next to the TV. Even though we had been in the hospital for a day already, apparently I wasn't willing to give up the idea in my head that staying at the hospital after delivery is like staying home from work with a cold. Yes, you don't feel well, but really all you have to do is rest and get better. Eat, drink, lie around watching movies, and if you get really bored, find somebody to order around.

I guess I mean to say that I imagined that when all the drama of the delivery was said and done, the curtain would metaphorically close, and we would be left alone in our hospital room, our little nest, to get to know each other and be a family. ... read more >>

Expectant fathers have a lot of decisions to make when getting ready for the arrival of their first or new child. Many people create checklists to try and help them prepare, but it is impossible to make ready for every situation or need. There are many decisions during the pregnancy that dads really care about expressing an opinion but some are avoided at all costs.

Here are Five Decisions Expectant Fathers Tend to Avoid:

1. Choice of doctor or hospital - we're not the ones who need to feel comfortable being poked, probed and examined, so why should our opinion matter?

2. Room decor or bedding set - dads want kids to have cool rooms, but the only things we really care about when it comes to decor are how much it costs and the amount of work it will be for us to paint and set-up all of the furniture.

3. Formula or breastfed baby - as long as we can be involved in feeding the baby in some way, we don't really care where the milk comes from.

4. Natural or 'pain relieved' delivery - some dads may quietly think they have a strong position on this leading up to the big day; however, that quickly changes when they get in the delivery room with a screaming mom. In most cases, dads understand that they aren't the ones pushing the baby out, so they really don't have a say about epidurals or pain medications anyway. ... read more >>

This post is the second one in a set of two. To read Alleke's birth story from the beginning, click here.

The next thing I knew another nurse came and loaded up my bed for transfer. We rolled down the hallway, and he tried to make small talk with us as I moaned and made loud noises through each contraction (I think the noises I had been making since my water broke were what scared Kelly the most). By now I definitely felt like pushing, but realized it wasn't the time. Off the elevator, Kelly was pulled aside to put scrubs on, and a midwife walked up and grabbed my hand. She was in process of asking me if it was my first baby when she glanced up and yelled, "Oh, April!". It was Carmen, our midwife from prenatal classes. I'm not sure who was more happy that she was on duty - me or her. ... read more >>

As a writer, I love a good story, and I couldn't think of a better gift for my little girl than her mom telling the story of how she was born in her own words. So, without further adieu, here's April...

On October 2, we had our regular prenatal classes that evening. After doing our normal stretches and meditation, Carmen, the midwife told me and the other woman who was at 38 weeks that it was time to practice pushing. Knowing that our baby girl was due in two days, I figured it was a good idea. After class, we talked with Carmen rehearsing all the things we needed to do if I went into labour. She mentioned to Kelly that she was going to be on-duty in the hospital on Tuesday night and Thursday morning, so if we wanted her to be there, try to plan accordingly. ... read more >>

Our first child was a fortnight late and when he finally made an appearance he was ugly - I mean like one of the bad guys out of Peter Jackson's imagination. Grey and wizened with hands like talons. I obligingly pointed this out to the assembled maternity staff. "Oh you poor, ugly little bugger," I believe were my words. Next thing you know I was clubbed to the ground by a clutch of midwives and nurses who all had black belts in frowning. ... read more >>

Living overseas and having kids can be a little different, especially when you are half a world away, in a country that doesn’t speak English and family are nowhere to be seen.

In 2003 and again in 2005 my wife and I went through the birthing process, the following are two short excerpts highlighting the key experiences and learnings.

Birth one: Eleanor, Country: Finland

Leading up to and after the birth of Eleanor we were living in Russia (Moscow), but decided that we didn't feel too comfortable putting our trust in the Russian health system, thus we embarked on a Nordic adventure arriving in Finland three weeks before the due date. ... read more >>

The following story is re-published on DIYFather.com with kind permission from www.homebirth.org.nz.

It all started for me some three and a half years ago at an antenatal class - a bunch of expectant first time parents sitting there with a group of strangers wondering, "What the hell am I doing here?" Midwives! Bring on the doctors, the machinery, the drugs and the other wonders of modern science. But there I was, dragged along by my wife's excitement, listening to what I thought at the time was the "hippy" section of the medical profession, subscribing natures way and homeopathic remedies for childbirth. These, I thought, were the people probably not good enough to get a job at the hospitals - HOW WRONG I WAS!

In hindsight, women have been giving birth for quite a few years now and why I thought giving birth in a hospital would be better I have no idea. ... read more >>