10/11/2025
When I asked the group, “What keeps fathers from being more involved during labour in the birthing room?”, the room fell silent for a moment. Then one nurse spoke up softly; “Sometimes, it’s not that they don’t want to be there. It’s that the system, or even culture, tells them they don’t have to be.”
That moment stayed with me.
During my recent trip to Bodrum, Turkey, I had the privilege of leading a training for a group of obstetric nurses and birth workers on how to better involve fathers in the labour and birth experience.
Together, we unpacked the barriers that often stand in the way; from religious and cultural norms, to hospital systems, to the deeply personal feelings mothers may have about being seen in pain, changes in intimacy after birth, and the expectations placed on motherhood.
What impressed me most was the openness and curiosity in the room. These professionals are challenging norms and reimagining birth spaces where every parent can feel seen and supported.
Grateful for the exchange, the learning, and the reminder that respectful, family-centered care looks different in every culture, but the heart of it is the same everywhere
