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FATHERS are being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing their partners have difficult births.
Experts say, "We are ready to go to work" and we are ready to work on the laboring mums.
But the terror of haemorrhaging, emergency surgery, and the following is not breathing is sparking flashbacks, depression and even suicidal thoughts in some men.
"Woman may be confused, semiconscious or dissociated rather than fully aware of what is happening but father is only too aware," a spokeswoman of the Australasian Birth Trauma Association told The Courier-Mail.
Griffith University Head of Midwifery Professor Jenny Gamble said she had been in contact with men with trauma symptoms during her research project on post-birth phone counseling.
"The mums would sometimes say, 'Look, I'm OK, but can you speak to my husband?' she said.
The birth trauma badociation says the fans, the breadwinners and parent to other children while mum recovers.
They may feel that they could not do anything to help them in their first place, with the result that they avoid physical intimacy.
"At present, the trauma is not always diagnosed accurately and affected by medical professionals," the spokesperson said.
Haydn Jenkins, pictured with wife Amie and children Evie, 4, and Percy, 1, has told of his PTSD ordeal. Picture: Nigel Hallett
Gold Coast father of two Haydn Jenkins said that they were often reluctant to talk about their traumatic experiences after their child's birth.
"It's not easy to say that I have a lot of things to do with it," said the high school teacher said.
"My wife was having a C-section, and it was not really aware of the fact that it was badly wrong.
"Percy was born unresponsive and terrifying, and was haemorrhaged and lost a lot of blood.
"I was whisked away and kept in the dark for not knowing how they were.
"Luckily both came out OK."
The 35-year-old said the experience and made it alone
"I was having dark suicidal thoughts," he said.
"I started to see a counselor, who explained that the situation was not my fault.
"I had been pretty irrational and even blamed little Percy for the whole thing.
"Thankfully I got the help I needed, and I am speaking to help other men."
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