Beer and babies? A different approach

Childbirth and beer may not seem to go hand in hand, but a program soon to be rolled out by in Bunbury asks men to sink a beer for their unborn baby.

The Beer and Bubs program, created by Sydney childbirth educator Lucy Perry, will kick off in Bunbury next month.

Ms Perry said she created the program because she saw that men wanted to be involved in the birth of their babies but they didn’t know how.

‘‘But they like the idea of heading to the pub with a bunch of other men who are in the same boat as them,’’ she said.

Bunbury organiser Annette Owen said the program would resonate with Bunbury’s soon-to-be fathers.

‘‘Most men are surprised to learn that childbirth is not a spectator sport and that they can have a profound impact on their partner’s birth experience, helping to make it faster and easier for them,’’ Mrs Owen said.

Co-organiser Carrina Bradbury said the two-and-a-half-hour pub session covered what to say, and more importantly, what not to say during childbirth.

‘‘Childbirth is unfamiliar territory for most blokes, so it’s more comfortable for them to be in their natural environment to learn about something so foreign,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s the one day in the life of your family that you can’t afford to stuff up.’’

The program focuses specifically on the role of men during labour and childbirth, Mrs Bradbury said.

‘‘We’ve made this huge shift, now we expect men to be in there (the delivery room) but we never told them what we expect.’’

The pair gave their top three tips for men to keep in mind during the big day, ahead of the program starting on July 4.

‘‘Don’t complain about your own aches and pains,’’ Mrs Bradbury said.

‘‘Secondly, don’t talk about anything outside the birth.’’

‘‘And stay positive no matter what,’’ Mrs Owen added.

For more information, visit www.beerandbubs.com.au/bunbury.