Ugh, good thread, and timely for me. I'm reading lots about birth, but the books are not being touched by my DH. I did however have some more success with some pamphlets which my Mum got me from her local health service - short, concise and easy to read. DH has managed to read those, but nothing else.

We're going to be doing the hospital antenatal classes and Rhea Dempsey's Birth Wisdom class. I'm hoping this will be enough for DH to get the picture. I do however have some nerves about how the birth will go, when it comes to the crunch - DH has looked over my shoulder at my draft Birth Plan and said "do you really think they'll let you do that?" - which makes me think that I'm going to have to be the strong one. My DH also thinks that he'll be very supportive and new-age about the birth experience, but in reality may just p*ss me off and make me want him to leave - his version of "support" will be telling me what to do and talking to me when I want him to shut-up.

So, my answer to all this, besides hoping that DH will absorb SOMETHING from the birth classes, is to hire a Doula. And my Doula has already spoken to me about being prepared for DH to be the "weak link" in the room (no offence to my DH), so she knows the score. I pay my Doula to do her job - which includes being objective, whereas my DH can only be expected to be my DH - a lovely, loving, caring, intelligent man, who may not be a great support person during the birth.

Oh and in case there were any doubts about my DH's wonderful "supportive" attitude: I told him the other day that I needed to start reading about breastfeeding. His response - "Why? Breastfeeding is natural, what is there to read about?"