Oh yeah. The nurses really stipulated to the blokes that during birth they were their partners' voice and that they remain calm, talk about options prior to birth with their partner, so any decisions were known.

The only thing I had time for was gas, and my DH managed that for me calmly and spurred me on. I think this was mostly because of what the nurses had said. He was assured of his obligation to be an active part of the birth and that he would be asked to undertake tasks to assist anyone in the room.