Objective: To discover the expectations and experiences of childbirth preparation and childbirth of Swedish men in order to contribute to a basis of reflections in the midwifery profession.
Design: Three tape-recorded interviews were performed: before and after childbirth preparation, and between one and three weeks after the baby was born.
Setting: Swedish maternity care.
Participants: Eleven men who participated with their partners in antenatal classes.
Measurements and findings: The interviews were analysed in several steps and included co-assessments by co-workers. Finally, an interpretation based on the concept 'vital involvement' was undertaken. Indications of vital involvement as well as various levels of involvement or distance were found. The participation in childbirth was more demanding than expected for the eleven men. They felt unprepared for an unpredictable process, the experience of time and pain, the woman's action, and their own reactions. The men who were regarded by the authors as vitally involved seemed to manage overwhelming feelings of helplessness during childbirth, to support the women, and experience the meeting with the baby positively.
Key conclusion: It seems important for midwives to meet men individually, design childbirth preparation from men's perspective, follow up interpretations of the content, discuss expectations with regard to the men's role, and assess their experiences during the birth process.