I called this blog "Wrong Call" because I think referees often make wrong calls, and I think I make wrong calls, too. But now even critics make wrong calls.
This actually happened. Read this article, linked here!
Baseball critics are even critics of fathers too
Why would Mets player Daniel Murphy possibly choose to miss opening day just for a birth?
The birth of his son?
What is wrong with him?
Stepping Up to the Plate
It's not like it's his son's first opening day as well, the only opening day into life he'll ever have.
What the critics missed was that there is more than one life involved in a birth.
Take, for example, the person most mentally, physically, and immediately, affected: the mom. I won't go into details, but absolute pain and subsequent absolute euphoria are pretty exhausting to experience in one day, or two.
Here is a chance for this young dad to witness a great occurrence, yes, but also to be present for his wife. It is perhaps one of the single greatest ways to bond, other than the action that got them to the hospital in the first place.
In the past, men may not have been welcome in the hospital room, or even the tent if you want to go back that far, but here in this day and age, women and men are rarely working the farm together anymore. Many of us are passing ships in the night. Busy beyond belief.
A birth is still sacred enough that it is a valid excuse to be together. Would these critics truly want to strip that away?
It speaks well of this man that he would choose to be there on such an opportunity. I'm going to take a guess that his wife will never forget it. And that her loyalty love tank is absolutely full, for a long time. Well done, Murphy family.
My Own Experience
I had this image as a 20 something that it would be awesome if my midwife were female, my doctor were female, and all my female relatives were in the room whenever I got to have a kid.
As a woman in labor, some ten years later, I recall looking at my female midwife, and the female doctor who was on duty, and appreciating them deeply. As a recovering feminist, I now know what matters more is their skill than their gender.
But I appreciated my husband, who was holding my shoulders from outside the tub and rubbing my back to relax me, far more.
When we left that room, he did take some vacation. And he served me, well, until he had to go back to work. I will never forget that. I was able to recover, and snuggle with the baby, and serve that baby as God had designed my body to do.
But my husband was able to serve me, and he chose to do that.
The young Murphy family will be blessed with this same sweet memory of service. I am so grateful this has raised a stink in the news. I have a feeling his choice will influence some other families' choices in the future.
P.S. If you're wondering how I was able to labor meds-free, in a tub, and bond with my husband instead of yell at him, check out this book,
Husband Coached Childbirth, the Bradley Method. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law had told us this is how they had done it. No "pressure" here, but it most certainly was a "load off" knowing my husband knew what was going on. Never underestimate the value of confidence!
