Man Vows To Be by Wife's Side 'Entire Time' During C-Section—Ends Badly

An expectant father was left regretting telling his pregnant wife he would remain by her side "the entire time" while she had a C-section.

While it's moms taking the brunt of things when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, anxiety is still common among men both before and after a new arrival. A 2021 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that around one in 10 men experience some form of prenatal or postpartum anxiety.

Going to her C-section, however, Jennifer Grant's husband was her rock. Though Grant had already given birth to identical triplets via C-section back in 2017 and things had gone smoothly, this time felt different.

"I felt a bit more nervous about something potentially going wrong," Grant told Newsweek. "The first time, I didn't dwell on it much, but with three kids already, it put a lot more into perspective if something happened to me on the table."

Although Grant credits her "amazing OBGYN" with helping her through the surgery, it was Steven who provided her with the reassurance she needed. "Even with all my worry, Steven was very caring and nurturing, reassuring me that everything was going to be okay and that he'd be right by my side," Grant said.

That wasn't necessarily a surprise to her though. "Steven and I met in 2020 when my triplets were 3-and-a-half years old," she said. "Since then, he has stepped up and truly shown them what it means to have a supportive, consistent, present, and loving parent."

Even so, going into the surgery Grant had concerns Steven might struggle with seeing her in that situation. "I knew this surgery would be difficult for Steven because he can't handle having his blood drawn," she said. "Hospitals definitely aren't his preferred environment." However, she didn't expect what ultimately unfolded.

"When he entered the operating room and saw me on the table, he initially seemed fine, holding my hand," she said. "However, as he witnessed my body being moved around, he began to feel nauseous and eventually had to sit on the floor."

Once his daughter was safely delivered, Steven stood up to take some pictures of her being weighed and cared for, but things soon took a turn. Grant said: "Although instructed not to turn and look at me on the table, as he made his way back towards me, a nurse stopped him to ask about the baby's name. It was then that he started to feel faint, requiring assistance from multiple nurses to lower him to the ground."

In a video posted to TikTok by Grant under the handle triplets_plus_one, she shared a picture of Steven going into the C-section followed by a picture taken by a nurse showing the shell shocked dad sprawled out on the floor.

Thankfully, Grant is pleased to report everyone is doing well since the birth.

"The baby and I are both doing fantastic! I recovered surprisingly quickly, bouncing back within a week, which was faster than after my previous C-section," she said. "Steven is feeling a bit disappointed that he wasn't able to be with me for the entire duration in the operating room, as he ended up being wheeled out. However, he's grateful that both of us came through the experience safely and in good health."

Though he may have struggled with seeing her on the operating table, Grant said he was "the best" during her recovery period. "When we went home, he helped me with everything, as I still couldn't use any muscles to get out of bed. I couldn't have asked for a better partner to go through childbirth and recovery with," she said.

It might not have gone the way Steven had planned but Grant remains appreciative of the efforts made and the memories they will have from that special day together. "I am incredibly grateful that he made every effort to be by my side during my surgery," she said. "Having him there meant a lot to me, even though the outcome wasn't what I had hoped for. I truly appreciate his attempt."