Many women will want their partners by their side while giving birth, but this certainly isn't the case in every instance.
One pregnant woman claims she's decided she doesn't want her husband in the delivery room at all when the time comes, given the way he's acted throughout her pregnancy so far.
According to the unnamed woman, it isn't that her husband doesn’t want her to have the baby, however "he’s been really mean and distant since we learned we are expecting".
She's found his behaviour so challenging that she's decided to have a doula with her during the birth, a woman she's only just met through an internet friend.
Given that laws in her state dictate that only one other person can be in the delivery room, she's decided that she'd rather the "warm, sweet, almost motherly figure" be there to support her, not her husband.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
Taking to Reddit, the mum-to-be explained that she'd found out she was pregnant around three months ago, and her husband "was not happy" about the news.
She says that her husband "works a lot", and although she's used to being on her own a lot with her job I’m often alone, she has "felt extra alone the last few months".
The disheartened woman said that a friend she met online has been a fantastic source of support for her during some of the more difficult times. However, given that she lives in another country, she can't be with her in person.
She wrote: "After another awful conversation with my husband where I was crying because he said he wouldn’t come with me to any ultrasounds and didn’t care about the 'pregnancy part' because it doesn’t concern him, my online friend did something incredibly generous.
"She paid for me to have a doula who is essentially a non-medical support person regarding birth. She doesn’t do any doctor stuff but she is a mental support for me and someone I can text anytime throughout the pregnancy and I can even have her at the birth if I want to help support me.
"Both of my parents have passed so this was such a sweet gesture".
The poster - who goes by the username u/confusedturtlesea - continued: "I met her today and she is just such a warm, sweet, almost motherly figure. I really like her and she made me feel so much better about all of my worries and fears. She said she would come with me to the ultrasounds if I felt I need someone and I felt instant relief.
"In my area we are currently only allowed one person as support during delivery, I hope it changes by my due date but if it doesn’t I think I want to ask her to be there instead of my husband.
"I didn’t think he would care as he said he didn’t want to be involved in most things but when I mentioned to him that maybe this person could be with me for delivery he got upset and said no".
According to this woman, her husband has since told his brother about her plans, who told her she was "a real piece of work" for not letting him meet his son first, despite the couple not knowing the gender of their baby yet.
She added: "My friend who hired the doula said I should do whatever I need to but she doesn’t fully understand because her husband is really sweet and would do literally anything for her which isn’t really the norm but she doesn’t know that.".
However, her fellow Reddit users have been quick to inform her that the way her friend's husband acts towards her is absolutely the norm, and she shouldn't settle for someone who doesn't treat her with kindness.
One person wrote: "I came only to say that it's absolutely normal for your partner to support you in every way through the pregnancy and child-rearing. I have a clogged duct so I'm in bed with the newborn today.
"My husband literally made me a steak dinner to eat in bed and bought me chocolates. You deserve more!"
Another said: "Giving birth is not a spectator sport or a right for any person to witness. It is a medical procedure, not a meet and greet for the new baby. The person in the room with you is the one who is helping you through that medical procedure.
"Your husband does not sound like the type of person who is good at being supportive. He can be the first non-medical support person to see the baby after the birth is done if that is what you want".
Do you have a pregnancy or childbirth-related story to share? We pay for stories. Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
