There's some simple rules to follow if you want your child's delivery to be less snap, more happy snap

Childbirth. Scary? Damn right. Can't hit "pause", can't tell when you're in the home straight and sure as hell never feel at ease in a hospital. "Men are lying if they say they're not apprehensive in some way," observes fatherhood educator Paul Pritchard, National Training Manager for parenting organisation Good Beginnings. "And even though hospitals are taking the bull by the horns in assisting men to be prepared, many ante-natal programs are still not hitting the mark in answering all the questions we have." Here's Prichard's checklist to boost your chances of it being "the best day of my life":

Talk yourself up
You're expected to be an active participant these days, so don't go in there dragging your feet. "Start out by talking with your partner about your desire to be involved and feel useful," says Pritchard. "So many men tell us that when the birth happened they sat there feeling like a turd on a rock - useless." The first step in avoiding that is to make sure your partner knows you're committed to the team.

Up the ante
Having reassured your partner, your next assignment is to get on side with the people who'll be running the show on the day - the obstetrician and midwives. Whether you're meeting them in hospital-run, ante-natal classes, in their offices or in the delivery room, Pritchard suggests you should "never be afraid to ask ‘What can I do?', ‘How can I feel useful?' and ‘Is it okay to ask if my partner or child is all right, even when you're busy?'."

Hit the books
The more you know about the process, the range of possibilities and options, the greater the chance you'll look back on it all fondly - rather than as the stuff of nightmares. "When everything is geared towards natural births, for example, men can get blown away when they find themselves watching their partners get cut open in a full-on operation," warns Pritchard. "For many blokes it's beyond comprehension if they haven't thought about it."

Work it out
Pritchard often hears men excusing themselves from being at the birth because their work is "too demanding". His response? "Tell your boss you're going to need to down tools at short notice, because some things are more important than work. Numerous studies show that critical connections are made at birth when the baby feels and tastes the mother's and father's skin and locks into a mutual gaze."

Enlist your mates
Make no bones about it - the time around childbirth is tough on both mother and father, so get a back-up crew. "Whether it's your mates, your brother or the guys at work, you'll need some support and understanding," says Pritchard, adding that it'll help you provide the support and understanding needed by your partner.