History Main / DeliveryGuy

** Played with when Daphne enters labour in a vet's surgery. The vet himself is next to useless, Niles' attempts to keep her calm by coaching her through her breathing exercises only result in him passing out as a result of a fit of hyperventilation, and it falls upon a woman in the waiting room who happens to be a doctor to take charge of everything.

-->'''Kay:''' Congratulations; it's a... squid.

* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': Referenced when women near Rand talk about how men always become {{Panicky Expectant Father}}s. Rand, a FarmBoy-turned-[[TheChosenOne Chosen One]], immediately reminisces about the time he had to reach into a ewe's womb to turn around a birthing lamb.

* Played 100% straight in an episode of SavedByTheBell, where Zack is stuck in an elevator with Principal Belding's pregnant wife following an earthquake. Zack assists with the birth, and becomes the baby's namesake.

** ''Series/StargateSG1'': When a woman goes into labour alone in a temple, most of SG-1 don't know what to do. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c look at Carter (being the only female present) and she indignantly points out she has no idea what to do either. Daniel takes control of the situation, revealing in the process that have been occasions in the past where he's been on archaeological digs in Yucatán and had to deliver babies while there. As a result, he knows exactly what to do and doesn't panic. [[spoiler:It's later explored more tragically when Daniel helps his wife Sha're give birth to a child she conceived by rape. As the unwilling host of the Goa'uld Amonet, she has been a forced participant in the plan of Amonet and her mate Apophis to conceive a forbidden child who will become the new host of Apophis. Amonet is forced to give birth in hiding and to relinquish control of Sha're to protect the baby's life, leaving Daniel and Sha're to deal with the birth alone while soldiers of Apophis's enemy, Heru'ur, hunt for them.]]

** Used several times in ''Series/StargateSG1'', always with the character of Daniel Jackson. He played Delivery Guy to [[spoiler:his missing wife, who he'd just found heavily pregnant with Apophis's child -- making him deliver the Big Bad's kid and heir]], as well as to a woman giving birth alone in a temple. Seems he's either got his hands up there or... [[ChickMagnet something else]].
** Teyla of ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' didn't need much support despite giving birth while stuck on the enemy's ship, but a very reluctant [=McKay=] does overcome his nerves to "catch" the baby. She still names him after someone else.

* ''Comicbook/{{Superman}}'' has done this on several occasions. On at least one occasion he had to talk the mother into making "Superman" the kid's ''middle'' name rather than his first name. In another story, a suicidal guy is taken for a flight by him (he was expecting a speech about how everyone makes a difference, but Supes said he was going to try something else), and ends up delivering a baby himself, essentially getting practical evidence he could make a difference.

* PlayedForLaughs at Roleplay/DCNation when Sue Dibny went into labor. Ralph was busy with a rogue, Mid-Nite was stuck in surgery, so little Allanah Dibny was delivered by Eel "Plastic Man" O'Brien, Hal Jordan, Martian Manhunter, and Wally West!
-->'''Plastic Man:''' ''Whoa, Sue...not the way I wanted to look up your skirt!''

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-->'''Kay:''' Congratulations; it's a...squid.

** Played with in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E7AmysChoice "Amy's Choice"]], where a heavily pregnant Amy pretends to go into labour, and the Doctor dives down, holding his hand beneath her legs as if he was going to catch a football.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E5TheTsurangaConundrum "The Tsuranga Conundrum"]] has Yoss. [[MisterSeahorse He]] ends up giving birth with Graham and Ryan asked to be his doulas, insisting that he needs some men around (in addition to female medic Mabli). Graham insists that he's got an idea of what to do, having seen every episode of ''Series/CallTheMidwife'', but panics in the moment itself, telling Ryan he always looked away at the squeamish bits.
* Subverted on ''Series/{{ER}}''. Although Benton is a doctor, he's a surgeon, and pretty much panics when he realizes that an obese woman's stomach pains are actually labor--"I haven't delivered a baby since med school!"

* In one episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'', a pregnant woman who has been kidnapped by her ex-husband[[spoiler:'s new mother - in - law]] has been found by Elliott. She is scheduled for a C-section because the placenta formed over her cervix (meaning the baby would otherwise burst through it a la ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' and cause her to bleed to death). Elliott calls an ambulance, but the baby is coming too quickly. He delivers the baby (using knowledge gained from being present at the births of each of his own children), but [[DeathByChildbirth the mother does not survive.]]

* The ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' ChristmasEpisode "Newborn King" has Gibbs having to deliver an army lieutenant's baby which is the focus of a conflict between the Department of Defense and a tribe of Afghan natives over land rights and inheritance.
** Ziva ''is'' present, but the woman wants a Marine to deliver the baby, so Ziva leaves to fight off the mercenaries.

** Used several times in ''Series/StargateSG1'', always with the character of Daniel Jackson. He played Delivery Guy to [[spoiler: his missing wife, who he'd just found heavily pregnant with Apophis' child - making him deliver the Big Bad's kid and heir]], as well as to a woman giving birth alone in a temple. Seems he's either got his hands up there or... [[ChickMagnet something else]].
** Teyla of ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' didn't need much support despite giving birth while stuck on the enemy's ship, but a very reluctant [=McKay=] does overcome his nerves to 'catch' the baby. She still names him after someone else.

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* In ''Webcomic/KevinAndKell'' Carl ends up delivering Lindesfarne's baby after she goes into labor while being rescued from a terrorist attack. Downplayed in that Carl's mother is a midwife, so he does have ''some'' idea of what to do from learning from her.. Still, he does admit to Leona later that he was terrified during the whole thing.

-->'''Miles:''' Remember, breathe, breathe - just like in class - whoo, whoo-\\

* ''Series/LawAndOrder''. After a chaotic day dealing with several crimes, Briscoe and Green find a pregnant woman in labor. (They feared she'd been murdered by her cheating husband, but she'd actually been kidnapped by a crazy woman who wanted to steal her baby.) The detectives get right to work.

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E5TheTsurangaConundrum "The Tsuranga Conundrum"]] has Yoss. [[MisterSeahorse He]] ends up giving birth with Graham and Ryan to assist, insisting that he needed some dudes as midwives. Graham insists that he's got an idea of what to do, having seen every episode of ''Series/CallTheMidwife'', but panics in the moment itself, telling Ryan he always looked away at the squeamish bits.

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[[folder: Literature ]]
* Non-professional-woman subversion: Daphne in ''Literature/{{Nation}}''.
* In ''Literature/{{Barrayar}}'' by Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold, Sergeant Bothari acts as midwife to Lady Alys Vorpatril for the birth of Ivan. Unusually well justified, in that the others present have never attended a birth (well, apart from Cordelia, but she was the patient having the C-section at the time), and his mother was a midwife/prostitute who used to take him along on her rounds.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]
* Played with in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Amy's Choice" where a heavily pregnant Amy pretends to go into labour, and the Doctor dives down, holding his hand beneath her legs as if he was going to catch a football.
** The episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E5TheTsurangaConundrum The Tsuranga Conundrum]] has the character of Yoss. [[MisterSeahorse He]] ends up giving birth with Graham and Ryan to assist, insisting that he needed some dudes as midwives. Graham insists that he's got an idea of what to do, having seen every episode of Series/CallTheMidwife, but panics in the moment itself, telling Ryan he always looked away at the squeamish bits.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Disaster": When the aforementioned disaster left groups of people trapped in different areas of the ship, it fell to Worf of all people to assist in the delivery of Keiko O'Brien's daughter. It helped cement Worf's character as [[TheComicallySerious lacking]] [[NoSocialSkills in interpersonal skills]] after he yells "Push!" for the umpteenth time, Keiko snaps back with "I ''AM'' pushing!" and his line "You may now give birth." The baby is named Molly Miyaki Worf O'Brien in his honor. The birth gets a CallBack in ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]]'': when Worf is told that Keiko is having another baby, his immediate reaction is a panicked "Now!?" He then decides that when it's time for the delivery, he'll be away from the station. Far away. Visiting his parents. On Earth.
* In the classic ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' episode "Friday's Child," Kirk and [=McCoy=] protect a woman who is pregnant with the heir to the leadership of her people. She gives birth in a cave while hiding from their enemies, and [=McCoy=] assists (he's a doctor, so this takes place off camera). At the [[OhCisco end of the episode]], Bones announces that the baby was named Leonard James Ak'aar, after both of his mother's protectors. Spock was [[NotSoStoic visibly shocked]], noting that the captain and the doctor will be "insufferably pleased with [them]selves for at least a month... ''sir''."
* Superman's done this loads of times, including once in ''Series/LoisAndClark'', when the father says afterwards, "I've just thought of the perfect name." There was also a story in the comics where he saved a guy from suicide, left him with the expectant mother while he rescued someone else, and came back to ask the guy if he still thought he'd never achieved anything in his life.

--> '''Abed:''' At each contraction, you need to tell Shirley to push.
--> '''Britta:''' That's it?
--> '''Abed:''' Well, don't tell any doctors I said this, but at this point in time the bus pretty much drives itself.
* In ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'': New York cops are legendary for having seen just about everything and for being able to cope with just about anything. Until Sergeant Robert Barone tries to take charge of his sister-in-law's pregnancy scare and attempts to run her into hospital. He succeeds in getting stuck in a traffic jam on Queensboro Bridge and, faced with delivering Debra's baby, flounders terribly. Ray is no help. Fortunately for Sergeant Barone, who panics completely, it's a false alarm.
* Happened in ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', with Francis being forced to help deliver ''his own mom's'' baby, at one point being told "stick your hands inside of Mommy!" Afterwards, she tells him how it was the best thing he's ever done for her - and that he can go vomit now.
* On ''Series/{{Taxi}}'', Alex Reiger is forced by circumstance to deliver a baby in the back seat of his cab (The father/coach couldn't handle it). The parents wanted to name the baby after him... until he told them his name.
* The classic subversion, even though the birth doesn't actually happen on screen, is from ''Series/ILoveLucy''. Ricky and the neighbors are practicing what they'll do when the baby is about to be born: calling the doctor, grabbing Lucy's luggage, helping her on with her coat and heading out to the car, all with perfect calm and grace. Then Lucy waddles into the room and says, for real, "Ricky, this is it!" HilarityEnsues as Ricky and the neighbors run around like chickens with their heads cut off, and Lucy, looking uncomfortable but still keeping a cool head, has to remind them of what has to be done. To top it all off, they initially ''leave Lucy behind''.
* ''Series/HomeImprovement'': Tim, Jill, and mom-to-be [[MsFanservice Heidi]] got stuck at a pit stop when labor hit. Jill and Tim coached her through it, and Tim gave up his soft and warm jacket for the baby.
* When Bailey on ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' had her son she pretty much gave up when it came time to push, since her husband was in surgery at the same time. She ended up being talked to her senses by George, who then proceeded to coach her through the delivery. She gave her son the middle name George.

* Used several times in ''Series/StargateSG1'', always with the character of Daniel Jackson. He played Delivery Guy to [[spoiler: his missing wife, who he'd just found heavily pregnant with Apophis' child - making him deliver the Big Bad's kid and heir]], as well as to a woman giving birth alone in a temple. Seems he's either got his hands up there or... [[ChickMagnet something else]].
* Teyla of ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' didn't need much support despite giving birth while stuck on the enemy's ship, but a very reluctant [=McKay=] does overcome his nerves to 'catch' the baby. She still names him after someone else.

* Averted on ''Series/TheXFiles'', where it is a fellow female agent, Monica Reyes, who must help deliver Scully's baby while hiding from those who want to kidnap the child.

* In one episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'', a pregnant woman who has been kidnapped by her ex-husband[[spoiler:'s new mother - in - law]] has been found by Elliott. She is scheduled for a C-section because the placenta formed over her cervix (meaning the baby would otherwise burst through it a la ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' and cause her to bleed to death). Elliott calls an ambulance, but the baby is coming too quickly. He delivers the baby (using knowledge gained from being present at the births of each of his own children), but [[DeathByChildbirth the mother does not survive.]]
** Averted with Kathy Stabler who is given emotional support by her husband's partner Olivia Benson while on the way to the hospital.
* ''Series/KyleXY'' has an episode where Kyle must help a stranger give birth on the side of the road. It had to be him even though there were others with him because he's so smart that everything comes to him naturally.
* A short film from the SciFi series ''Exposure'' had a man attempting to be the first suicide of the 21st century instead wind up delivering the first baby of the 21st century. Judging from his expression the next morning after seeing his picture on the morning paper and people recognizing him, he feels like everything turned out all right.
* Played with in ''Series/FallingSkies''. When Sarah gives birth, Anne, who despite being a pediatrician is the only doctor they have, is set to deliver with Margaret there for emotional support. When it becomes apparent that the baby will be born breach, Anne admits to Captain Weaver she does not know what to do. He reveals that he helped deliver his babies ''both'' of whom were born breach, and takes over.
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': The usually incredibly calm, cool, and collected Aeryn Sun needs John's coaching to get through her delivery as she really doesn't seem convinced she can do it. They were in the middle of a battle and getting shot at at the time so a little panic seems pretty warranted.
* The ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' ChristmasEpisode "Newborn King" has Gibbs having to deliver an army lieutenant's baby which is the focus of a conflict between the Department of Defense and a tribe of Afghan natives over land rights and inheritance.
** Ziva ''is'' present, but the woman wants a Marine to deliver the baby, so Ziva leaves to fight off the mercenaries.
* On ''Series/{{JAG}}'', Admiral Chegwidden did this twice in his office.
* In the ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' episode "Bloodline", Henry the cab driver ends up having to deliver Fauxlivia's baby on the floor of a clothing store in Chinatown. For maximum awkward points, Henry previously met "main" Olivia when she was brainwashed into thinking she was Fauxlivia, and he thinks this in the same Olivia. Fauxlivia on the other hand, has no idea who he is.

* This happens in the ''Series/AlienNation'' episode "Real Men", with the twist that [[MisterSeahorse the pregnant person is also male]].
* ''Series/TheMusketeers'': Elodie goes into labor just in time for the climactic battle scene so Porthos stays to coach her through it. She then shows up in the series finale and they get married.
* ''Series/LawAndOrder''. After a chaotic day dealing with several crimes, Briscoe and Green find a pregnant woman in labor. (They feared she'd been murdered by her cheating husband, but she'd actually been kidnapped by a crazy woman who wanted to steal her baby.) The detectives get right to work.
* At least three times on ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'', the lifeguards have to deliver a baby. The first time, a terrified Eddie claims he has no idea what to do (which makes no sense, as lifeguards receive extensive first aid training, which would include childbirth) and it's up to his fellow lifeguard and girlfriend Shauni to help. The second time, Mitch is equally scared, and when telling his mentor, the older man admits he was just as scared when he had to deliver a baby. By the third time, Mitch handles it like a pro.
* Subverted on ''Series/{{ER}}''. Although Benton is a doctor, he's a surgeon, and pretty much panics when he realizes that an obese woman's stomach pains are actually labor--"I haven't delivered a baby since med school!".
* Subverted in a ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'' episode where Will befriended a pregnant sportscaster. It looks like the trope will be played straight, but the paramedics get there in time. He does however stick by her to serve as her birthing coach.
* ''Series/FatherBrown'': In "The Kembleford Dragon", Father Brown is forced to deliver Pandora's baby when goes into labour unexpectedly: having sent the only other person present to fetch an ambulance. He does a commendable job all things considered, although it is clear he would rather be anywhere else.

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[[folder: Western Animation]]

-->'''Miles:''' Remember, breathe, breathe - just like in class - whoo, whoo-
-->'''Stella:''' (lunging at Miles) Shut up! Shut Up! SHUT UP!!!

* In the classic ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' episode "Friday's Child," Kirk and [=McCoy=] protect a woman who is pregnant with the heir to the leadership of her people. She gives birth in a cave while hiding from their enemies, and [=McCoy=] assists (he's a doctor, so this takes place off camera). At the [[OhCisco end of the episode]], Bones announces that the baby was named Leonard James Ak'aar, after both of his mother's protectors.

* ''Series/{{Community}}'' - Happens to Abed without anyone noticing in a series of [[FunnyBackGroundEvent Funny Background Events]] in season three episode two. When Shirley asks what he's been up to all day, he replies "Nothing much." When Shirley is giving birth, Abed tries to put his experience to use (with more lampshade hanging on how no-one knew what happened) but it eventually falls to Britta.

* In the ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' episode "Bloodline", Henry the cab driver ends up having to deliver Fauxlivia's baby on the floor of a clothing store in Chinatown.

* John Ford's ''The Three Godfathers'' has three main male characters, so only one has to go in and help with the birth, which takes place offscreen (though the man [[GoneWithTheWind still knows nothin' about birthin' no babies.]]) Miraculously, the baby is ''still'' named after John Wayne's character. (Well, named after all three of them, but Wayne gets the first name.)

* ''Series/LawAndOrder''. After a chaotic day dealing with several crimes, Briscoe and Green find a pregnant woman in labor (they feared she'd been murdered by her cheating husband, but she'd actually been kidnapped by a crazy woman who wanted to steal her baby. The detectives get right to work.

If a doctor or midwife shows up, the guy is off the hook, and the birth usually takes place [[WomensMysteries away from the camera]].