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Men In Labour Wards

Language Function: discussing issues - reading comprehension
pre-intermediate intermediate

Vocabulary /Topic Grammar Focus:

giving birth - pregnancy - modern technology - adverbials of time

upper-intermediate advanced

focus on vocabulary

Match the denitions on the left with the words and expressions on the right.

1. to produce a baby 2. the period of time or the process of giving birth to a baby 3. a room in a hospital where women give birth 4. a person, especially a woman, who is trained to help women give birth to babies 5. sudden and painful contracting of muscles around a womans womb, which happens when she is giving birth to a child 6. a medical operation in which an opening is cut in a womans body in order to take out a baby 7. a long piece of tissue that connects a baby to its mother before it is born and is cut at the moment of birth 8. having a baby developing inside a womans body

A. Caesarean / C-section

B. contractions C. to give birth

D. labour / childbirth

E. labour ward

F. midwife

G. pregnant

H. umbilical cord

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Men In Labour Wards focus on grammar - adverbials of time

Read the article below ll the gaps with the words and phrases below.

as since

at the end when

during while

during the last

for

whole time during

Were you at the birth? Yes, but I was on the phone

Unlike their grandfathers, and possibly even their fathers, most men are now present 1). their wife gives birth. But a growing number of mothers are complaining that their husbands spent much of the labour glued to their smart phones or iPads. Some men use the devices to help pass the time 2. childbirth, while others appear to use them to overcome their awkwardness 3). medical staff are dealing with their wife, doctors have suggested. Midwives argue that the fathers role is to provide support and say they have seen an increasing use of mobile telephones 4). they were permitted in labour wards. Jane Munro, a professional adviser at the Royal College of Midwives, said: These technologies are everywhere now. But the purpose of the man being there is to provide support, so its strange that men want to be distracted by their phone or iPad. Its not very caring to the woman and I think most women would be upset by it. Dr Luke Kane, who works at a London hospital, said: Lots of men are on their phones the 5). labour. But you can be in there 6). hours and hours and most of the time nothing is happening and they can get a bit bored. I dont think its disrespectful, and I have never seen anyone on their iPad 7)., or 8). hour. Siobhan Freegard, one of the founders of the parenting website Netmums, said: Having men in the labour ward is a recent development and they often report feeling like a spare part, so its not surprising many are looking for a way to keep occupied 9). their partners labour progresses. For some men technology can provide a welcome distraction as they feel they cant do much to help their partners pain.
Article written by Rosa Silverman, published by The Daily Telegraph - 2 November 2013

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Men In Labour Wards

focus on comprehension

3
1. 2. 3. 4.

Read the article again and answer the questions below.

In what way are contemporary men different to their grandfathers? What is the growing trend among men accompanying their wives in labour wards? Why do men use their mobile devices when their wives give birth? The article presents the opinions of three people: Jane Munro, Dr Luke Kane and Sibhan Freegard. Which of the three opinions is different to the other two?

focus on vocabulary

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Explain the following expressions from the text.

to be glued to something! to overcome ones awkwardness! to be distracted by something! to be upset by something! to be disrespectful! to feel like a spare part! to provide a welcome distraction

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focus on talking

Discuss this question with other students.

Should men accompany their wives during the birth of their child? Why yes or why not?
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