As father of two, and having been present for both, I think the father plays an important role in the delivery room. The roles that he can plan (in no particular order) include:

1. Photodocumentation (if desired!) it really does not make sense to burden our already-bloated medical bills with assistance from doctors in taking pictures.
2. Running errands. Whether it is to try to get attention faster than the little call button or to refill the ice cubes, having someone who is not connected by wires up who is 100% focused on the mom is valuable
3. Helping with anxiety/fear/loneliness/boredom. My first child required 36 hours of labor and 90% of that time would have been spent alone without me there
4. Providing encouragement in sticking to the birth plan. Some birth plans call for more suffering than others. Having someone to provide a supportive voice can help stay on track
5. Providing moral support when it is time to deviate from the birth plan. Reminding the mom of how she talked about he “breaking point” and the conditions under which the plan should change and to help point out those conditions when they arise.
6. Advocacy for the mom. She will be sleep deprived, physically exhausted and possibly under the influence of drugs and having someone in the room that knows her wishes and intentions is useful.
7. Remaining with the baby after the birth. The mother needs those 40 minutes to recover from the final push, and it is comforting to the mom to know that dad is by the baby’s side when it goes to the nursery.