Objective: to describe and explore fathers' experiences of theirpartner's caesarean section birth.Design: a qualitative descriptive design was employed. A self-selectedsample of 22 Swedish fathers who had experienced an elective oremergency caesarean section agreed to participate. Men were interviewedby telephone seven to 16 months after the birth of their baby. Thematicanalysis and the techniques of constant comparison were used to analysethe data.Findings: men were generally worried about the health and well-being oftheir baby and partner regardless of birth mode. As the reality of thecaesarean section approached men's anxiety escalated and remained highduring the procedure. The rapid nature of surgical birth was thereforeconsidered as an advantage; once the baby was born and cried men's feardissipated. Four factors were identified that mediated the men'sexperience. Men's perceptions of control, preparedness and how thehealth-care team behaved and interacted with them were integral to theirexperience. Knowing the date and time of birth also mediated theexperience by providing a sense of certainty to men's experiences of thecaesarean birth.Key conclusions: caesarean section was considered as a routine and safeprocedure that offered most fathers a sense of certainty, control andsafety lessening their sense of responsibility over ensuring a healthybaby. The communication patterns of staff played a key role in ensuringa positive caesarean birth experience.Implications for practice: ensuring that men have a positive birthexperience, regardless of birth mode, is important for familyfunctioning. However the findings also lend insight into how men mayreframe caesarean birth as normal and safe. This may have implicationsfor decision making around birth mode in a subsequent pregnancy furtherimpacting on rising repeat caesarean section rates. Health-careprofessionals need to provide balanced information about the risksassociated with caesarean birth. Any potential benefits need to becontextualised to the pregnant woman's own individual situation. Wherepossible, and appropriate, professional discourses should supportvaginal birth as the safest option for a woman and her baby.