Top Tips for Birth Partners
Are you a birth partner wondering how you can best support your partner during their labour and childbirth? Here are my top tips for you!
Once the pregnant person has packed, you (the birth partner) should unpack and repack. That way, when you’re asked for anything from a baby vest to breast pads, you won't have to ask where to look.
Make sure you know the way to hospital and where to go when you get there. You don't want to be asking for directions! Doing seemingly simple things like this can really help your partner on the day. When she’s in labour, she doesn’t want to be worrying about where to go. Not only is this stressful at any time, but it can actually slow down labour and no one wants that!
Go through your birth plan together. You will be your partner’s best advocate when they’re busy labouring away. Make sure you understand what they want! These means that when there is a decision to be made, you can be the one to liaise with medical staff in the first instance. This helps to keep unnecessary stress away from the person giving birth and makes for a better labour experience.
If your partner is being induced, having a c section or even just a hospital birth, make sure you have your own bag packed. This includes bathers in case you want them in the birth pool, clean clothes, phone chargers and lots of snacks as hospitals don't usually provide food for birth partners.
Practice your massage techniques and breathing techniques together in advance. The massage will help your partner to relax and produce invaluable oxytocin in labour and get to know the breathing techniques, so you can help in labour when your partner forgets. Being able to help your birth partner in this way will help you to feel part of the experience and mean that it’s not just something happening to someone else while you happen to be there.
Make sure you remind your partner to wee. A full bladder can get in the way of the baby getting in the optimal position for birth and if your partner hasn’t been for a while, this may help.
Be present. Don't be playing games on your phone or moaning because you're missing your favourite sport. My dad still brings up the fact that he missed the British Grand Prix when my brother was born and I’m not sure my mum appreciates this. My brother is 35…
Help your partner to decorate the room whether you’re at home or in hospital. If you’re at home, make sure you know how to inflate and fill the birth pool. Especially if you’re at hospital, bringing in familiar objects or things to make the room cosy, can really help boost oxytocin and make sure labour doesn’t slow down.
