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Article Your Question Answered: “What Can Your Partner Do To Help You During Labour?”

July 11, 2019

11 Comment

Having the help and support of your partner during labour can make a world of difference to the delivery of your new bundle of joy.

Our resident midwife Kath shares her advice for how your partner can best help you during labour:

It is very important role to be a support person to a labouring woman. Women are going through a very vulnerable time. You, as the support person needs to fully focus on the woman, staying calm & positively encourage them with their wishes. At times, the woman may ‘give up’ but with your reassurance they can keep going and can achieve their goals.

Family, especially the parents of the couple will be anxiously waiting at home for any news. Keep the family informed of the progress, every two hours via text messages. This will stop you receiving messages/calls every 5 minutes. It can be very distracting while the woman is in labour.

The support person can perform massage especially to your partner’s feet & back. Pain relief can be achieved by applying pressure on the back whilst in the shower. This is very helpful when the baby is in a posterior position. Alternatively apply heat to the area if not in the shower.

Rock with her standing upright during labour. Allow her body to lean on yours.

Help with position changes to keep them in a comfortable position.

Keep you hydrated & nourished by providing ice chips or the ice blocks

Encourage and help you make decisions according to your birth plan and the safe delivery of the baby.

 

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ABOUT KATH

Kath_BlueShirtA mother of two with a Bachelor of Nursing and certificates in both nursing and midwifery, Kath has been a Registered Nurse and Midwife for over 30 years in both public and private hospitals throughout NSW and Queensland. Experienced in antenatal classes, antenatal assessment, labour ward and postnatal care for families, Kath most recently spent 13 years at the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane as a nurse and clinical nurse. Kath describes her job as the most rewarding in the world as she meets and cares for precious and unique little humans. She feels privileged to be with families as they welcome new life and to assist them with caring for their new baby.

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  • My first two I just wanted my husband to be there and hold my hand. Dont talk to me and dont touch me other then hold my hand.
    My thrid I wanted him to rub my back but again dont talk to me.
    I found I needed to focus and didnt want to talk so anyone asking me questions just broke my focus and that increased my pain levels.

    Reply

  • Some wonderful advice there, thank you.

    Reply

  • Great tips. Having my husband would definitely help a lot. But I’m mentally preparing myself of not having my husband with me when I give birth to our 3rd baby in Sept. coz it’s either he’ll be looking after my other 2 kids or his at work with 30-45mins drive away. His relatives live around Caversham, Inaloo & Ellenbrook and we’re all the way in Maddington. But thinking through my first child, husbands/partner were not allowed in the delivery room that looked like an operating room so I think I’ll be able to manage as long as my other kids are safe especially my son who has ADHD & Autism.

    • Are your other children ever minded by other people in an emergency? Something to think about as sometimes parents both get really sick with various “bugs” at the same time. In such cases your children often catch them if they stay with you. Obviously the distance between your residence and your husband’s workplace could be an issue. Unless you have a very quick labour surely he would be allowed to leave to go to the hospital. Let’s face it there could also be issues in the time it takes him to get home to care your children when you go into hospital. Do you already have arrangements in place for you to get to hospital? There’s a possibility that they will ask you to go there, check you and send you home again unless you leave it until the “last minute” to get to the hospital. You/they need to know if there is a risk of problems prior to and the birth to you or your baby. I know a family who arranged a few hours with other people, then sleepovers so that in a dire emergency their children and those who care for them got a lot less stressed and managed better

    Reply

  • These are all great tips

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  • Back and hip massages were the best

    Reply

  • Acupressure was amazing during my labour! Hubby knew a few pressure points to work with and that was his job. Holding the shower on my back was great relief too, the hot water is a perfect form of natural pain relief.

    Reply

  • The only thing I want my husband doing is standing next to me so I can squeeze his hand off during contractions. lol

    Reply

  • Great advice especially if its your first pregnancy as neither of you will know what to expect or what to do

    Reply

  • Yes, your partner can be of great support during labour.

    Reply
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