The birth partner’s role is to hold the space.
That doesn’t immediately make that much sense, does it?
Until we dig a bit deeper on what that actually means. In labour and during birth, a woman or birthing person needs to be able to completely tune into their body and tune out of whatever is happening around them.
No distractions, nothing that takes their focus off breathing through those surges. So, you, their trusted partner are there to ensure that they can do just that.
Your job is to:
- Know where everything is – in the hospital bag or at home
- Get the birth environment set up
- Speak to the midwife or doctor and help them understand the birth preferences
- Reassure and calm your partner, bring their breathing back down
- Read your partner, what do they need without having to tell you
The language of labour is something you will develop together as labour progresses and its unique to you as a team.
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