10 KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR BIRTH PARTNER.
The time for birth partners to stand out in the hall while the women gave birth are LONG gone! It is now expected that birth partners will be by your side during your birth. Why?
BECAUSE YOU NEED SUPPORT!
It is not so that they can sit in a chair at the side of the room as a mere spectator. And it is not so that they get to be there when their baby is born. It is about YOU! SUPPORTING YOU!
Thankfully, birth partners are now stepping up and realising just how important their role is. But in order to be truly involved, your birth partner needs to feel confident knowing what they are doing - what their role is. They can't do that without the right knowledge and skills. You wouldn't expect to hire someone for such an important job and give them absolutely NO training! They would fail - and they would feel useless! Or worse panic.
So ask these 10 QUESTIONS TO YOUR BIRTH PARTNER as a starting point of your journey to birth together. If they don't know all the answers - that is OK - at least now you each know what you need to work on and you have time to do that.
Do they really understand what happens during the stages of labour and birth? So that they don't have to ask you questions on the day - It is not your responsibility to tell them and explain to them what is happening!
Do they know the implications of calling the hospital too early? or too late?
Do they know how to help support your birthing hormones so that labour doesn't stall? Or what to do if it does?
Do they know your birth plan so they can advocate for you if needed? What if the plan changes? What is the back up?
Do they know what to do if you scream for an epidural but you have also told them under no circumstances do you want one?
Do they know how to support you in different labour positions? And know different massage techniques that can provide comfort?
Do they know different breathing techniques for birth and how to coach you if you forget.
Do they understand the crucial role of the birth environment and that this is their job to set up and protect the birth space?
Do they understand how influential their role is and how their actions and feelings can affect your birth?
At the end of the day -
A hypnobirthing book, a wavy comb, a birth plan and some candles will NOT get you the birth YOU want!
What will?
SUPPORT!
If you would like to find out about how I can support you both on your journey to birth, please get in touch.
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