birth preparation for Birth Partners
Pregnant? Send this to your birth partner, or save it to show them later. It's time for them to realise how important their role in your birth is.
Note: In this blog post, we reference the birth partner and their partner. Whether the birth partner is your spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, sister, friend, cousin, daughter, son, or anyone else in between, if they are going to be present at the birth they are your partner.
The birth partners role
You may be thinking: What can I actually do that’s going to help during the birth? Quite a lot, actually.
We like to call the birth partner the ‘keeper of the cave’. This is because, in prehistoric times, the person giving birth would have been in the cave doing their thing (you know, birthing a baby!) and the birth partner would be outside the cave, spear in hand, protecting them from any predators. Chances are the birth probably isn’t going to take place in a cave, and there are no predators roaming around, but the idea is still the same. It is your job to protect the person giving birth.
Know the birth plan
Once labour begins, chances are your partner isn't going to be very chatty - especially when their labour is established (you can check this with our Freya app). So it’s really important that you understand their birth preferences, so that you can advocate for them when they are unable to.
Your role is a simple (given you have done your research, i.e read the birth preferences and understand your partner's needs) but an extremely important one.
You are important too
Whether the baby being born is yours (you’re one of the parents) or not (a friend or other family member) you are trusted to be present and support.
So if the birthing person asks you to watch some videos, pack the birth bag with them, or anything else to prepare for their birth, we definitely think you should do it. You are a TEAM!
Support starts early
Doing one of our Hypnobirthing courses? Should you be present for all of it? Short answer: Yes. All of it.
Don't think ‘Which bits are relevant to me?’
It's all relevant. It's important you understand exactly what's going to happen throughout each stage of labour.
So we encourage you to watch or partake in the entire antenatal course with your partner and if doing one of our courses... Trust us, it’s pretty interesting (we may be a little bias).
Here are our top tips...
Complete one of our Hypnobirthing Courses
Be involved in writing the birth preferences
Help pack the hospital bag (you'll find a full checklist in the course notes booklet)
Ask your partner how they are feeling and if they need anything else from you
Be present and involved
Remember, you are a TEAM!
