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Watching your loved one in discomfort can be hard
Watching your loved one in discomfort can be hard. Being there when your baby comes into the world is amazing but there are lots of people who simply feel overwhlemed and unsure what to do when their partner is in labour.
Transition is the stage where most of the labour is done and the cervix is approaching fully dilated. At this point it is extremely intense and not uncommon for women to say theyve had "enough", say they want to go home, ask for an epidural having peviously managed without it or make a lot more noise. The surge of adrenaline can make the legs start to shake and can cause a sense of anxiety or 'loss of control' (my hypnobirthing course can help with this!)
Transition can make you feel as though they can't do any more but in fact it means that the baby will be born soon and it's almost over! There are some things that you can do though as a partner, here are some tips:
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offer lots of encouragement unless she prefers you to keep quiet. At this stage, eye contact and touch may be a better form of communication.
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Breathe through the contractions with her to help her remain in control. Remind her to breathe slowly if she appears to start panicking. Don't over do it with the breathing though, this can become irritating rather than helpful
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Be there but give her space if she prefers. Not everyone likes being touched especially in transition
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Offer her ice chips/sips of water and a cold towel to mop her brow. If she feels cold, offer her a blanket.
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Transition isn't the best time for small talk or jokes so dont waste words. It will likely be more irritating than helpful.
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if her contractions seem to be very close together and she starts making grunting/pushing noises with noone in the room, best to call a midwife in.
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Remember that labour and birth is the most intense event someone can ever go through so dont take it to heart if you're cursed at!
Share with your partner if you think they'll find this helpful.
If you've had a baby, let me know - what partner support helped you?
