Importance of a Birthing Companion

Photo by megan lynette on Unsplash

Do you know that you are incomplete without your birthing companion while in labour??

The most critical and essential phase of our 9 months pregnancy is Labour Pain and baby birth. Labour Pain is completely an emotional experience and having a birth partner beside us is the best we can have. Birth companion completely changes the experience of labour pain and our baby birth.

The first question which arises in most of the pregnant women is “Who can be your birthing partner or a birthing companion?”

A birthing companion can be your mother, father, husband, mother-in-law or anyone whom you share a special bond. He or she should be someone who can motivate you and can give you comfort during the labour pain. Moreover, nowadays, in most of the hospitals, your birthing companion is even allowed to be in the labour room with you.

I am in my 38th week of pregnancy, and I was also asked by the doctor to choose my birthing companion. My doctor told me to choose someone whom you can trust and rely on. Who can understand me more than I understand myself. I asked him “ Why?”. He shared that the contractions in labour are painful, and it’s tough sometimes to bear the pain, to be in our senses. At that point in time, my birthing partner will help me, boost me not to give up. 

I chose my husband as my birthing partner. I love him a lot!!!! He is my backbone in every twists and turns of my life.

Let me share with you some more roles and responsibilities of a birthing partner:-

• During labour pain, some exercises need to be performed such as Squats, sitting on a birthing ball, kneeling which we cannot do alone. When we are in pain, it’s difficult for us to perform these exercises. The birthing partner helps us in doing the same.

• There are various methods of relieving pain like putting water on our back, massages, eye-to-eye contact, hugging, putting hot and cold bag, acupressure, Lamaze technique( a breathing technique) which calm us when our contractions are at peak. Our doctor trains our birthing partner in performing these pain-relieving methods so that they can do the same when we are in pain.

• During a labour pain, the birthing partner will be someone who will take care of my food and hydrations. Doctors tell way before What things I can eat and What I cannot during labour. I and my husband have created a list of things that I can eat during pain.  My doctor has recommended me to be mostly on a liquid diet and eat light if I am too hungry. So here is my list:
• Toast and Jam
• Roasted Nuts(kishmish, Makhana
• ORS( if I feel dehydrated)
• Coconut Water
• Lemon Water
• Rusk
• Oatmeal Biscuit (high in fibre and light)

• Sometimes contractions are so much that we just want to give up and take medications to stop the pain such as Epidural injections. Doctors recommend it’s better to do the delivery, without medication. At this critical time, our birthing companion motivates us, gives us hope, and helps us in coping from the pain by distracting our mind. My husband has told me that he will play my favourite songs, will dance with me and will crack PJ’s (Poor Jokes) to distract me from pain. Now also sometimes when I get nervous about my labour pain or think negatively “ Will I be able to tolerate my pain”. Then he just starts cracking PJ’s, and I forget everything.

• As I shared earlier, the most important role of the birthing partner is in a labour pain which my doctor shared with me. During a normal/vaginal delivery what matters the most is “ PUSH PUSH & PUSH” as soon as contractions come. At that moment, my birthing partner will support me. Many times due to pain, we might get tired, but my partner will not let me give up.

Moreover, sometimes doctors ask to make some decisions depending on the current situation of the mother or the baby. During this time it’s the birthing partner who takes the call. Therefore, it is very critical that the birthing partner must know each and every small thing about my pregnancy.

I always take my husband with me to the doctor so that he is aware of the instructions the doctor has given me and to him.

SOME SMALL ACTIONS YOU SHOULD TAKE:-

1. Educate your birthing companion about pregnancy: We both attend webinars and watch youtube videos together. We then discuss the methods we liked or the important points we need to take in consideration.
2. Plan for the birth plan: Make sure that you and your birthing partner must discuss the birth plan together before sharing it to the doctor
3. Medical Docs:- Your birthing companion must know about your medical history. He/she must have all the medical documents while you will be in labour!

 Here are some of the important things that you should do when you discover you are pregnant.

I hope new mommies will now be clear about whom to choose as your birthing companion or birthing partner and what all responsibilities your birthing partner must perform.

Happy labour!

Anshima Kolatkar is a passionate content writer and heads her firm "Writingwalkthrough". She pursued engineering in Electronics and telecom and PGDMA in embedded systems. In the year 2017, she quit her job to follow her passion of being a content writer. She is now a successful mompreneur. As a mom in working, she wants to share her journey into parenthood. Connect with her on Linked with username Anshima Nishith Kolatkar.

Found this article useful? Read more blogs at www.themomstore.in 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mom Store.