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SugarTown Babies
Information Pages
Birth Support
"Research has shown that having the right kind of
support while you are in labour can help you remain
more relaxed, making it a more positive experience."
The Birth Suppot person or persons can help in a variety
of physical and practical ways including massage of sore feet limbs back etc. They can assist in meeting your diet and fluid needs and your comfort. They can act as a liason between yourself and the midwife or doctor, they can mop your brow and assist in your position changes. On top of this they can be invaluable when it comes to emotional, spiritual and psychological support and encouragement. Probably one of the most important things that they offer you is continuity of consistant care and familiar support.
Therefore,choosing someone who can give you this support is an important part of planning for the birth.
Research has found that having another woman with you throughout your labour has a positive effect on the following
- Feeling more in control of your labour
- Needing fewer painkillers having to speed up the labourwith drugs
- Having a slightly shorter first stage of labour;
- Your baby being wide-awake and having no breathing problems immediately after birth.
- There is also less chance of having a vacuum (ventouse),forceps,or caesarean birth.
Although many fathers will want to be with their partner and attend the birth,this might not be right for everyone. Some may feel worried about being with their partner during the labour,either because they are not sure what’s going on or because they’re too worried themselves. Some women would prefer that their partner were not present during labour. What is important is that couples talk about their individual needs for support for the time of labour and that both the woman and her partner come to some decision about who will be there, and make plans accordingly in advance of the event.
The midwife’s Role
The midwife is there to help you give birth safely and to offer you support she or he is your advocate.Although you may have been cared for by a midwife,or a team of midwives throughout your pregnancy,it may not be a midwife familiar to you who is present when you give birth.Your local hospital may have arrangements so that you can plan to have a midwife that you know care for you in labour. Where this is possible,you will probably gain more from having a midwife who stays with you for the majority of your labour and can provide the constant support you need.You can decide whom to have with you when you have your baby.There is no research to say who is ideal, and, in any case, there probably is not any one way that will work for everybody. It is paramount that you feel comfortable and secure with the midwife, if you dont speak out and request an alternative carer it is too important to just put up with anyone.
Any midwife worthy of this role would accept a request for an alternative person readily accepting that each individual has unique needs that can be answered in a variety of individual ways.
When deciding on the people you want to share your birth and
those that can support you consider the following.
- Think carefully about the kind of support you will want and
then work out who can best give it to you.
- Who could be with me when I have my baby?
My partnerA friend or relative A midwife (or student midwife)
My antenatal class teacher A doula
- Can he or she: comfort me – physically and emotionally?
- Can he or she: hold me and give me physical support?
- Can he or she: understand what I need without me saying anything?
- Can he or she: listen? talk to the midwife or doctor on my behalf?
- Can he or she: explain what I want?encourage me?
- Will he or she:be free to come whenever I go into labour?
- Will he or she:be there all the time?
As a final note it is worth mentioning that many women have felt
obliged to "honour" friendship or relationship by granting friends and
relatives the honour and priviledge of being there through the birth
journey and resulting birth. This can sometimes be in spite of them
not meeting any of the above conditions and resulting in inappropriate
care and undue pressure at a time of heightened sensitivity and potential vulnerability.
