Gone are the days when partners boiled water or paced hospital waiting rooms while moms labored alone. Today's partners are an important part of the birth team! Only the partner can provide the intimate love and support unique to you as a couple. This intimacy is often the key to a joyful birth experience.
Partners have the chance to take a direct, hands-on approach or to fade into the background. This can include helping the mom change positions, acting as a brace for the mom laboring standing up, helping mom in and out of the shower, applying pressure to relieve back pain and more!
Partners and doulas can pace one another during a long birth. Partners can take guilt-free breaks to relax, nap, eat, make phone calls, etc. without worrying that their partner is alone.
Society now places a lot of pressure on partners to be strong, but remember - they are experiencing their own emotions during the birth of their child. A doula can help the partner through their own highs and lows, fears and joys, doubts and questions. A doula can help the partner fully participate and also relax when they so choose.
No matter what role the partner takes on, they are there during the critical and joyful moment when their child comes into the world. The doula steps back and the partner steps forward to take their place in the circle of the new family they have created together.
