Why it Matters that our Dads/ Partners are Prepared

For my birth Nelson was EVERYTHING.
I remember falling so much deeper in love with him through our labour- we were a team, working together to bring our baby into this world. He never left my side. He knew when to talk and when not too, when to hold me, to offer words of encouragement, love and direction. He knew when he needed to be more assertive and when I just needed his silent presence. He knew how to lead me into a deep relaxation between surges ( a profound experience I will never forget), exactly what to expect and all the pressure points to apply and techniques to increase my own oxytocin (the love hormone responsible for contractions).

But he knew all this because we did the preparation TOGETHER. Even though I was a Midwife and a HypnoBirthing practitioner we still enrolled in our own private HypnoBirthing class, he read the HypnoBirthing book, he practiced relaxation tools and scripts with me, he learnt how to do massage and acupuncture points. We went through our birth plan together and in detail. I shared my deepest desires for my birth and what I didn’t want to have and he shared his as well. He had the knowledge and tools to advocate on my behalf and that in itself removes a tremendous amount of un- needed stress from the woman.

OUR birth was everything I could have imagined and more. We were a team working together into this new transition of our life. Words don’t do it justice for just how romantic, unifying and incredible this experience truly can be when our partners are prepared for birth.

As a Midwife I have had the privilege to be present for hundreds of births. Some incredibly bonding and romantic. Where the partner becomes an integral part of the process (instead of an onlooker).

And I’ve witnessed the opposite.. partners that have no preparation at all- who feel helpless and aren’t able to give their partner the support she greatly needs.

Birth has the ability to be incredibly empowering for both the woman and partner when they are properly prepared.

This is where HypnoBirthing is such a beautiful course as it gives the partner a complete understanding of the labour and birth process and what to expect, it teaches them tools to support the woman through each phase, gives relaxation tools to deepen her relaxation and gives them the knowledge to be the voice during her labour- to ask informed questions and advocate on her behalf. It leaves the partner and woman excited and prepared for their upcoming birth.

Your support person is everything.

We only get to have this experience with this baby once. Our baby only gets this experience once. No matter what type of birth you have- from natural to cesarean it can be empowered and beautiful.