• Tips for labor coaches

    Date: 2011.08.16 | Category: Birth | Tags: ,

    Are you going to be coaching your partner, friend or relative through labor and birth? You may be excited, a bit scared, and wondering what it takes to be a good labor support person. Being a great labor coach means treating the laboring woman the same as you normally would; with respect. Apart from that, these are some tips for labor coaches.

    What do do…

    • Ask before doing anything that you think may comfort your friend. A foot massage, for instance, or a back rub, may be great for some women with contractions, but others like to keep other people far away from their body. Don’t assume that the laboring woman wants to be touched, and ask first.
    • Offer the laboring woman water or another hydrating drink, to avoid dehydration.
    • Offer distraction to keep the woman’s mind off contractions, especially during early labor. You don’t need to be a clown; being your usual self and talking about mundane things will do fine.
    • Help your partner or friend get into more comfortable positions if she asks you.
    • Fix her a snack if she is hungry.
    • Provide buckets if she feels like vomiting.
    • Advocate for her as needed and as discussed in advance if she is going through labor and birth at a hospital, birth center, or at home with a midwife.
    • Get supplies ready as birth draws near, particularly if you are a support person during an unassisted birth.

    And what to avoid!

    • Don’t treat women in labor as if they have lost their mind. They haven’t.
    • I’ll say it again; don’t touch without asking.
    • Don’t make a big fuss after the baby is born; let the woman have those first special moments with her baby in peace. Of course, this applies to partners less, but relatives and friends should definitely keep a low profile.