Being a Birth Coach Is Not the Same as 'Supporting' a Woman
Birth today is more complex than ever. We all know there's no way to know what the birth will be like. In itself, that leaves us believing there is nothing we can do to prepare. We're left with believing the only way to prepare for birth is to arm ourselves with lots of information and then make a Birth Plan. All those things are true, yet that's not quite the end of the story. We need birth skills...that's the how-to of childbirth. This doesn't mean you are doing the birth by yourself. It means that when a woman is pregnant, she does need to learn to birth. However, it also means YOU need to learn how to help.
Today, there are two types of birth: the usual way with labor and delivery and the new way, with a cesarean. Whichever way you give birth, during pregnancy is the time to learn how-to work with your baby's efforts to be born. As a man, you often feel pretty much like a third arm. All the focus is on the woman and baby. But your role is vital, and knowing what to do and how to do it is not rocket science.
You've probably been told that your role is to support the pregnant woman. Support is great. Be there. However, support doesn't offer the ability to offer help. To coach gives both the dimension of being there and assistance. Use whatever word you want; just know that she expects you to do more than hold her hand, wipe her brow and rub her back. Here are some things you need to know.
- Birth is birth, no matter what happens. Birth is your baby's efforts to be born. When you take time during pregnancy to learn birth skills, you will feel closer to your baby, partner and more capable of helping her do the work, no matter what type of birth happens....
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Author: Winter Green