Be the best partner
Tips for birth support
The partner’s role in birth is invaluable and can have a significant impact on the overall birthing experience. Consider these tips:
Be the advocate for your partner and baby.
Massage your partner’s back.
Set up the environment including music, pictures, candles, dim lights.
Get water and pre-prepared snacks.
Place cool face washers on your partner’s forehead and hot packs on her back.
Support your partner in upright & active positions.
Encourage breathing techniques.
Provide positive encouragement.
Tips for bringing baby home
Be patient and understanding of yourself, your partner and baby.
Make time for skin to skin with baby.
Refill your partner’s water bottles and put them next to where she feeds the baby.
If you are bottle feeding, know the routine and share the feeding including preparing the milk and sterilizing the bottles.
Encourage rest and self-care. Take the baby for a walk so your partner can have a nap.
Divide and conquer: share the household load and baby care. Including nappies, settling, bath time, cooking, laundry.
Read about the physical limitations on your partner’s postpartum body and encourage optimal recovery.
Communicate with each other about both your mental health and wellbeing.
Offer words of encouragement all the time.