The Value of Labor Support
Help for Women during Childbirth
If
I had to define labor support in one word, I’d use invaluable, as
long as it conforms to each woman’s wants, needs, and desires for
her birth experience. Providing education, relaxation practice, breathing
preparation, and meeting the specific needs of each expecting mother can
make the support person one of the mother’s best tools for labor
and delivery. Labor support can boost the mother’s morale and build
confidence in herself and her surroundings.
Labor support can come in the form of a spouse, mother, sister, friend, professional birth assistant, nurse, doula, midwife, or doctor. Each of these persons can have a very significant influence on a mother’s belief in her abilities, her fears, her emotions, and her willingness to submit to her body and the power that she possesses. Good labor support can calm a woman’s fears, connect with her during pregnancy, encourage her efforts during labor and praise her during delivery. The support person is also able to identify a laboring mother’s need without spoken word, stay alert, and adapt quickly to change. This person is also full of ideas to help the mother deal with labor and possesses a great amount of ingenuity.
The labor support person also recognizes the coach’s need for support and makes him or herself available for the coach. A support person maintains open lines of communication between the hospital staff and the birthing team. The support person also works to calm the fears of the coach. Through education and preparation, professional relationships between the support person and the coach help to enhance the bond between the mother and the coach. Good labor support does not dictate but rather remind.
The support person should help the mother (and the coach) make informed, responsible decisions before, during, and after the birth of the baby by informing (them) of their options. The support person should discuss the pros and cons of pain medications and other medical procedures typically performed during labor and delivery. The support person should keep (them) aware of what might happen in an emergency situation or an unplanned cesarean. The labor support person does not speak on behalf of or in-place of (them) but rather, reminds (them) of her desires and her ability to make good choices.
For some women, good labor support means the difference between a good birth experience and a bad birth experience. For others, it means the difference between a feeling of personal accomplishment or failure. To some it may mean avoiding or duplicating a past experience. To the woman who overcomes her fears, labor support is invaluable. To the woman who finds her inner strength to obtain her goal of a non-medicated birth, labor support is invaluable. To the woman who was able to have a vaginal birth after cesarean, labor support is invaluable. To that woman who spent months on bed rest for pre-term labor and finally delivered a full term baby, labor support is invaluable. To that woman who is able to sit back and smile at the memories of her birth, labor support is invaluable.