What your companion can do

Whoever your labour partner is – the baby’s father, a close friend, or a relative – there are quite a few practical things that he or she can do to help you, although probably none of them are as important as just being with you. You can’t know in advance what your labour is going to be like or how each of you will cope. But there are many ways in which a partner can help.

Your labour partner can:

• keep you company and help pass the time in the early stages;
• hold your hand, wipe your face, give you sips of water, massage your back and shoulders, help you move about or change position, or anything else that;
• helps and comforts you as your labour progresses and your contractions get stronger;
• remind you how to use relaxation and breathing techniques, perhaps breathing with you if it helps;
• support your decisions about, for example, pain relief;
• help you make it clear to the midwife or doctor what help you need – and the other way round – which can help you to feel much more in control of the situation;
• as your baby is born, tell you what is happening, because you can’t see what is going on for yourself.   

 Information provided by Health Promotion England