Ladies Giving Birth Need Emotional Support
Emotional support is critical for ladies giving birth. If self-doubt or anxiety begin to creep in, a woman's labor can be interrupted. Providing this emotional support is one of the primary roles of the birth companions.
Cues to Provide Emotional Support
1. Watch the mother's facial expressions
If the mother starts to experience self-doubt, it will show on her face. Look for clues that her focus is waning, such as a clenched jaw or wrinkled brow. If you see these signs, gently remind her how wonderfully she is doing. Try some light massage or new birthing positions. Be proactive - don't wait for her to ask for support.2. Observe her emotional state
Take your cues from her emotional state. Is she happy, quick to smile and anxious excited or is she quiet and introspective? Adjust your emotional tone to complement hers. If she has entered a period of quiet seriousness, really focus on relaxation now. It could be a sign that labor has gotten more intense and she is at risk of losing her focus by wanted distractions, be it hospital staff or simple environmental triggers.3. Hire a doula
One of the best sources of emotional support for ladies giving birth can be the aid of a doula. She has the skills and birthing experience to accurately read a laboring woman's signals and appropriate courses of action, such as changing birth positions to breathing techniques. Many women fear that their husbands will feel displaced by the presence of a doula. However, a key point to remember is that the doula is there not to replace him, but to share his load. She can be the one to fetch cold beverages for you both or give him a chance to check on other siblings. Her presence can actually reduce his anxiety as well knowing that another skilled, objective voice will be there should complications arise.
What
to Do If Self-Doubt Arises
If ladies giving birth start to experience self-doubt, to which they are most susceptible during transition, this is the time to give them support, positive encouragement and confidence. This is the time when she is most vulnerable and can be manipulated into unwanted and unneeded interventions. The mother is often unable to voice her request or needs and will meekly follow the lead of others. It is now that she may feel or say she can't do this. Make it your mission to remind her not only can she birth her baby, but that she is. Remind her that she's almost there. Focus her attention on the baby, on the fact that she will hold her child very soon. This is an emotional time where she may require counter pressure or rhythmic movements. Nausea may also strike, so keep her breathing even and deep through the contractions to limit this sensation. It's important to remember that this is typically the shortest stage of labor, although the most intense.
References
Hodnett ED. Continuity of caregivers for care during pregnancy and childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2000, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000062. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000062.
Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD003766. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub2.
