Top Tips for Birth Partners in The Early Stages of Labour

Being a birthing partner is such a rewarding and special experience (but this is coming from the mouth of a midwife). For other, less well-versed individuals it can be quite nerve-racking. Particularly if it is a first baby. The intensity of labour will change somewhat dramatically, which can be quite scary for not only the labourer but for those people who are supporting the birthing process. This blog will provide insight into the techniques we use in midwifery to support people in labour and hopefully share some useful tips if you have been chosen to provide care in early labour for a loved one – what an honour. 

*My older sister Verity (L) with her two birthing partners (myself and her community midwife, Helen)

As midwives we encourage those in labour to stay at home as long as they possibly can, before coming into hospital (if this is the choice for place of birth). There are various reasons for this but a key thing to stress is that people will predominantly labour the best in their home environment. It’s familiar, it’s safe, it’s comfortable. We are mammals, with incredibly strong primal instincts and our fight or flight mode remains relatively unchanged since our hunter-gatherer days. So, whilst we may not be threatened in the Western World by predators entering our caves, a physiological stress response can be induced in environments that are foreign and unknown.

It is widely known that stress is not good for our bodies and our health. To avoid stress in pregnancy is actively encouraged and certainly for labour and childbirth we want as little stress as possible. Stress releases adrenaline and cortisol, powerful hormones/neurotransmitters which are antagonists to oxytocin – the hormone that is responsible for cervical dilatation and contractions in labour. Oxytocin also plays a key role in breastfeeding and stimulates the let-down reflex to expel milk from the breast. (If you haven’t read our guide to get you off to a great start with your breastfeeding, you can download a copy here).

*Myself with my best friend Soph on the postnatal ward with Emmie who’d made a premature appearance 2 days before!

Put simply, in medicine, an antagonist is a substance that stops the action or effect of another substance. This is why often on the labour suite we will speak with people who have been labouring really effectively at home and as soon as they walk through the labour ward doors – contractions will lull, or can subside dramatically. For some individuals this may be the first time (aside from antenatal scans) they have been in the hospital environment. It is therefore an unfamiliar place and can induce anxiety and a stress response.  We call this the white coat syndrome, as it refers to the traditional dress of doctor’s white laboratory style coats. 

So how do you best support your loved one at home to ensure that labour is really well established before making the call to the midwives? Here are some recommendations:

1) Understand that emotions are high and your birth partner’s preferences will fluctuate throughout.

One minute they may really like the back/leg or shoulder massage you’ve been giving, the next they might detest it (and also detest you!) It’s normal. It’s important when in labour for the person that is experiencing contractions to have the ability to get into the zone, which will help with mindset and the ability to cope. So if they need to be left alone to facilitate this, go with it, don’t feel criticised if they need time in their own space, free from distractions. 

*My sister and her husband shortly after Ada’s arrival

2)  Become a master of waiting-on 

When we are in pain, we are not thinking of eating and drinking but when a body is labouring it is exerting an incredible amount of energy. The uterus is a muscle and needs fuel (energy), so for it to continue to work effectively a birth partner needs to become a pro at offering small amounts to eat/snacks at regular intervals and must be offering regular fluids throughout labour. 

For more advice on ideas of what food and drink to be giving to support someone labouring, have a read of this blog. 

3) Ensure that you have done a test run of the TENS machine!

TENS machines work by sending mild electrical pulses via stick on pads to the lower back. These pulses stimulate the neural pathways that run to the spinal cord and block the transmission of pain. For my sister’s birth, during the latent phase we were using a generic TENS machine that my brother-in-law had for his carpal tunnel discomfort…this was a rookie error as the settings weren’t appropriate for contractions and the pulses would stop midway through a contraction (usually at the height of it and my sister would let out a string of curses)! With my friend Jen who recently gave birth and progressed very quickly at home, they had not got it out of its box ahead of labour, so didn’t know how to use the machine and it was too late to set up when I arrived to support – we were in the shower and electrical devices and water don’t mix well!

*FYI these are not urine samples, they are aromatherapy oils mixed into olive oil for massage in labour. Neither are we affiliated with Guiness 😉 – my brother-in-law is a big fan though!

4) Stock up on some aromatherapy (if they like their smellies) 

We use aromatherapy a lot in maternity care as it has some fantastic properties, this table highlights some of my personal faves and what they are best used for. (I actually don’t personally like the smell of lavender very much) but it was always a favourite of a lot of the women I have supported in labour and is great for masking any unwanted smells!

Properties of essential oils 

Essential Oil	Benefits
Clary Sage	Oxytocic – helps to stimulate uterine activity	Helps to relieve anxiety and tension	Relieves irritability
Jasmine	Mood uplift	Helps to relieve anxiety and tension	Calms the mind
Lavender	Calming	Ease headaches	Back pain
Lemon	Mood uplift	Anti-nausea	Helps to focus the mind
Peppermint	Pain reduction	Stress relief	Decongestion (Effective breathing is so important in labour. If I have a head cold/blocked nose a peppermint steam is my go to!)

PS. Aromatherapy oil benefits are not old wive’s tales (like lots of things you may hear in pregnancy, for example, lots of heartburn equals a  baby with a full head of hair)! There is a lot of imperial evidence of its use in holistic therapies and its medicinal benefits. 

It is recommended that you use essential oils only with advice from an aromatherapy trained midwife or an aromatherapist who is specifically trained in maternity aromatherapy, so please if you wish to purchase some essential oils for the early stages of labour, seek advice from your midwifery team.

5) Be prepared to get wet 

Heat therapy and water are great in labour, which is why pool births are a popular choice. Offer to run a bath to support your partner during the early phases of labour, draw the curtains/blinds, light some candles and leave them in peace with a drink to hand (unless they have asked you specifically to stay). If you don’t have a bath or they don’t feel like one, get in the shower and hold the shower head for them if need be. Focus running the water on the lower back and lower pelvic area (around the pubic one). Some people will feel the intensity more at the front, whilst others feel the contraction pains in their lower back. Be guided and listen to where they are telling you to apply the water. 

*My dear friend Pedro, who did an amazing job as birth partner to Jen, who I have been friends with since we started in the same form at school together, aged 11.

6) Take a break if you are asked to. 

This is quite controversial and may cause some raised eyebrows but a birthing partner having a small break can be a blessing. This works especially well if you have opted for two birthing partners to support you through labour, as often you will be receiving different things from each of them. Whilst childbirth is incredibly intense both physically and mentally, wherein the labourer will be experiencing an array of heightened emotions, it can also be emotionally stressful for those supporting. I believe that to be a truly brilliant birth partner, you must recognise when it’s necessary to take a step back. Not only because often the person in labour will require this but also to have an awareness of when feelings of overwhelm are arising. When my niece Ada was born at home, I was with my sister from 06:45am, right until Ada was born at 00:12 and until I went home the next day in the afternoon. Granted I was not with her, breathing down her neck, for the entirety of this time but it’s to stress how long these babies can sometimes take to arrive! I had a break for lunch, which my brother-in-law, Sean, cooked. Remember, the labourer won’t have capacity to look after anyone else, even though they might be excellent at this role usually, so the birth partners (if there are two) should equally support each other. Sean went out a few times in the day to walk the dog and also went to meet a friend in the pub for an hour or so early evening- he needed that headspace as much as my sister. The respite also gave him an uplift and energy boost to support her better during active labour, to motivate her more effectively when she was pushing. A win win for both parties. 

7) Keep calm and call the midwives! 

This is the most crucial thing to remember. It is important to keep the labour ward informed if there are any concerns or changes during the latent phase. These would include things such as:

-waters breaking 

-blood loss from the vagina 

-change to baby’s normal movement pattern or a reduction in fatal movement.

-a maternal temperature 

And if you need some advice in general it is always best to ask the healthcare professionals. We understand and appreciate that childbirth can bring a lot of stress and anxiety, so always best to channel that energy into asking for support, even if that is over the telephone. Plus, we also like to be kept in the loop of what is going on, so that the maternity teams can staff and plan accordingly! 

*Some of the midwives that I trained with at Queens Medical Centre, doing a promotional calendar to raise funds for the postnatal ward.

Hope this has been helpful and do try to enjoy, it really is a privilege to be part of something as powerful as childbirth,

Olivia x 

PS. We have lots of expert knowledge, midwife-led care and advice waiting for you once the baby arrives. Click here to read more about our award-winning postnatal education and support service.  

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February 22, 2023 7:55 pm birth partner, birthing partners, childbirth, early labour, early labour care, first stage of labour, labour, labour care, latent labour