Reminder Sheet for Birth Partner

1. Be calm and have confidence in yourself. Relaxation tends to spread! Your presence and companionship are your most important contributions.
2. Once mom is in labour, stay with her if possible.
3. Bring your watch and wear lightweight clothing. The labour room can be very warm.
4. Remember the "goodies" bag (toothbrush, toothpaste, vaseline, washcloth, tennis ball, talcum powder, lollipops, snack for birth partner, deck of cards, book, paper and pencil, breathing and reminder sheets).
5. Remind mom to ask the doctor or nurse about her progress in dilation when she is being examined.
6. Encourage your partner to avoid starting the breathing skills until they are necessary.
7. Remind your partner to empty her bladder every hour.
8. Help to keep mom relaxed - conversation, cards, etc. between contractions.
9. Call out the time intervals during a contractions - 10, 15, 30, 45 seconds (keep breathing pattern - EVEN and as SLOW as possible)
10. Don’t forget to eat!
11. Help her to find a comfortable position, and change her position every half hour or so. (in early labour she may prefer to sit in a comfortable chair, moving about for brief periods in between.)
12. Remind her to stay alert and concentrate on her focal point during contractions. If she panics and/or momentarily loses control, use a firmer tone of voice, speak precisely - commandingly.
13. Remind her to relax. Be specific eg. "relax your arm".
14. Use any comfort measures which help her - pressure on coccyx (tail bone), back rub, effleurage (type of light massage over lower abdomen), face wipes, ice water, etc.
15. During the pushing, raise your partner to a comfortable position and remind her to relax her perineum.
16. Help her to pant when the doctor asks her not to push.
17. Keep encouraging her. Think "one contraction at a time."