Table of contents:
- The presence of a husband helps the childbirth process easier
- How can a husband be supportive?
- 1. Pay attention to what your wife wants
- 2. Find out what happened during childbirth
- 3. Open minded during childbirth
- 4. Helping the wife do her job well
- 5. Prepare to do your job
- 6. Not only until the delivery process is complete
Every woman wants to be accompanied by her husband during childbirth. Giving birth is the most stressful time in a woman's life, especially for women who have had the experience of giving birth for the first time, and this is where the role of the husband is very much needed. Being beside your wife when she is struggling to give life to your baby can give you very meaningful encouragement and support.
The presence of a husband helps the childbirth process easier
The presence of a husband when his wife gives birth seems to have a positive impact on his wife and the baby that will be born. Of course, the presence of the husband provides emotional and physical support to the wife. Giving compliments and convincing your wife that she can do it can provide a powerful emotional boost. Holding your wife's hand and maintaining eye contact with her can also comfort her in the midst of a very painful childbirth. This can reduce the level of anxiety and pain experienced by the wife.
You can provide physical support by helping your wife to get into a comfortable position during childbirth and giving her what she needs, such as feeding her, giving her after childbirth, massaging her, helping her to go to the toilet, and many more.
In addition, a 1994 study showed the importance of husbands accompanying their wives during childbirth. The study, which involved 100 mothers who gave birth accompanied by their husbands and 100 mothers who gave birth without their husbands, showed that mothers who gave birth accompanied by their husbands underwent labor in a shorter time, and the number of cases of intrauterine asphyxia and caesarean section was less.
How can a husband be supportive?
The husband's role when accompanying his wife to give birth is primarily to provide emotional and physical support to her. This can make the birth process easier and relieve the pain the wife is experiencing. A husband can provide support in the following ways:
1. Pay attention to what your wife wants
Talk to your wife about what she wants during childbirth. You are a very needed person to help your wife do her job. Starting from preparing bags to be taken to the hospital, planning the delivery process, until after delivery.
2. Find out what happened during childbirth
Many husbands are shocked when they see their wives giving birth that they become afraid and cannot continue to accompany their wives until the birth process is over. To avoid this, it is better for you husbands to find out in advance what will happen during childbirth. You can find this information through books, the internet, or accompanying your wife to pregnant women classes.
3. Open minded during childbirth
It is best to discuss with your doctor, you, and your wife well in advance of giving birth, what methods of childbirth will be done to remove your baby, whether it is normal or cesarean section, and what is expected and options. When a normal delivery method is chosen, but in the middle of the delivery process it turns out that you have to have a caesarean section, this is where the husband's role is to give his decision and consent. You as a husband can be a bridge between the wishes of your wife and the doctor. You are the one who knows your wife better than anyone else.
4. Helping the wife do her job well
Giving birth is a long and painful process, and it takes a lot of energy and focus to do it. In the midst of giving birth, you can help your wife to stay focused and energized. You can help by demonstrating the "inhale and exhale" breathing pattern, maintaining eye contact with your wife, being her grip, and anything else she needs. Your job is to help maintain your wife's concentration and make her focus again if there is a distraction in the middle of the birthing process.
5. Prepare to do your job
After experiencing a long labor, the baby finally came out. Prepare yourself to do something you want during childbirth, which is to cut the umbilical cord, or you choose to hand it over to the doctor. Think about this well and prepare in advance, don't forget to consider your emotions during childbirth.
6. Not only until the delivery process is complete
Your duty to accompany your wife is not finished until the birth process is over, but after your baby is born into the world, you are still needed by your wife. After giving birth, your wife has not reached optimal conditions. She still needs treatment and you are the one who can help her recover quickly. Your wife still needs your attention and your presence to help her eat, go to the bathroom, breastfeed the baby, and so on.
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