DadTalk

The Best Pain Relief in Labour - You!

The birth partner, father of the child or trusted friend has a pivotal role in the labour and birth process that they may not be fully aware of.

There have been many articles written about various methods of pain relief available to women giving birth to alleviate their discomfort. Whether women choose to relieve their pain by taking it one step at a time, having a warm bath, trying gas and air or using a TENS machine, there are women who have a preconceived idea that having an epidural will offer them total pain relief and enable them to cope well with their labour.

It is natural to be apprehensive and quite common to have heard many “horror stories” from family and friends with good intentions, thus creating the predetermined idea of the epidural as a wonder drug. Of course it is a great form of pain relief but can lead to a higher incidence of assisted deliveries and caesarean sections.

What is not always fully appreciated is that pain, and the perception of pain, is often magnified by fear: fear of the unknown, especially when it is their first baby, can lead to an overwhelming feeling of dread and trepidation.

The birth partner, father of the child or trusted friend has a pivotal role in the labour and birth process that they may not be fully aware of. The ability to efficiently support and encourage the mother, offering advice on regulating breathing, relaxing between contractions, massage techniques and focusing on progress and ultimately the delivery of the baby is more powerful than any drug on the market.

Unfortunately maternity services are under a great deal of pressure to provide antenatal classes to facilitate this support, and in some trusts classes no longer exist. Many maternity units are short of midwives and at the time of writing this article we are in the middle of a baby boom - at the same time as a national shortage of midwives.

Many fathers we come across are desperately wanting to be able to help their partners in labour but unsure as to what they can do for her. Ultimately they want to be great dads! And bonding with their baby at birth is necessary and, we feel, vital to establishing a strong relationship.

There does not appear to be much support out there with regard to addressing the fear a father feels. Although it is the mother who is experiencing the physiological pain during the birthing process, both parents endure the psychological trauma associated with this life changing event.

Dads witnessing their loved one in distress, with no means to alleviate it, go against the grain of the strong, protective nature most men feel towards their partners. Many men find it impossible to deal with and often breakdown (or faint) during the second stage of labour. As midwives we are there to look after mother and deliver a happy, healthy baby - there is little time in labour to comfort dads as one might want to.

Two midwives from Cheshire have devised a range of classes to provide mums and their partners with up to date advice and relevant information to equip them with coping strategies to hopefully ease them into parenthood.

We are Here2Maternity Ltd, and we aim to focus on the couple equally. We feel that often, fathers are overlooked and not always fully involved with the birth and the early days looking after a newborn. More importantly we have created an opportunity for dads to discuss and explore their fears and expectations in a very relaxed environment while mums have time for a pamper element, breast feeding tips, bra fitting etc.

Finally, by taking some time out to discover what to expect in labour and the birth can lead to a more positive experience and certainly one you won’t forget in a hurry.

For more information on classes and here2maternity in general please visit www.here2maternitybirthclasses.co.uk

Or, to find prenatal classes in your area, contact your GP, local hospital, the National Childbirth Trust or Google ‘prenatal birth classes.’