Birth Partner Tips: Communication, Support and Comfort

The baby's parent
A close friend
The birthing person’s partner
A relative.

Your role as a birth partner is so important and there are many practical ways you can help the birthing person. The most important thing you can do is just to be with them.

We understand that it may be useful to have some guidance on how to be an effective birth partner, so we have devised a list of our most essential tips.

1. Become familiar with the birth plan

To help you be a supportive birth partner, being familiar with the birth plan is an excellent start.

We recommend you help write the birth plan to get the best idea of what everything in it means. If the birthing person wants to write it alone, read it thoroughly to understand what they want and help support their decisions.

You should also remember that birth plans can change, especially at the last minute, as there is no way of knowing what labour will be like.

2. Research and prepare for the birth

If this is your first time being a birth partner, you should prepare yourself with some research.

Here are some examples of what you can research so you can create a complete plan:

Labour and birth. For example, the early stages of labour
What to bring in the hospital bag
The quickest or safest route to the hospital
Check the traffic multiple times during the day so you always know the hospital journey time.

Attending antenatal classes is a great way to learn about labour and birth. You can learn about pain relief, signs of labour and more.

3. Communicate to understand your partner’s needs

Communication before and during labour helps your partner to be as comfortable as possible during birth.

Remember to ask open questions so you can understand what they want and expects for the labour.

They may also give you cues during labour (verbal or non-verbal), so remain alert so you can catch these.

4. Provide physical and emotional support

Being with your partner is always the most important thing you can do during labour:

Here is how to physically and emotionally support your partner during labour:

Keep them calm with relaxation techniques. For example, breathing techniques can keep their heart rate steady during labour
Have food and drinks ready for them
Give them a massage to relieve some of their tension
Gently help them to move so they can find a position they find comfortable
Remain positive during the process
Tell them how well they are doing and how strong they are
Remain calm in case they feel anxious.

5. Take care of yourself

Because of the responsibility of being a birthing partner, forgetting about yourself is easy.

Bring enough snacks and drinks for yourself during the hospital visit and eat when you have time.

You should also take breaks if you have spare time; keep your energy level up to support your partner during birth.

Further advice

Our support page has multiple helpful links if you need more information on preparing for birth.

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