The expectant father’s support begins when the woman is aware that she is in labour and feels that she should go to hospital. The man takes her there and smooths the administrative details which, for some reason, hospitals insist be completed before a ‘patient’ can be admitted. Most of these could be completed during pregnancy, but this only occurs in a few hospitals. Once the woman has been admitted to the delivery floor, the man’s role increases, provided he has been trained during pregnancy and understands what he has to do. He acts as a spokesman for his partner with the attending staff. He helps the staff by recording the duration of, and the interval between, the uterine contractions, and by generally helping the woman. If she has chosen to have minimal analgesia to dull the pains, he can help her by massaging her back, by stroking her abdomen, and by caressing her. He acts as her helpmate, participating and encouraging her during the hours of childbirth and reinforcing her breathing and relaxation patterns.
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