Dads Dads Dads! We love those dads! ok, seriously though, the role of the dads in the birth space is so very important. Why? You may ask. Dads don’t do anything, moms do all the heavy lifting! Yes, moms to the heavy lifting. This is true. Moms are a dynamic machine in the birth space. Their bodies majestically ease baby down through the birth canal via contracting muscles. Bones move to accommodate a baby. Hormones are bouncing off the walls giving way to mood swings. Biological stresses on the body are enormous.
And there is dad. Often times feeling helpless while watching his partner shoulder all of this. But his very presence is the center of her universe. It is his presence that increases the oxytocin for her. This hormone is wanted by the bucket load. His presence and the oxytocin he brings centers the mother, often making labor go smoother. His touch, his words-his very existence- helps relaxation take place.
Sure, they can get ice, help with breathing techniques, use counter pressure, help with positioning, and all the other practical and physical things that come with labor, but its the emotional aspect that helps most.
When a dad helps with the birth plan, tours the hospital, comes to appointments with mom, a different bond is created. A sense of “we are in this together” type of bond. When the main event occurs, being beside his partner creates a unified togetherness. She feels safe, loved and supported. When those feelings are brought, labor can be a pleasure (yes I said that!). That’s when the oxytocin is flowing, fear is gone and baby proceeds to be born.
You see, dads are pretty bad ass in the birth space too. Here is to the dads in the birth space!
