You are not responsible to provide medical care. Often, the most helpful thing for you to do is to talk to your partner, and pay attention to their needs. Holding hands, talking, and looking them in the eyes might be comforting, and it helps you avoid observing any medical procedures that might be necessary. Caring, competent health care providers can give the needles – you don’t have to watch! You are there to provide emotional support, caring and encouragement.
It can help to know that labour and birth are different for every pregnant person, and there are some aspects that we can’t control. It can be hard to imagine what it’s like to be in labour, so I will compare it to a really bad stomach flu. It can build up slowly or come on suddenly. It can last for up to 48 hours, but usually lasts less than a day. It can really take a lot out of you, there are some bodily fluids to deal with, and you might have moments where you feel like you just can’t stand it.
by Erin Bockstael Becoming a caregiver of a vulnerable little human – by birth, fostering, or adoption – can really turn a person’s world upside down. When that person is your good friend, the changes parenting brings can ripple into your life. You don’t spend time together the way you used to! Maybe you’re wondering,
