I remember it like it was yesterday, hell, even now I’m starting to notice my heart racing a little and a tightness in the stomach. Diane, my late wife, is pregnant!
“I’m 25 for god’s sake,” my internal chatter ringing in my ears. I was NOT prepared and I knew it. The months leading up to the birth of Amy are something of a blur, being a student nurse at the time helped, but not much.
Knowing what I know now (5 children and 8 grandchildren later) being prepared would have been my PRIME OBJECTIVE . . . not something good to do, not something I desired to do, but the kind of task you set out to achieve with the smell of burning bridges in your nostrils.
Twenty plus years of experience as a father and a midwife have taught me this, do everything you can to be ready. My life’s work is supporting you, as you prepare for the women you love giving birth. That support starts now.Here is an outline of the benefits to her and you as you get prepared.
1. Insight into how human beings have evolved to give birth well, increases your confidence, gives direction to the support you can offer her, and enhances your ability to be resilient if the birth does not go as expected.
2. Being prepared, increases your ability to proactively create the deep connection to her you will need. It’s that connection which will massively facilitate her production of the birthing process dynamite hormone called oxytocin.
3. Having an experience of building this type of connection with your lover before she gives birth, will produce a deepening in your relationship. Leading to a strong foundation being built for your emerging family.
4. Preparing via regular massaging, TEN's machine use, and understanding the (so called) “latent phase” of the birthing process, will increase the amount of time you spend out of the hospital and may reduce the length of her birth experience.
5. Understanding the importance of having the goal of connecting with her while she births, will produce testosterone in you, reducing your stress response as she gives birth.
Not ready for the big moment yet?
Consider doing the Birthing4Blokes Online Course. It is an online program designed to help you to be as prepared as you can be for being present as the woman you love gives birth.