7 Tips for Dads During Labor and Delivery

Most dads don’t know what labor and birth will be like, except for what they’ve seen in the movies and TV shows. And in reality, they need to forget about all of that! Having a baby from start to finish within 15 to 30 minutes (we wish!) is unrealistic. Labor can sometimes (very rarely) happen quickly, but it doesn’t most of the time. And especially if she is expecting her first baby. When labor happens in real life, dads can feel overwhelmed and clueless about what to do and how to best help and support their partner when she needs help the most.

I’ve had several dads ask me, “What are the top things that I need to know to best support my partner during the birth of our baby?” So I’ve come up with a list. I believe these are the best ways to support your partner through one of the biggest experiences of your life. Here are my 7 tips for dads to help them be the perfect birth partner.

Dads During Labor: How to Best Support the Laboring Mother

1. Know What to Expect During Labor

One of the best ways to support your laboring partner is to know what to expect during labor. When you know what to expect, you both will feel more empowered and knowledgeable about what’s going on. This is why I highly recommend that you prepare for your baby’s birth by going to a childbirth class with your partner. All hospitals and birth centers hold classes, and—in most towns—several offsite classes are offered in each community. Be sure to look into all of your options. Talk to your partner about which class is best for both of you. Each type of class focuses on different topics and comfort techniques during labor. By taking a class or series of classes, you will learn what’s normal and not normal. You will also be able to help her every step of the way.

Note: I prefer and recommend non-hospital classes to my clients. This way, there aren’t restrictions on what the instructor can teach or how they can answer your questions. I’m not saying that hospital classes aren’t good classes. I just prefer that my clients learn all of the available options for each part of labor, what to expect, and what is normal. I don’t want anyone demanding the instructor to leave out any information that could help you and your partner during her labor just because it’s an “inconvenience” to the hospital or care provider.

2. Help Time Her Contractions

First, you don’t need to time her contractions when she starts feeling them. Once you both recognize that they are consistent, getting closer together, and getting stronger, that’s a good time to start timing them. This will help you see how long and how far apart they are.

I always recommend my clients download a “contraction timer” app on their phones. There are plenty of free ones that you can download. Getting an app makes timing and keeping track of your partner’s contractions so much easier. If you do not have a smartphone, make sure your watch has a readable second hand. Have a pen and paper available to record them. You will time your partner’s contractions from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next. Count the frequency of each contraction in minutes.

Dad Tip: If she has regular, intense contractions lasting 30 seconds or longer, your partner is probably in early labor. Ensure that she gets enough rest during early labor, so she has enough energy for active labor, transition labor, and pushing.

3. Don’t Go to the Hospital Too Early

I know that it’s so exciting when your partner announces that she is having contractions. But please don’t rush to the hospital the minute she says she’s in labor. If you do, more than likely, her contractions aren’t frequent enough, strong enough, and her cervix probably hasn’t dilated enough to be admitted into labor and delivery. That means they will turn you both away and you’ll have to go back home.

To save yourself from making the trip several times, try not to watch the clock. Help your partner take her mind off of the contractions. Again, you want to make sure she is getting plenty of rest. She will need her energy for the rest of labor and pushing. However, you can also mix it with some activities. You can take a walk, go to the mall or a museum, watch a movie, or bake some cookies. Your nurses will love it if you bring them cookies! Do whatever she will enjoy and take her mind off of labor without getting exhausted. Home is a much more comfortable place to be in anyways when she’s in labor. At home, she can eat, drink, walk around freely without being hooked up to an IV or monitors, and she can grab a nap in her own bed. And so can you!

Contractions

Remember, as a general rule, if the contractions are five minutes apart or less, lasting one minute or longer, and they continue in this pattern for at least an hour, you can make your way to the hospital.

If her labor starts at night, help her get back to sleep for a few hours. Try rubbing her lower back and putting a warm compress/heating pad on her lower back to relieve some of the pain.

If her water breaks first, here is a list of questions that you need to ask her:

“When your water broke, was it a gush of fluid or just a trickle?”
- This will let you know if it was a high tear (a trickle of water) or a low tear (big gush).
- Note: Water will continue to come out the entire time until the baby is born. So don’t worry about it still leaking.
“Is the fluid clear, or is there is a color to it?”
- If there is a yellow, brown, or greenish color in the water, then it means that there is meconium (baby’s first poop) in the water, and it could mean that your baby is in distress since it’s already pooped inside.
“Does it have a distinct foul smell?”
- Not that the water/amniotic fluid is odorless, but it shouldn’t smell completely foul. If there is a very distinct foul smell, it could be an infection.
“Do you still feel the baby moving?”
- This is the MOST important question. If the water broke and there was a big gush, the umbilical cord could have slipped through the cervix (cord prolapse). This can cut off the oxygen and circulation to your baby. If she does not feel the baby move, have her drink some juice, and lay on her side. Wait for ten minutes. After doing this, if she still doesn’t feel baby move, have her get on her knees, put her head down, and stick her butt in the air to get baby off the cord and call 9-1-1.

If the color is clear, there is no distinct smell, and she can feel the baby move, you have up to 12 hours to get to the hospital. If she’s not feeling contractions after her water has broken, have her get up, go for a walk, sit on an exercise/birthing ball, do nipple stimulation, press on acupressure points, etc., to induce labor naturally and help contractions come. Because if you go to the hospital and there are no contractions, but her water is broken, they will not let you go back home, and she will be induced.

4. Be an Active Participant

Dads remind your partner to stay hydrated during early labor and drink plenty of liquids. Pour her a glass of water, Gatorade, labor-aid, Pedialyte, or herbal tea to ward off dehydration. Ensure she doesn’t eat anything too heavy or acidic because that can cause her to vomit during her labor. Offer her light things like fruit, crackers, trail mix, yogurt, broth, a protein shake, or anything bland. She will not get anything to eat at the hospital (maybe a sugar-free popsicle) while in labor, so she needs to have something for energy.

There will be many experienced people around to help you at the hospital or birth center, but you will be your partner’s most important support. So be there for her. Some things you can do to help are:

hold her hand
help her focus on slowing down her breathing
massage her
do counter pressure on her hips and or sacrum
get the room the right temperature for her
dim the lights to calm the atmosphere
help her change positions at least every hour (best early labor positions, active labor positions, and transition labor positions)
remind her to use the restroom every hour, so her bladder doesn’t hold up baby’s head
walk with her through the halls
get her ice chips
get a wet, cold washcloth and wipe her forehead and brow to cool her down
coach her through each contraction and have her relax all of her muscles
take pictures or videos to remember this incredible moment — you will only have this moment once with this baby
get a hot or cold pack to relieve pain in her lower abdomen and lower back
keep track of the music that is playing so she can stay relaxed (if she wants music, have her check out these songs to put on her birth playlist)
tell her that she is doing an amazing job and that you are so proud of her
write down when things happened and when funny things were said. This way, you have a record and can remember special moments that happened on this big day
if she has an epidural: help her rotate from her left side to her right side and have her sit up every 30 minutes to an hour, and keep her pelvis open (side-lying)

Do whatever she needs when she asks you to do something. If she gets frustrated with you, don’t take it personally. She is going through something extremely difficult and needs your support.

5. Know What She Wants and Be Her Advocate

After you’ve both taken a childbirth class, talk to your partner about what she does and doesn’t want during her labor and birth. This is essentially discussing your birth plan. If you decide not to hire a doula to help you during this time, YOU are the one who needs to take charge and let the doctor, midwife, or nurse know what she wants or needs in each moment. To do that, communication during her pregnancy is key, so you know what she wants.

The doctor or midwife and nurses are there to primarily make sure your partner and baby are healthy and doing well during labor and birth. But you have a big role in helping your partner get comfortable and communicate her wishes. Sometimes your care provider will recommend something that isn’t 100% necessary. It’s up to you to know what your partner wants so you can advocate for her and your wishes.

Birth Plan

If you and your partner have written a birth plan, be sure you bring it with you to the hospital so that you can share it with your nurses and the doctor-on-call. That way, they can know your wishes. And you won’t have to remember and speak up each moment about a preference, want, and or need. Be sure to bring more than one copy in case it gets lost!

6. Be Flexible and Be Prepared

You and your partner may have a certain way you want your baby to be born, but it’s ultimately up to your baby. Things can change if your baby is breech, tangled in the umbilical cord, has a low heart rate, etc. As long as the baby is okay, you can try other things before resorting straight to a C-section. However, you need to be flexible with your plan and prepared if changes occur. It’s important to ask questions and watch videos about vaginal births and C-sections before the big day. You don’t want to be surprised or unsure of what’s going on. It can cause a lot of fear in you and your partner—something neither of you wants to experience during the birth of your baby.

7. Hire a Doula

If this all sounds like a lot and too much to have all on your shoulders, that’s okay. It’s normal to feel this way. Men used not to be allowed in the delivery room, and now they are expected to be experts at supporting laboring women. They are supposed to know how to help their partners have a beautiful and happy birth experience. To massage her, get her ice, fan her until she cools down, coach her with each contraction, keep her comfortable, know which position for her to get in next, advocate for her, and more. You are also becoming a father at this moment too. It’s a lot to handle. A doula will honor all of this.

Hiring a doula will allow you to have another support person in the room. They will specifically be there to keep you and your partner informed on what’s going on and what your choices are. She will also keep your partner as comfortable as possible with massage, counter-pressure, hydrotherapy, being her advocate, and the list goes on. I always tell dads that, like in any sport, you need a good coach to help you prepare to win the game. Doulas do the same thing and are your coach during your labor and birthing time. By hiring a doula, you can enjoy more of this time becoming a dad, have a better outcome, and “win” your desired birth experience.

There it is! My 7 tips for dads during labor and birth to help you be the perfect birth partner. Let us know if there is anything you would add to the list. 🙂