It’s a big question and it’s really important. You can laugh and joke about it with your mates all you want but hearing from family and friends who’ve been through labour, they’re right in saying, choosing your birth partner is really important.
Your birthing partner provides the support you need during labour and it can be anyone you want or choose. It’s not up to anyone else who you want in that room, by your side, supporting you. But it is important to remember that that person needs to make you feel relax and confident that can help support you at all stages of labour.
They need to keep calm (as well as keep you 100% calm!), respect your wishes and know what you want from your labour and delivery. They may have already seen or spoken to you about your birth plan and obviously, won’t make you feel uncomfortable at any stage. It’s a super important job and whoever you do choose they should feel honoured and privileged to take on the role.
That’s why, without a doubt, I choose Sam, my boyfriend, my partner, the father of my child. He’s been there every step of the way since we found out. Through my ups and downs, my moods, my sobs, my laughter, my pains, the sick, the kicks, the worries and cries and has been a great support through my darkest hours and in my lighter days. I couldn’t imagine anyone else being with me in that room. I know my mum was a great support for my sister and although I’ve thought about it, I’d rather have Sam there with me, through that journey, witnessing the event and being the first person, alongside me seeing our little Missy before the rest of the world. It’s a huge monumental moment in our lives and although the past 7 months have been life-changing, what happens next after she’s born, will be the first day of forever as a family of three, as mummy and daddy to a little one. I have no doubt it will be emotional, I’ll probably be some form of screaming nightmare in there, who may or may not throw in some horrible names or hate him for a split second for making me pregnant, but through the aches and pains of the labour will come a huge amount of love for what will come next, our perfect little bundle of joy, that we, Sam Castle and Danielle Moon made.
Although the idea of labour scares me and I’m sure it scares a lot of women out there too, I do think having Sam as my birth partner will help with the whole experience. I’m 30 weeks already and time is going pretty quickly already until we meet her and a few of my friends and I think she may decide to pull a Mya (my niece) and decide to come early. At the moment he’s been great whilst I’ve been achy. Currently I have a bit of a cold and a nasty UTI, but he’s been great with the tummy strokes and understanding that it’s been a little uncomfortable of late. When it comes to bringing our little one into the world, he’ll be there on hand with his trusty supplies of treats to keep him and I going, helping in every stage of the way of labour. I’ve yet to write my birth plan yet, I will do so in the next week or so, as time is running out and we’ve discussed were we want to deliver her. Whether Missy decides to come early or not, I know I’ll have someone who will be with me every step of the way until we hear her first cry entering the world.
Missy, Me & Him 