In accompanying you through labour and birth, I will be a quiet and calm presence.  I will be by your side continuously, encouraging you, marvelling at your inner strength and power, helping you to bring your baby into the world. I’ll help to make you feel safe and supported and will encourage you to find your own coping style and to change positions according to how your body feels.  Together we will have practiced different comfort measures to familiarise you with a number of options for easing the intensity of labour.  On the day of your baby’s birth you will find that you discover your own rituals spontaneously during active labour and it will be down to me - and your partner if you are in a couple - to support you through the ritual and rhythm of each and every contraction. I will hold space for you and make sure that you are disturbed as little as possible.  As labour progresses you may find that a new ritual develops and I will gently adapt to your needs. 

If you are in a couple, a big part of my responsibility during your labour and birth is to provide continuous support and reassurance to your partner and to guide them as to how to best support you.  For first-time parents especially, the thought of seeing their partner go through labour and birth can be quite daunting but I will be a reassuring presence.  Through our preparation and practice together of support and comfort measures, partners will understand how vital their support is and that their involvement can make a significant difference in the overall birth experience. Partners may also like to be involved with cutting the cord and providing skin to skin, especially in the event of a caesarean birth.

I will typically arrive at your chosen place of giving birth when you are in active labour and will stay by your side continuously until 2 hours after your baby is born to help with initiating breastfeeding.