The Partner's Role During Labor: A Guide for Nigerian Mothers

Introduction

Bringing a baby into the world is one of life's most powerful experiences, but it can also be challenging and sometimes frightening. In Nigeria, childbirth practices vary between urban and rural areas, traditional and modern medicine, and among ethnic and religious groups. While many Nigerian women have traditionally relied on female relatives, mothers-in-law, or traditional birth attendants during childbirth, having a trusted support person - whether your husband, mother, sister, or friend - can make your labor experience safer and more positive. This person, often called a "birth companion" or "labor partner," stays with you during labor to provide comfort, encouragement, and practical help. Studies have shown that having a companion improves outcomes for women and newborns, and the World Health Organization recommends that every woman should have a companion of her choice present during labor and birth.

3 Important Facts About Partner Support During Labor:

1. Having a Support Person Can Shorten Your Labor and Reduce Pain: Research shows that women who receive continuous one-on-one support during labor are more likely to have shorter labors and spontaneous vaginal births. Continuous labor support improves spontaneous vaginal delivery, shortens the duration of labor, and decreases cesarean sections. Your support person can help by massaging your back, helping you walk or change positions, reminding you to breathe slowly during contractions, and offering words of encouragement. These simple actions truly make a difference in how you experience labor and can help you manage pain naturally.

2. Your Partner Can Speak for You When You Need It Most: During labor, you will be focused on your contractions and may feel tired or overwhelmed. Labor companions provide informational support about the process of childbirth and bridge communication gaps between clinical staff and women, acting as advocates by speaking up in support of women and their preferences. Before labor begins, discuss your birth wishes with your partner - such as your preferences for pain relief, positions during labor, or who should be in the room. When labor starts, your partner can communicate these wishes to your healthcare team and ensure your voice is heard.

3. You Can Choose Any Trusted Person as Your Birth Companion: Some women like to have their husband or partner; others prefer a close family relative, friend, or a traditional birth attendant, and experiences from different settings have shown that the best person to have as a childbirth companion is often an older woman from the community, someone who has had children herself. In Nigeria, cultural and religious structures influence women's health-seeking behavior and access to maternal health services, so it's important to choose someone you trust and feel comfortable with, whether that's a male or female companion. The important thing is that this person cares about you and wants to support you through this special time.

What Do Nigerian Women Need to Know About This Topic?

First, understand that you have the right to choose who supports you during labor. This might be your husband, mother, sister, mother-in-law, close friend, or even a trained traditional birth attendant who works alongside the medical staff at your health facility. Don't feel pressured to choose someone based on what others expect - choose the person who makes you feel safest and most comfortable.

Second, your support person doesn't need medical training. Their main job is to provide emotional support, physical comfort, and encouragement. Before labor, you can attend antenatal classes together to learn what happens during labor, breathing techniques, and comfort measures. It can be useful to talk to the childbirth companion during pregnancy or at the onset of labor to find out how much they already know about labor and birth, and to discuss with them what they might expect to see and what they are expected to do.

Third, good support includes practical help: bringing you water, helping you walk or change positions, wiping your face with a cool cloth, timing contractions, keeping family members informed, and maintaining a calm atmosphere in the room. After birth, your partner can help with immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby and support your efforts to begin breastfeeding.

Finally, remember that despite substantial evidence supporting the use of birth companions as providers of emotional support during labor to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, some health care providers have had negative attitudes about the importance of emotional and spiritual support during labor. If you encounter resistance at your health facility, politely but firmly remind them that WHO recommends labor companions, and it is your right to have a support person with you. You can also discuss this during your antenatal visits and ask the healthcare providers to include your birth companion in the planning process.

If You Could Share One Thing About This Topic With All the People of Nigeria, What Would It Be?

No Nigerian woman should face labor alone. Again and again, research shows that women greatly value and benefit from the presence of someone they trust during labor and childbirth. Whether your support person is your husband, your mother, your sister, or a trusted friend, having someone by your side who believes in you and advocates for your needs can transform your birth experience from frightening to empowering. This doesn't conflict with our Nigerian cultural traditions - instead, it honors the communal spirit that has always been at the heart of African life. In our culture, we say "it takes a village," and this is especially true during childbirth. Talk to your family, your partner, and your healthcare provider early in your pregnancy about who will support you during labor. Plan together, prepare together, and welcome your baby together. When families, communities, and partners come together to support a laboring woman, we create the safest and most loving environment for welcoming new life into the world.