How would choosing midwives affect the role of my partner?
Midwives respect the importance of the family (as defined by the woman), and provide care to strengthen your confidence in yourselves as parents. Partners sometimes worry that they will feel left out if midwives are involved. In fact, we support and encourage partners. Many partners have found that midwifery care helped free them from pressure to be an expert, from the tension of trying to know what to offer or suggest at each point in labour. This means that the partner, while still the main support person, can participate more fully on an emotional level throughout the birth. Naturally, when a partner is absent or unavailable, the close relationship the mother has developed with her midwives can help to fill the gap by providing continuity with known caregivers.
