Best birth partner

Over the years, I have seen so many loving partners at births. But loving doesn’t always translate into supportive.

Many partners are unprepared for the realities of an average labor: the lack of sleep; the stress of the hospital; watching the woman you love going through intense emotional and physical strain. And often these partners’ natural inclination is to want to fix it all, to make it go away.

Of course, that isn’t possible, or even preferable.

Instead, there are some simple things that birth partners can do to offer real support when it is most needed. Even though they’re easy to describe, actually doing these things can be a challenge. But they’re worth trying, because they make all difference. Here are three:

• Pay attention. Over the many hours that a typical birth will take, this can be one of the hardest things to do. But try to watch…