[Assisted Birth] What can I do as a husband? The 5 essential items for labor pain management that I researched and found truly helpful
Hello. My name is "Pharmacist Maru."
To all the expectant fathers who are about to experience an assisted birth.
"What exactly should I do during the birth?"
"I feel like I'm just going to be standing there awkwardly..."
Are you feeling anxious or confused like that?
Facing an unknown life event like childbirth, many of you probably want to support your wives well but don't know what to prepare.
So, this time, I will introduce 5 god-tier items that I prepared for my own assisted birth and can say were "truly a huge help."
I've summarized them along with the reasons why they are necessary, so please use this as a checklist!
■ The "5 essential items for labor pain management" I researched and prepared in advance, and the reasons why
1. Golf ball (for relieving the urge to push)
【Why it's necessary】
As birth approaches, the baby descends, and the wife is hit by an intense "pain (urge to push) as if the buttocks are being strongly pushed out from the inside." However, if she pushes before the cervix is fully dilated, she will exhaust her energy and the birth canal may be injured. To prevent this, it is necessary to push back on the buttocks from the outside with strong force to distract from the pain (relieving the urge to push), and a golf ball, which is hard and can apply force to a pinpoint area, is perfect.
2. Pet bottle cap with a straw
【Why it's necessary】
During labor, the wife remains lying on the bed. However, she gets extremely thirsty due to the intense pain and breathing. With a regular plastic bottle, she cannot drink without sitting up, and she might spill it. If you have a cap with a straw that you can buy at a 100-yen shop, she can hydrate with minimal movement while lying down, making it an absolute must-have item.
3. Lip balm
【Why it's necessary】
During childbirth, she repeats intense breathing for hours to endure the pain. Also, because she sweats an incredible amount and loses body moisture, her lips become rapidly chapped and cracked. Since the labor pain is already intense, it is recommended that the dad quickly applies it for her so she doesn't have the extra stress of lip pain.
4. Towels (multiple)
【Why it's necessary】
A wife fighting labor pain will be soaked in cold sweat and greasy sweat. It is reassuring to have a few extra on hand to quickly wipe the sweat from her face and neck, and as a "lifeline" for her to grip tightly with all her might to endure the waves of pain.
5. Uchiwa (Japanese fan)
【Why it's necessary】
The hospital delivery room has climate control, but the body of a pregnant woman during childbirth builds up intense heat as if she were running a full marathon. Just by the dad fanning her from the side to lower her body temperature even a little, the physical discomfort is greatly eased.
■ What's important is to use tools to "fight together"
None of these 5 items are special, but for a wife in labor, they all become "indispensable lifelines."
Just by the dad researching these in advance and putting them in a bag, when labor actually starts, he can act proactively without hesitation, providing concrete support like "giving her water," "pushing her buttocks," and "fanning her."
Assisted birth is not just about watching from the side; it is a collaborative effort where the dad also sweats and fights together. Please make thorough preparations and overcome the moment of welcoming a new life with the best teamwork!
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