Having a good birth partner

Giving birth can be a very difficult experience for a woman and is often quite painful. You may feel scared and stressed due to fear of unknown especially if you are a first time mother. That’s why it is very important to have a supportive birth partner who understands the difficulties of labour and the actual birth process. Having a good partner makes a huge difference during labour, from the first stage of contractions to the moment you get to see your baby for the first time Alhamdulillah!


I have been blessed with two children Alhamdulillah. My husband was there for me during the two births. My first one was quite scary as I didn’t know what to expect. Although I tried to research what to expect, my birth experience wasn’t that common. I was admitted to the hospital when I was 34 weeks pregnant due to high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia). The consultant suggested that I should have an induced labour. I wasn’t very happy with this, as I thought there were still four more weeks to go and I wanted things to take their natural course. However we didn’t have any choice left. I was feeling quite upset and scared. My husband was there throughout that time which meant a lot to me. I think during these sorts of moments, I feel closer to Allah (SWT) than normally. There is no one who can help us when we go through such a hard time and I am grateful to Allah (SWT) for his help and mercy. In the case of my first child, the whole process from first contractions to birth was four hours, which I learned later is significantly shorter than most people. In the case of my second child, it was even shorter… For this, I thank Allah for easing my pain.

I also thank Allah (SWT) for having blessed me with a supportive husband to act as my birth partner. I felt comfortable having him beside me to support me and I think it also helped him to understand more how much pain and suffering a mother needs to go through during labour. I know sisters who would prefer their mother or sister, or even their best friend to be there for them during delivery, but I think I would feel uncomfortable anyone else being there, as I think only my husband can see me in such an awkward state.

Having said that, it is someone’s choice who she would prefer to be with her during labour, as this is probably the most stressful time that any woman will probably face in their life and she needs to feel comfortable and that there is someone there to provide her with the support that she needs. Whatever you may prefer, it is best to decide who the birth partner will be early on in the pregnancy, so that you can inform the person in advance and plan everything accordingly. They can ensure that the bag is packed and ready in the last few weeks of pregnancy, ready for the big day!