The more comfortable and relaxed a mother feels during labour, the better her ability to cope with pain. She can find this security with loving support from a birth assistant. The partner is the natural choice, as he will probably be closely involved throughout the pregnancy, and eager to share the experience of his child's birth. Most hospitals now welcome fathers, friends or relatives to support the labouring mother. UNDERSTANDING YOUR ROLE Like many partners, you may be nervous or worry about feeling squeamish, or being inadequate at offering sufficient support. You can help combat this by prepar­ing yourself in advance. It ...