When to follow and when to lead
A support person who is ready to follow your lead but who can be assertive and encouraging when the time is right is a great help. Most of the time, the support person’s job is to follow the labouring person’s lead – talking when they need a soothing voice, massaging their back when they ask, wiping their forehead with a cool cloth, and responding to the changing moods and needs of labour.
For most people, however, there are intense times in labour when it’s difficult to know exactly what they want, or to remember any of the comfort measures they practiced. This is the time when the support person can take the lead and make suggestions for comfort measures or position changes, remind them to keep breathing, and assure them they are doing a great job.