Penny Simkin The Birth Partner Analysis

Penny Simkin 's "The birth partner" is a detailed and easy to use reference guide through various stages, interventions, and scenarios during, before and after the birthing process. While specifying the roles the partner, caregiver and Doula will play along the side the mother in these different situation and through her beautiful journey of pregnancy. She also offers preparation lists for home and hospital births, comfort and various example layouts for things from fetal movements to birth plans, everything one could need to be prepared for the big day! Simkin offers different strategies for the birth partner to better understand and support the mothers ' emotional and physical needs and restrictions, giving helpful pointers and tips throughout …show more content…
After attending a few classes and through reading "The birth partner" my anxieties subsided and I began to feel confident in my abilities as a Doula, as well as excited for the role I will be playing. Simkin continuously encourages the help of a Doula and explains "The Doula is an experienced guide and support person to the women and couple"(The birth partner, Penny Simkin, Pg.4), on pages four through nine writes about how beneficial and valuable having a knowledgeable Doula can be. A Doula will be there for you with calm non judgemental support, experience, unconditional love and a fountain of knowledge that can put you at ease and aid in understanding emotions, signs of labour, and any other stressful unpredictable situations. The Doula can also help with getting food for you, allowing you to have a quick break, photographs an ear to listen to, and to "help you participate more comfortably by making sure the mothers need are met" (The birth partner, Penny Simkin, …show more content…
I found a particular beauty in reading the section on "The three R 's: Relaxation, rhythm and ritual", using relaxation methods in between contractions, rhythm to cope and then for the mother to find her unique ritual to keep the rhythm going in each contraction. As women, we have strong intuition and when it comes to our bodies an internal knowledge that leads the way, we just need to be given the space and trust to do so. Breath work and breathing techniques are powerful, in the practice of yoga we use our breath and direct it to parts of our body that need it, we keep a steady rhythm, not ignoring the pain and opening in the body, but being with it, accepting it, listening to what it brings up and understanding that nothing is permanent. The three R 's are a philosophy that can be used and re-used not only in labour but in every day mental or physical hardships, and one that I will incorporate in my Doula