Jumpy partners ‘pushing’ mums-to-be into hospital too soon
Midwives recommend women stay at home in the early stages of labour after research found they are more likely to suffer complications or need interventions — such as forceps or an epidural — if they are admitted too soon.
But a small study has found that jumpy fathers-to-be and even nervous mothers-in-law are pushing women to go to hospital too soon.
Mary Nolan, professor of perinatal education at the University of Worcester, questioned more than 2,400 first-time mothers about their experience of support from midwives during early labour. She then carried out interviews with eight women in Worcester and found they had common views on their partner’s influence.
While many of the women talked about how supportive their partners had been, they believed their partner’s stress had led them to hospital early.
Prof Nolan said: “[The study found] women were, understandably, very influenced by the people who were around them at the time — their partners and sometimes mum or mum-in-law... [who] had played a part in increasing their own adrenalin levels, making them feel more anxious than they would otherwise have been.”
