Abstract:

Background:
The presence of a significant person during labor and birth is linked to the cultural history of the birth. Depending on the cultural context, at birth, one could find the presence of the companion, the women of the family namely the mother, or the mother-in-law, but also of a friend, neighbor or just the midwife. This last presence, associated with childbirth at home, among the family, over time assumed a role of a helper. With the institutionalization of childbirth this cultural pattern has changed significantly, being denied the presence of any person other than the mother to be. With the new approach to a person-centered care, there was an attempt to give back to the birth moment its initiation character of a rite of passage, with the involvement of family or significant other.

Objective:
To understand the meaning assigned by the significant other to its presence during labor and delivery.
Material and Methods: Qualitative study, with descriptive approach, based on the collection of detailed information, through the application of semi-structured interviews. The sample consists of 16 significant others who accompanied the women during labor and childbirth.

Results:
Emerging categories were, Interpreting birth, as a rite of passage, life, hope, joy and love; The benefit of being present at the birth, to take an active role, in providing security, happiness and support, but also to prevent the loneliness of the parturient; Interpret childbirth, as a natural, unique, exciting moment, relief, and birth of a new being, but also the birth as a painful process, and a risk; Experience mixed feelings about the baby, fear of not being perfect, but also of pride, excitement, joy, happiness, and hope for a better life; Facing parenthood as responsibility, as the achievement of a dream, personal enrichment, having a family, and someone to care; Nurses deliver personalized care, by being attentive, providing a good care, providing help, giving information, support, accepting the presence of a companion, and transmitting greater confidence than other professionals; Feel that it was a remarkable experience, the suffering of the laboring woman, with a concern for the women when the child is born, when there’s a skin-to-skin contact, when he heard the baby crying, and the anxiety felt; Dissatisfaction with the performance of nurses, due to feeling discriminated by them, giving little information to the significant other, and pay little attention to the significant other; Enhancement of the significant other, by the presence of the father in early life of the child, the strengthening of the bond, and the awakening to parenthood.

Conclusion:
The companion, mostly the father, sees his presence in childbirth as a privilege that benefits not only the laboring woman but also himself as a member of the triad.

Keywords:

Experiences, Childbirth, Humanization, Significant other/Companion.