This is why it's good to have your partner with you during labour

There was a time when your husband was banned from the delivery room. The doctors and nurses wouldn’t let them near you as you delivered your tiny tot- it’s true, just watch old episodes of Call The Midwife for evidence. Back in the 60s, as mum went through the pain of childbirth, their husband was downing pints in the local pub, you know for ‘the nerves’.

Things have obviously changed in recent years as more and more dads-to-be attend the birth of their children. They may drive you mad by pacing up and down the ward, sweating profously and freaking out more than you, but it turns out your partners presence is actually beneficial.

A study has found that having your husband by your side can help increase your pain threshold. The research, which involved 48 parents-to-be, found that physical contact can help mum during labour.

Professor Stefan Duschek commented on the fascinating results, “Talking and touching have been shown to reduce pain, but our research shows that even the passive presence of a romantic partner can reduce it and that partner empathy may buffer affective distress during pain exposure.”

The authors shared, "The study provided evidence that the presence of a romantic partner is effective in reducing acute pain, even without his or her active feedback, and that this effect increases with partner empathy."

Having an emotional support can be a major help for every mum-to-be, but it doesn’t completely prevent the pain of childbirth. At least we can all admit that the pain is always worth it in the end.

The study appeared in the Scandinavian Journal of Pain.