thesis

1.2 Pregnant women as a subject of psychological support

psychological support pregnancy consultation

In this paragraph, we will consider the concept of pregnancy and its psychophysiological features, as well as analyze the types of attitudes towards pregnancy.

To begin with, consider the very concept of pregnancy and the psychophysiological characteristics of a woman during this period of life.

Pregnancy is the state of a woman's body when a developing embryo or fetus is in her reproductive organs. A woman's pregnancy is usually divided into so-called "trimesters" (periods of three months). Accordingly, they speak of the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Each of the trimesters is characterized by certain obstetric features, risks, as well as special psychological well-being.

Domestic psychologist A.I. Zakharov, whose work is devoted mainly to child and family psychology and psychotherapy, calls the first trimester of pregnancy months of uncertainty and adaptation. At this stage, the woman's feelings have not yet been determined; happy with the knowledge that she is expecting a child, she passes from joy to regret. This is not yet a fear of childbirth, but an indefinite fear, which includes both the joy of not knowing what is happening, and the fear of the unknown, and anxiety about the future, and fears that her husband will move away from her in a few months of pregnancy, and so on.

Nausea, insomnia, lack of appetite - the cause or effect of these mixed feelings - often make the first weeks of pregnancy tiring.

Fear of the unknown can lead to a state of depression, a woman feels disarmed, dependent, as in some cases of infantilism.

At the same time, a pregnant woman likes (more or less consciously) her special state, sometimes so much that she becomes more impressionable, feels more fragile physically and psychologically; she wants to be the object of attention and care. However, being in this state, a woman feels that she is growing up.

Two tendencies struggle in a woman: towards infantilism and full maturation. This duality, which causes her anxiety, is often the cause of a change of mood that is not always clear to others.

I.V. Dobryakov, a physician and psychologist working in the field of perinatal psychology, also notes that during this period, many women experience headaches, increased fatigue, a decrease or, conversely, an increase in appetite. Awareness of the fact of pregnancy in any woman becomes the dominant idea, causes excitement, ambivalent emotions. In many ways, their nature depends on whether the pregnancy was planned or not, what reactions the woman expects from her husband and other significant relatives to the news.

Second trimester A.I. Zakharov calls months of balance. He writes: “The first movements of the fetus are of great importance for all expectant mothers. Those who previously did not dare to show their joy, give themselves entirely to it, for now they are sure of the existence of a new life within themselves.

The presence of a child has a beneficial effect not only on the thoughts, imagination of the expectant mother, but also on her body, since this is closely interconnected.

Psychologist N.V. Borovikova, who works in the field of perinatal psychology, describes the state of a woman during this period as follows: in the normal course of pregnancy, the emotional background of a woman stabilizes; there is an acceptance of a new life in oneself - a restructuring of the woman's self-consciousness with the gradual inclusion of the image of a child in it. Most often this occurs after the first fetal movement.

And, finally, the third trimester - the months of retreat, as A.I. calls them. Zakharov. He writes: “In the first three months the child was a hope, then a certainty, but not a reality; in the second trimester his presence became palpable; in the third, he became the only focus of the thoughts, interests and activities of the expectant mother.

Gradually, the events of everyday life recede into the background, occupying the woman less and less, her thoughts are concentrated on the child she is carrying.

One of the symptoms of the third semester, described by N.V. Borovikova, is a symptom of impatience. The woman complains that she is tired of pregnancy, expresses her desire to end it as soon as possible. This occurs against the background of pronounced fluctuations in emotions from joyful experiences associated with the upcoming motherhood to anxious and depressive doubts about the favorable outcome of childbirth. Against this background, the symptom of fear of childbirth observed already in the last trimester may arise or worsen. A woman begins to dream about avoiding childbirth, although, on the other hand, she dreams of a successful completion of pregnancy.

At the beginning of the third trimester, an increase in anxiety in a woman associated with worries about the upcoming birth activates preparation for them and for the postpartum period. There is a desire to create a cozy and safe place for yourself and the child. For this purpose, many people start renovation of the apartment. This is the so-called "nesting symptom".

As we can see from the description of the course of pregnancy, a woman during this period of her life is subject to states of anxiety, depression, fear, and self-doubt.

According to the doctor of biological sciences A.S. Batueva, inappropriate behavior of the mother during pregnancy, her emotional reactions to the stresses that our life is full of, cause a huge number of different pathological conditions in the child, both behavioral, psychological, and somatic.

Psychologist T. Bauer, who studies the psychology of infants, says that during stress, the adrenal hormones of the mother release stress hormones into the blood, and during positive emotions, the hypothalamic structures produce hormones of joy, which, penetrating through the placental barrier, directly affect the fetus . Consequently, mother and child are a single organism, and each of them equally suffers from the adverse influence of the outside world, which is recorded in long-term memory, affecting the entire subsequent life of the child.

According to domestic psychologists G.N. Chumakova, E.G. Schukina and A.A. Makarova, positive maternal emotions cause an increase in fetal growth, calmness and an increase in the level of sensory perception of the fetus. Her stress leads to low fetal weight, increased mortality, respiratory infections, and impaired cognitive development.

The attitude of the mother to the fetus during pregnancy leaves permanent traces on the development of his psyche. Emotional stress has been correlated with preterm birth, major childhood psychopathology, more frequent occurrences of schizophrenia, often with school failure, high levels of delinquency, drug addiction, and suicide attempts.

Obviously, pregnancy is a critical process that requires not only awareness of its medical aspects, but also the psychological preparation of a woman for it.

An unprepared woman approaches childbirth with negative emotions, a lack of understanding of the birth process and a sense of helplessness. Against this background, her natural reactions in contractions - the tension of the muscles of the body and holding her breath, lead to pain and an even greater increase in fear. Appropriate prenatal preparation of pregnant women can remove or reduce these negative manifestations.

G.G. Filippova says that pregnancy is a critical period in a woman's life, a stage of gender-role identification, a special situation for adaptation.

In the dynamics of personality changes, infantilization, exacerbation of intrapersonal conflicts, increased dependence, and anxiety levels are noted.

N.P. Kovalenko writes that pregnancy is understood as an acute transitional period, which is often accompanied by crisis experiences. During pregnancy, the consciousness of a woman and her relationship with the world change significantly. It is necessary to change the way of life, getting used to the role of the mother. For many women, the outcome of pregnancy can be a huge shift towards true maturity and increased self-esteem. For others, on the contrary, it may be "a pathological resolution of a potentially guilt-laden mother-child relationship."

Let's move on to the analysis of the types of attitudes towards pregnancy.

To begin with, let's analyze the styles of experiencing pregnancy, which were identified by G.G. Filippova.

Describing the style of experiencing pregnancy, G.G. Filippova included in it: the physical and emotional experience of the moment of identification of pregnancy, the experience of pregnancy symptoms, the dynamics of experiencing symptoms by pregnancy trimesters, the predominant mood background by pregnancy trimesters, the experience of the first movement, the experience of movements throughout the second half of pregnancy, the content of a woman's activity in the third trimester pregnancy. Total G.G. Filippova managed to identify six main styles of experiencing pregnancy. Let's consider each of them in detail.

1) Adequate. Identification of pregnancy without strong and prolonged negative emotions; belly of normal size; somatic sensations are different from the states of non-pregnancy, the intensity is average, well expressed; in the first trimester, a general decrease in mood without depressive episodes is possible; in the second trimester, a favorable emotional state; in the third trimester, an increase in anxiety with a decrease by the last week; activity in the third trimester is focused on preparing for the postpartum period; the first movement of the child is felt at 16-20 weeks, is experienced positively, pleasantly in terms of somatic sensation; subsequent movements are clearly different from other sensations, are not characterized by negative somatic and emotional experiences.

2) Anxious. Identification of pregnancy is disturbing, with fear, anxiety, which periodically renew; the belly is too large or too small for the duration of pregnancy; the somatic component is strongly expressed as a disease state; the emotional state in the first trimester is highly anxious or depressive, in the second trimester there is no stabilization, depressive or anxious episodes are repeated, in the third trimester this intensifies; activity in the third trimester is associated with fears for the outcome of pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period; the first stirring is felt early, accompanied by long-term doubts, or, on the contrary, clear memories of the date, hour, conditions, experienced with anxiety, fear, painful sensations are possible; further movements are often associated with anxious feelings, anxiety about the health of the child and oneself, a focus on obtaining additional information, patronage is characteristic.

3) Euphoric. All characteristics are inadequately euphoric, there is an uncritical attitude to possible problems of pregnancy and motherhood, there is no differentiated attitude to the nature of the child's movement. Complications usually appear towards the end of pregnancy. Projective methods show unfavorable expectations of the postpartum period.

4) Ignoring. Identification of pregnancy too late, accompanied by a feeling of annoyance or unpleasant surprise; the belly is too small; the somatic component is either not expressed at all, or the condition is even better than before pregnancy; the dynamics of the emotional state by trimesters is either not observed, or there is an increase in activity and general emotional tone; the first stirring is noted very late; subsequent movements are in the nature of physiological experiences, by the end of pregnancy they are characterized as causing physical inconvenience; activity in the third trimester increases and is directed to contents not related to the child.

5) Ambivalent. The general symptomatology is similar to the anxious type, a feature is sharply opposite in physical and emotional sensations of the experience of stirring, the occurrence of pain is characteristic; interpretation of their negative emotions is mainly expressed as fear for the child or the outcome of pregnancy, childbirth; references to external circumstances interfering with the successful experience of pregnancy are characteristic.

6) Rejecting. Identification of pregnancy is accompanied by sharp negative emotions; all symptoms are pronounced and negatively physically and emotionally colored; experiencing the entire pregnancy as punishment, interference; stirring is colored by unpleasant physiological sensations, accompanied by inconvenience; by the end of pregnancy, bursts of depressive or affective states are possible.

It is also important for us to consider the concept of maternal dominance by A.A. Ukhtomsky - I.A. Arshavsky.

According to A.A. Ukhtomsky, the dominant principle underlies the directed activity of living systems at any level of organization, including complex social formations.

The dominant is the main system of reflexes that ensures the satisfaction of the need that at a given period of time turns out to be the main one, that is, the dominant one, and all other needs therefore turn out to be, as it were, secondary and subordinate, and the corresponding reflex activity will be suppressed. That is, there is an urgent mobilization of all body systems, past life experience and perception of the environment in order to achieve the dominant need. All the current activity of the organism is subordinated to this goal, that is, a dominant is formed. Upon reaching the goal, a new dominant is instantly revealed. She may be one of those who have not been able to realize themselves up to this point. All dominants are stored in memory, enriching life experience, and if necessary, the most suitable (or most powerful, or more often used) dominant becomes the leading one, adjusted for circumstances.

I.A. drew attention to the fact that the physiological and neuropsychic changes that occur in the body of a woman during pregnancy are aimed at providing the most favorable conditions for the normal development of the fetus and are clearly dominant in nature. Arshavsky. Developing the ideas of A.A. Ukhtomsky, he proposed the term "gestational dominant". The gestational dominant includes physiological and psychological components, which are respectively determined by the biological or mental changes that occur with a woman, aimed at bearing, and then at the birth and nursing of a child. The gestational dominant ensures the direction of all body reactions to create optimal conditions for the development of the embryo, and then the fetus.

Consider the concept of the psychological component of gestational dominance (PCGD). This component is a set of mental self-regulation mechanisms that are activated in a woman when pregnancy occurs, aimed at maintaining gestation and creating conditions for the development of an unborn child, forming a woman's attitude to her pregnancy, her behavioral stereotypes.

I.V. Dobryakov, one of the largest specialists in our country in the field of perinatal psychology and medicine, identified five types of PCGD: optimal, hypogestognosic, euphoric, anxious and depressive. Let's consider each of them in detail.

1) The optimal type of PCGD is observed in women who are responsible, but without excessive anxiety related to their pregnancy. In these cases, as a rule, relations in the family are harmonious, pregnancy is desired by both spouses. A woman, having made sure that she is pregnant, continues to lead an active lifestyle, but registers at the antenatal clinic in a timely manner, follows the recommendations of doctors, monitors her health, and successfully attends prenatal training courses. The optimal type contributes to the formation of a harmonious type of family upbringing of the child.

2) The hypogestognosic type of PCGD is often found in women who have not completed their studies and who are passionate about work. Among them there are both young students and women who will soon turn or have already turned 30 years old. The former do not want to take academic leave, they continue to take exams, go to discos, go in for sports, and go hiking. Their pregnancies are often unplanned and taken by surprise. Women of the second subgroup, as a rule, already have a profession, are passionate about work, and often occupy leadership positions. They plan pregnancy, as they rightly fear that the risk of complications increases with age. On the other hand, these women are not inclined to change their life stereotype, they do not have enough time to get registered, visit doctors, and fulfill their appointments. As a rule, childcare is entrusted to other persons (grandmothers, nannies), since the mothers themselves are very busy. In the hypogestognosic type of PCHD, such types of family upbringing as hypoprotection, emotional rejection, and underdevelopment of parental feelings are most often encountered.

3) The euphoric type of PCGD is noted in women with hysterical personality traits, as well as in those who have been treated for infertility for a long time. Often, pregnancy becomes a means of manipulation, a way to change relations with her husband, to achieve mercantile goals. At the same time, excessive love for the unborn child is declared, and the resulting ailments and difficulties are exaggerated. Women require increased attention from others, the fulfillment of any whims. Doctors, prenatal training courses are attended, but far from all the advice of the patient is heeded and not all recommendations are implemented or done formally.

4) Anxious type of PCHD is characterized by a high level of anxiety in pregnant women, which affects her somatic condition. Anxiety can be quite justified and understandable (the presence of acute or chronic diseases, disharmonious relationships in the family, unsatisfactory material and living conditions, etc.). In some cases, a pregnant woman either overestimates the existing problems, or cannot explain what the anxiety that she constantly experiences is connected with. Often anxiety is accompanied by hypochondria. With this type of PKGD, dominant hyperprotection is most often formed in family upbringing, and increased moral responsibility is often noted. The educational uncertainty of the mother is expressed.

5) The depressive type of PCHD is manifested, first of all, by a sharply reduced background of mood in pregnant women. A woman who dreamed of a child may begin to assert that now she does not want him, does not believe in her ability to bear and give birth to a healthy child, is afraid to die in childbirth. Dysmorphomaniac ideas often arise. Women believe that pregnancy has “disfigured them”, they are afraid of being abandoned by their husbands, they often cry. In some families, such behavior of the expectant mother can really worsen her relationship with relatives, who explain everything with whims, who do not understand that the woman is unhealthy. This further aggravates the condition. In severe cases, overvalued, and sometimes delusional hypochondriacal ideas, ideas of self-abasement appear, suicidal tendencies are detected. These pregnant women also have iatrogenic depression. Deviations in the process of family education in this type of PCHD are similar to those developing in the anxious type, but more brutal. There are also emotional rejection, abuse. At the same time, the mother experiences a feeling of guilt, which aggravates her condition.

Determining the type of PKGD can significantly help to understand the situation in which a child was born and born, to understand how relations developed in the family in connection with his birth, how the style of family education was formed.

So, in this paragraph, we have considered the concept of pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a critical period in a woman's life. This is the state of a woman's body when a developing embryo or fetus is in her reproductive organs.

A woman's pregnancy is divided into three trimesters, each of which is distinguished by certain psychophysiological states of the woman. In the first trimester, anxiety about the future, fear, impressionability, ambivalence of emotions, headaches, fatigue, and uncertainty are noted. In general, this trimester can be called the stage of adaptation to the state of pregnancy. In many ways, the condition of a woman in this period depends on whether the pregnancy was planned.

The second trimester is already characterized by a stable emotional background. The psychophysiological state of a woman comes into balance, at this stage she has already adapted to her condition.

The third trimester is characterized by the woman's eagerness to give birth. Again, as in the first trimester, fear is noted. At this stage, it is explained by the approach of the birth process. As a result, the woman again begins to show fluctuations in emotions, the feeling of anxiety increases.

We also managed to identify five main types of attitudes towards pregnancy. When analyzing the types of attitudes towards pregnancy, we relied on the classification of styles of experiencing pregnancy by G.G. Filippova and the classification of the types of the psychological component of the gestational dominant by I.V. Dobryakova.

Thus, G.G. Filippova identifies six styles of pregnancy experience: adequate, euphoric, ignoring, ambivalent, anxious, rejecting. I.V. Dobryakov identifies five types of attitudes towards pregnancy: optimal, euphoric, hypogestognosic, anxious, depressive.

Identified styles of experiencing pregnancy G.G. Filippova correspond to certain types of PCGD identified by I.V. Dobryakov: adequate style corresponds to the optimal type, euphoric style to the euphoric type, ignoring style to the hypogestognosic type, anxious style to the anxious type, ambivalent and rejecting styles to the depressive type.

Ready to become a mother? Need a good psychologist for pregnant women in Moscow? Contact the medical center "Beltico". We employ experienced specialists in the field of psychology and psychotherapy. They will help to survive a happy, but very difficult period in a woman's life, prepare for childbirth and the first, most difficult, months of motherhood.

Why should pregnant women seek psychological help?

Life is a series of joyful and sad events, and the emotional background of a pregnant woman is in an unstable state. A woman wants more attention from close people to herself and the baby, especially from her husband. The whole family has to rebuild their way of life. A psychologist during pregnancy helps:

• deal with problems;
• improve family relationships;
• prepare for childbirth.

You need to understand that a psychologist for pregnant women is not a luxury, but a necessity. Especially if a woman feels nervous or anxious about childbirth. The right attitude and the technique of special breathing can significantly facilitate the process of the birth of a child.

In addition, a psychologist's consultation during pregnancy is required for future single mothers or women in an unstable state. This will help you deal with difficulties. In the unstable mental state of pregnant women, dictated by hormonal changes, even the smallest things seem like insoluble problems.

Use the services of professionals

Many, faced with problems, try to find practical advice from a psychologist for pregnant women on the Internet. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work. Such “consultations” are designed for problems that a pregnant woman can cope with without outside help. Some things cannot be learned simply by reading. For example, the breathing of a pregnant woman must be worked out, otherwise they will not remember it during childbirth.

To solve problems, not only theory is important, but also practice, many things can be done only under the supervision of a specialist. This does not only apply to pregnant women. The cost of a mistake in such situations can be too high. You should not practice unknown methods on your own, especially when working with a pregnant woman. Professionalism is not only the right approach to business, but also knowledge of safety.

Experienced psychologists for pregnant women consult at the Beltiko Medical Center, which has been operating in Moscow for more than 20 years. Look at the level of professionalism and prices of services directly on the website www.site. You can make an appointment with a pregnancy specialist either by phone or by filling out an application.

Annotation. In the modern world, psychological support for childbirth is becoming increasingly popular. This is a fairly new field of activity of a psychologist, but quite useful and effective.
The purpose of the work: to identify the advantage of accompanying pregnancy and childbirth by a psychologist
Research methods: study of scientific literature on the topic
The relevance of the article lies in the fact that the activities of a psychologist accompanied by pregnancy and childbirth are still little studied and raise many questions for many people. In my article, I tried to explain in detail what the advantage of a perinatal psychologist is.

abstract. In today's world, more and more popular psychological support for childbirth. This is a fairly new field of psychology but quite useful and effective.
Objective: to identify the benefit of maintenance of pregnancy and childbirth psychologist
Research methods: scientific literature on the subject
The relevance of the article lies in the fact that the activities of the psychologist in the support of pregnancy and childbirth is still poorly understood and raises many questions for many people. In my article I tried to explain in detail what is the advantage of a perinatal psychologist.

For most people who have not experienced pregnancy and childbirth, it seems that the above processes are purely physiological and require only the participation of medical personnel. It is at least strange to analyze the events that have occurred, to explore the mental processes during childbirth. In this regard, the question arises - what does a psychologist do during childbirth.

The main note in this question is that each psychologist has his own specialization. In our case, the expectant mother will be accompanied by a perinatal psychologist, that is, a person who has studied in detail, knows and understands the psyche of a pregnant woman and a newborn. Undoubtedly, these specialists need to know the basics of the physiological processes that occur during pregnancy and childbirth. Many perinatal psychologists even receive obstetric education or study this issue in specialized courses. The main goal of a perinatal psychologist is to help a woman feel as comfortable as possible during childbirth, keep calm and remember about the unborn child.

Perinatal psychology (Greek peri - around, around and Latin natalis - pertaining to birth) is a branch of clinical psychology that includes the psychology of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. It is one of the most understudied branches of theoretical clinical psychology. Nevertheless, practical perinatal psychology has become widespread in our country in recent years. Correctional programs for pregnant women, women in labor and their families are being intensively developed. Even separate centers are being opened that provide services for prenatal and birth support.

In practice, the activities of a perinatal psychologist are divided into 4 areas:
- Full psychological support of pregnancy
 Psychological support to the maternity hospital
- Psychological support in the maternity hospital
 Full psychological support of childbirth

Let's take a look at each of the above areas.
1. Full psychological support of pregnancy
This direction includes the interaction of a psychologist with a pregnant woman throughout the entire period of expectation of a child - from conception to childbirth. The specifics of the work of a psychologist during this period is the most extensive. The special mental state of a woman during pregnancy requires a varied and almost constant interaction of a psychologist with her. A pregnant woman experiences many unusual feelings and fantasies. Pregnancy becomes a period of self-knowledge and self-improvement. In addition to the positive aspects of the ongoing changes, there are many negative consequences. A woman is often visited by doubts and worries about these same changes. Some women experience anxiety and fear - both justified and unconscious. Women can worry about physiological changes in their body, because of changes in relationships with loved ones (possibly far-fetched). All these experiences often lead to an unstable emotional state, increased anxiety, and depression. Such difficulties can also provoke somatic manifestations in the body - lack of appetite and, as a result, anorexia, severe toxicosis, incessant headaches, and the threat of miscarriage.

To avoid such incidents, the perinatal psychologist introduces the pregnant woman to the physiological and psychological aspects of the course of pregnancy and the upcoming birth, diagnoses the psycho-emotional state of the pregnant woman. If necessary, draws up and conducts a psycho-correctional program, including a theoretical explanation of all the changes taking place and practical work with a pregnant woman. Practical work consists of a complex of various types of classes to relieve emotional tension and psychological relief. Classes can be both group and individual. The forms of classes can also be varied: trainings, counseling, etc. The use of art therapy and fairy tale therapy is very popular.

Expectant mothers try to get some knowledge in the field of perinatology on their own. They read various books, magazines, booklets about pregnancy and upcoming motherhood. But the information obtained in this way is usually of a general nature. It can not only not help, but also harm the psycho-emotional state of the pregnant woman. That is why modern women appreciate and trust themselves to an experienced specialist.

2. Psychological support to the hospital.

For help and support in this direction, women or even couples who are afraid to miss the moment of the start of labor or, on the contrary, come to the maternity hospital too early, turn. The work of the psychologist at this stage is to interact with the future parents in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy. During this time, the psychologist seeks to learn about the peculiarities of the course of pregnancy, to clarify all the questions and problems of a pregnant woman. The main task of the psychologist is to understand in time that his client is going into labor, to come to her home and ensure the most comfortable condition for the woman. The psychologist should be next to the pregnant woman throughout the entire period of contractions and try to help them as effectively as possible. Then the psychologist must deliver the woman in labor to the hospital. If a woman has a contract with an obstetrician, be sure to notify him of the start of contractions.

3. Psychological support in the maternity hospital.

At this stage, the psychologist begins to work with the client only in the maternity hospital. He arrives at the same time as the pregnant woman or is already waiting for her there. The task of a psychologist is to become the closest person for a woman during childbirth, to ensure her comfort, to take care of and help to resolve any issues. A psychologist should be able to accurately feel the state of a woman. When a woman is in an uncomfortable state, a psychologist must find suitable words or actions that alleviate discomfort and help childbirth develop well. These can be calming, motivating words for success: “You can!”, “You will succeed!” etc., aromatherapy, pain relief massage, etc.

The psychologist suggests postures in which childbirth will be most successful and comfortable, teaches or reminds about the correct breathing techniques during contractions and attempts.

After the baby is born, the psychologist accompanies the woman to the postpartum ward. There, he helps to accommodate in the ward, shows how to properly attach the baby to the chest. Usually the psychologist spends a few more hours with the client after the birth to make sure that the mother and baby feel comfortable.

4. Full psychological support for childbirth.

This direction includes the same work as in the previous two. The psychologist accompanies the woman from the moment the contractions begin to the placement of the mother and child in the ward. As a rule, most pregnant women resort to such interaction.

Why a psychologist, and not a husband / mother / girlfriend

Before the development of perinatal psychology, women often invited their closest people to give birth. For some, this is a husband who has been there throughout pregnancy, for some it is a mother who has known you since birth, and for some it is a best friend who can be told the most intimate secrets and experiences. Some women believe that there should be no one at all at childbirth, except for an obstetrician who has been trained and seen everything, especially if a contract has been concluded with him.

Many women are inclined to believe that the work of a perinatal psychologist is generally useless and this is just another fashion trend. Indeed, after all, the above listed people will quite cope with ensuring a comfortable delivery. But each option has its own nuances.

Not every woman is ready to appear before a man, even the closest, during childbirth. Of course, the birth of a child is joy and happiness, but outwardly this is not the most aesthetically attractive event. And no matter how strong men are, it is a colossal stress for them to see him. We can see from documentaries and feature films that men are not always conscious until the end of labor. It is difficult to imagine what they experience when they see a process that is absolutely unnatural for them, and what they feel afterwards.

2. Mom / girlfriend

3. Obstetrician

Often women believe that all the listed functions of an assistant will be taken over by an obstetrician with whom they have entered into an agreement. But doing massage and caring are functions that are absolutely alien to the doctor, his job is to determine the tactics and strategy of childbirth, to monitor the condition of the mother and baby.

4. Perinatal psychologist

Nevertheless, only a person whose main task is not the medical component of work in childbirth, who came here with you, only for you, can be an ideal assistant. He has no business and duties in the maternity hospital, except for you and your childbirth.

List of used literature.

1. Belogai, K.N. Introduction to Perinatal Psychology: Textbook [Text] / K.N. Belogai. - Tomsk: TPGU, 2008. - 328 p.
2. Dobryakov, I.V. Perinatal psychology [Text] / I.V. Dobryakov // World of medicine. - 2000. - No. 5 - 6. - P. 45 - 46.
3. Skripitskaya, T.V. Psychological support of pregnant women in the framework of programs to prepare for childbirth [Text] / T.V. Skripitskaya. - M. : Analogue, 2009. - 84 p.
4. Nurova A.U. Childbirth with a psychologist Text] / www.b17.ru