Leis - it's hard when close friends get pg around you. I have been a birth partner - I was 35 and had just started going out with DH.

Actually I was one of a whole brigade of people that my friend (who had got pg on a 1 night stand (Hmmmph!) after breaking up with her rather unreliable lover) had lined up in a semi panic about being single. At 38 she had decided that her labour would be nightmare material and she expected she would need shifts of support people over 24hours. I seemed to be the only one with any common sense however because when I arrived at 3pm I found her having contractions about 3 minutes apart and still talking right through them! (She can talk under wet cement). After I drove her to the other side of Canberra (mostly at 120kph in bus lanes with hazard lights on) we got to the birthing centre. By that stage she was in transition and bawling for her mother (who she had not invited to be there and who was stuck in Sydney). The whole thing was over by 7.45pm but I stayed the night and helped out. I would do it again any day even with no children on my own.

I was completely exhausted, and very dehydrated, forgot to drink water myself while making sure my friend remained hydrated. The reality is that the midwives do most things, I just talked to her, got her water and was ready with the pooper scooper (sorry TMI) for the bath, and got on the phone to get her mum to Canberra and to let other people know the news. I got to hold bub for a few hours while mum grabbed a bit of sleep early the next morning which was nice.

And I have a very strong bond with the little girl. She seemed to know that I was there when she was born.

So I'm not sure if that is any help to you Leis. It demystified birth for me and made me less afraid of it. But I kind of landed in the role accidently and I can understand where you might have some reservations!