Clients may share their health problems or concerns with the students, but it is their own responsibility to contact their health care provider. The students emphasize the importance of prenatal care and help their clients identify community resources. Shirley Van Zandt, an instructor who assists Jordan with the program, helps the students navigate these appropriate resources. Birth companions are not allowed to make home visits unless cleared through Jordan. To that end, each birth companion is also assigned a partner who serves as a backup in case the primary birth companion has a scheduling conflict or is otherwise unavailable to attend the birth.
Partners often attend the birth and provide additional support to the mother.
In the delivery room the birth companion's role is to provide direct service to the mother, which typically entails offering advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning. One might be rubbing the back and the other will be talking to Dad to make him more comfortable.