HealthPartners - Your guide to pregnancy

COMFORT MEASURES Comfort measures can help you manage discomfort during labor by providing natural pain relief. They can be very effective during the different stages of labor and birth. You can learn these techniques in a birthing class and you will want to practice them with your labor partner in class and also at home. Our brains will only perceive what we are concentrating on. Everything else is a distraction. Using relaxation and rhythmic breathing techniques during labor helps relieve pain by shifting your focus away from the discomfort of contractions.

Effective comfort measures include: • Relaxation – Relaxation is an active, purposeful activity in which you consciously release tension. Relaxing your muscles helps to reduce physical tension and pain. It also provides a feeling of emotional well-being that reduces anxiety and sensitivity to pain. • Patterned Breathing – Patterned breathing is at different rates and depths. You can consciously choose to make yourself think about your breathing instead of the discomfort of contractions. Breathing techniques also help yourself remember not to hold your breath during a contraction.

Other popular measures include: • Aromatherapy • Double hip squeeze

• Hydrotherapy • Music • Pressure • Rebozo • Special positions • Touch and massage

• Effleurage • Focal point • Guided imagery • Heat and cold

POPULAR COMFORT MEASURES

FOCAL POINT

TOUCH AND MASSAGE

HYDROTHERAPY

DOUBLE HIP SQUEEZE

AROMATHERAPY

REBOZO

54 Your Guide to A Healthy Pregnancy