Best ways to Comfort a Woman during Labour
- Giving support to a woman during labour is very necessary
- Understand her needs and concerns by reading her body language
- Always be encouraging and do not show your sympathy instead
- You should take her to get educated about birth giving
Most of us feel helpless and intimidated when it comes to comforting a woman in labour. This is for the simple reason that we are not aware about the things that must be done to comfort a labouring woman.
You have every reason to give support and comfort a woman who is in labour. Those surrounding the woman giving birth can make a huge impact in her delivery and the of course needless to say that this day will go down in the sweetest of her memories. In order to support and care for a laboring woman you should do the following.
Talk about Birth Preference
It is important for every pregnant woman to write down her birth plan, which is basically her birth preference. If the woman you are planning on supporting does not have one, then you should make sure to have a chat with her about her preferences, her desires, fears and emotions about the process of giving birth. You need to listen to all that she says carefully and without judgement, because this is her birth process and she needs your support.
Attend Prenatal Education
It is a very good idea to take her for prenatal education; this will show her the greatest support. These prenatal classes allow people who are giving support to come along and so you should go! By going to such a session you and she can both know what to expect. It is seen that the independent birth educational classes are far better than the classes that take place in a hospital, as they happen to go much more in depth.
Be Encouraging
During labour all that the woman needs is encouragement, but not sympathy. If it is getting difficult for the woman to work through all the contraction then you should be of huge help through encouragement. If the woman says that it is hard and she cannot do it then do no call her a poor thing, instead make sure that she does it. This can only happen when you are encouraging her. Tell her that she is doing a good job and that it will all be fine in a few minutes.
Remind her about the Essentials
When a woman is in labour she tends to forget certain essential things. For instance, you must remind her to go to bathroom after every hour. Remember that a full bladder can contribute to discomfort and can even stall labour. Also make sure that she regularly drink fluids and eats something for accumulating energy for labour. Most women lose their appetite when they are in the stage of active labour but the body constantly needs fluid. Keep your eyes open and remind her about these essentials!
Understand her Body Language
A woman in labour would naturally get tensed up when she feel the pain of labour. Women usually tend to get tensed up in labour, and you would see the signs in the jaw, on her shoulders, hands and feet. If her shoulders are getting tensed then touch her on the shoulders and run your hands down them. In case if this doesn’t work then you can also talk to her gently. You may also notice her knees cross or come together when she is upright.
When she is sitting her feet might be with her toes on the ground, but you will notice that her heels are off the ground. You should try to place a pillow under her feet or even help her with a foot or leg massage between the contractions.
The most important thing to do is to keep paying her attention after the baby is born. You should be attentive as she may want a drink, you can also wipe her face, and get her settled.
Read more articles on Labour and DeliveryMost of us feel helpless and intimidated when it comes to comforting a woman in labour. This is for the simple reason that we are not aware about the things that must be done to comfort a labouring woman.
You have every reason to give support and comfort a woman who is in labour. Those surrounding the woman giving birth can make a huge impact in her delivery and the of course needless to say that this day will go down in the sweetest of her memories. In order to support and care for a laboring woman you should do the following.
Talk about Birth Preference
It is important for every pregnant woman to write down her birth plan, which is basically her birth preference. If the woman you are planning on supporting does not have one, then you should make sure to have a chat with her about her preferences, her desires, fears and emotions about the process of giving birth. You need to listen to all that she says carefully and without judgement, because this is her birth process and she needs your support.
Attend Prenatal Education
It is a very good idea to take her for prenatal education; this will show her the greatest support. These prenatal classes allow people who are giving support to come along and so you should go! By going to such a session you and she can both know what to expect. It is seen that the independent birth educational classes are far better than the classes that take place in a hospital, as they happen to go much more in depth.
Be Encouraging
During labour all that the woman needs is encouragement, but not sympathy. If it is getting difficult for the woman to work through all the contraction then you should be of huge help through encouragement. If the woman says that it is hard and she cannot do it then do no call her a poor thing, instead make sure that she does it. This can only happen when you are encouraging her. Tell her that she is doing a good job and that it will all be fine in a few minutes.
Remind her about the Essentials
When a woman is in labour she tends to forget certain essential things. For instance, you must remind her to go to bathroom after every hour. Remember that a full bladder can contribute to discomfort and can even stall labour. Also make sure that she regularly drink fluids and eats something for accumulating energy for labour. Most women lose their appetite when they are in the stage of active labour but the body constantly needs fluid. Keep your eyes open and remind her about these essentials!
Understand her Body Language
A woman in labour would naturally get tensed up when she feel the pain of labour. Women usually tend to get tensed up in labour, and you would see the signs in the jaw, on her shoulders, hands and feet. If her shoulders are getting tensed then touch her on the shoulders and run your hands down them. In case if this doesn’t work then you can also talk to her gently. You may also notice her knees cross or come together when she is upright.
When she is sitting her feet might be with her toes on the ground, but you will notice that her heels are off the ground. You should try to place a pillow under her feet or even help her with a foot or leg massage between the contractions.
The most important thing to do is to keep paying her attention after the baby is born. You should be attentive as she may want a drink, you can also wipe her face, and get her settled.
Read more articles on Labour and Delivery.
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Source: Onlymyhealth editorial team Jun 22, 2018
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