MOONDRAGON ARTICLES

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Labor Support Techniques

©1997-2000 Compiled by Andrea Eastman, MA, CCE, IBCLC

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Effective Labor Support (Jones, 1987)

• Be there and share the experience
  
• Guide her through imagery
  
• Be aware of signs of tension
  
• Massage her
  
• Blanket her with love
  
• Bear in mind that labor is a sexual event
  
• Ask for feedback (between contractions)
  
• Encourage her to surrender
  
• Encourage her to express herself freely
  
• Don't insist that she breathe a certain way (unless she finds it helpful)
  
• Forget the clock
  
• Help her take a warm shower or bath
  
• Apply facecloths soaked in very warm water (or rice socks) to the area of discomfort
  
• If she panics - have her lower her voice and groan, have her breathe with you to calm her down
  
• Be with her if she has a cesarean
  

Techniques for pre-labor (Simkin, 1989)

• Realize that a long pre-labor is not a medical problem in itself
  
• Recognize pre-labor for what it is
  
• Check with your birth attendant for advice and reassurance
  
• Try distracting activities during the day
  
• Help her rest or sleep at night, or nap during the day
  
• Suggest a bath, or a long shower
  
• Give her a massage to help her relax
  
• SLEEP or at least rest!!!!!
  
• Try things to help stimulate labor
  

Techniques for early first stage labor (Simkin, 1989)

• Remain close by
  
• Time the contractions
  
• Help her pass the time with pleasant and distracting activities
  
• Discuss whether you should leave for work. Are you readily accessible? How far do you have to travel?
  
• When she becomes preoccupied with contractions:
  
  -- continue to time them
  -- give her your undivided attention throughout each contraction
  -- watch her during contractions and help her relax
  

Techniques for active labor (Simkin, 1989)

• Be sure the staff is aware of your birth plan
  
• Follow her lead
  
• Give her your undivided attention
  
• Develop "rituals" of comforting actions, to be repeated during every contraction
  

Labor Support Techniques for transition (Simkin, 1989)

• Stay calm. Your touch should be firm and consistent, your voice should remain calm and encouraging
  
• Stay close to her with your face near hers
  

  Take Charge Routine

  • Remain calm
    
  • Stay close
    
  • Anchor her - hold her tightly
    
  • Make eye contact
    
  • Change the way you handle contractions
    
  • Encourage her every breath
    
  • Talk to her between contractions
    
  • Repeat yourself
    
  • Don't give up
    
  • Ask for help and reassurance from someone else
    

• Remind her about the baby
  
• Remind her that this difficult phase (transition) is short, and that she is almost at the birthing stage
  
• Remind her that it is normal for transition to be difficult, and that her mood will improve when her cervix is fully dilated
  
• Be sure the birth attendant know if she has an urge to push
  
• Help her avoid pushing if she isn't dilated fully
  
• Movement and position changes
  
• Counterpressure
  
• Bath or shower
  
• Heat or cold
  
• Touch or massage
  
• Relaxation
  

Labor Support - Second Stage (Simkin, 1989)

• Be patient during the resting phase
  
• Ask the birth attendant to wait for the pushing urge to come
  
• Match the mother's mood
  
• Stay close to the mother, where she can see, feel, and hear you
  
• Compliment her on how well she is doing with each contraction
  
• Stay calm
  
• Remind her to relax her perineum - let go, open up, down and out - her anus will bulge if the perineum is relaxed, if she is tense it will remain tight
  
• Remind her the baby is almost here
  
• Suggest different positions if the progress is slow
  
• Remind her to listen to her body
  
• Remind her to look in a mirror and touch the baby's head
  
• Don't get so caught up in the birth that you forget about the mother
  
• Cut the cord if you want to
  
• Enjoy the baby and encourage the mother to do the same
  
• Make sure the baby stays warm on Mom's chest
  
• Hold the baby, and ENJOY!
  

These ideas are from the following excellent books:

Mind Over Labor

-- by Carl Jones, New York: Viking/Penguin, 1986

The Birth Partner:
Everything You Need to Know to Help a Woman Through Childbirth

-- by Penny Simkin, P.T., Harvard and Boston, MA: The Harvard Common Press, 1989.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide

-- by Penny Simkin, P.T., NY: Meadowbrook Press, 1991.

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