We are here to support you every step of the way. Learn about all of your birthing options and how to support the process when you take a Mindful Birth Group® course: That being said, be sure to consult with a certified practitioner ahead of time. There are some points that pregnant women should avoid putting pressure on. The hospital reinstated the use of gas and air in late September, writing in an official statement: ‘On Wednesday 5 July, we took the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the use of Entonox (a gas and air pain relief method) in our maternity services at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

Recommendations: Talking with other people who have used birthing combs during their own birth experiences is probably the best thing you can do if you want to figure out which comb to buy. Although everyone’s experience is different, word of mouth is always helpful. A birthing comb is one pain management tool that is best used in combination with other ways to stay calm and reduce your pain perception. Also consider using breathing exercises, hypnobirthing, meditations and visualization. You may find a practitioner in one of your childbirth education classes, or you can seek out a traditional Chinese medicine doctor who specialized in childbirth. Learn the Acupressure Points Or, it could be that gripping the comb or feeling its pressure simply distracts you from the pain. Whatever it is, many women claim that the birthing comb helped manage their labor pain. How to Use a Birthing Comb Another strategy? Visualizing a relaxing place — like a beautiful sunset or a favorite vacation spot — can also help divert your attention from the pain of labor. How to use pressure points during laborThe first reason is that it’s simply a distraction. Studies show that distractions can help ease both pain and mental stress during labor. While distraction methods didn’t have any clinically significant impact on length of labor, it did dramatically reduce “perceived stress during labor” and that’s something to celebrate! 2. Acupressure If you haven’t added a comb to your hospital bag, you may want to add one — and it’s not for your hair! More and more mamas are adding “birthing combs” to their hospital bags for pain management… but I know what you’re thinking, mama! What’s a birthing comb and why do you need one? Material: Do you want a wooden comb or a plastic comb? You will only know the answer to this by holding a few different combs in different materials. While this won’t take away your contractions, it does give you something to focus on — a distraction. In most cases, an epidural gives complete pain relief. It can be helpful if you are having a long or particularly painful labour.

This is what we refer to as our “Secret Weapon” for labour/birth; an acupressure tool loved by Midwives, Doulas and of course, Mamas alike. She earns bonus points for being waterproof too, unlike timber.There are a few different kinds of birthing combs on the market. Here are some tips for choosing the comb that’s right for you. Remember, you don’t necessarily need to buy a comb specifically marketed for birth. A plain old hair comb will do if it’s the right one for you. What to Look For We are sure this is not for everyone and different things will work at different stages of labour but this is a technique we have been asked about and keen to share what local families have been telling us!’