Women giving birth need all the comfort they can get. Many people who try to comfort women giving birth find that they feel helpless. It is important to keep in mind that while you will not be able to take the pain away, comfort can go far in helping to relieve a woman’s fears. Here are some pointers on what women giving birth have said they were comforted by the most during labor:

If the laboring mother is open to it, massage her shoulders and/or temples. Many times this will relax her and relive a bit of her tension.

Ask the laboring mother if she would like to go to the bathroom. Keeping the bladder empty during labor can make things more comfortable for her.

Women giving birth often appreciate having a cool washcloth or soft rag applied to their faces or the backs of their necks. If a woman is perspiring a lot it can go far in helping her feel clean and cool.

Women giving birth should be encouraged to drink fluids or chew on ice chips. This will ensure that she doesn’t become dehydrated and it will keep her mouth moist.

Ask if the woman would like help changing positions. Sometimes being in a different position will help to progress labor. Women giving birth may need to change positions often.
Women giving birth who have back labor often like to have the small of their backs rubbed. Applying pressure to the small of the back often helps with pain.

The most important thing you can do for a laboring woman is just be there for her. Even if the woman says that she does not want to be touched, simply be in the room and provide support. Your presence will encourage her and help her to see that she is not alone.