Progressive Relaxation

What is it?

Progressive Relaxation is the active relaxation of each part of the body, one at a time. However, you will keep the body relaxed as you move on to each new area.

Why does progressive relaxation work?

Active physical relaxation will help to combat the FEAR-TENSION-PAIN cycle that is responsible for so much of the pain during labor. Progressive Relaxation will help the mother to achieve a deeper level of physical relaxation with each body part.

How do I do progressive relaxation?

After the mother is in a comfortable resting position, ask her to close her eyes and begin to focus on a particular area of her body. Describe for her the relaxation that she should be working on. You may assist her by massaging the body part if she desires it. Then, move to the next closest body part.

It is generally a better idea to move through the body in a sequence of body parts that a close together (such as shoulder, upper arm, lower arm, hand, finger) than it is to jump to unrelated body parts.

You will achieve better results from Progressive Relaxation if you use it through several contractions, working through the body slowly rather than trying to do the whole body in one contraction.

Some sample Progressive Relaxation techniques:

Direct the mother to feel the heat of her baby radiating out to her body. Slowly work from the abdomen down to the toes, then start back at the abdomen and work up to the neck and head and out to the fingers. At each body part direct her to feel the heat as it reaches that body part.

Describe to the mother that her body is a large sack of sand, and that there is a tear in her fingers and toes where the sand is slipping out. Direct her to feel the sand sliding down to her toes, beginning at the head and working toward the fingers and toes.

Tell the mother to imagine she is floating in a pool of water. As you work through the parts of the body, encourage her to feel the water lapping against her body. You can describe the contractions as "waves" and encourage her to stay in the water, floating over the waves.

What would you like next?

Read some Sample Birth Plans and get information to help put your birth plan together.

Learn how exercise in pregnancy can shorten your labor.

Learn ways to handle Childbirth Challenges.

Discover the secrets of being emotionally prepared for labor.

Find easy meal ideas.