If someone were to ask me what the ONE, most important comfort measure to learn is I would say the double hip squeeze. I am fairly certain that I have used this one comfort measure at every. single. birth I have ever attended. It is magic at relieving the back pain and pressure that comes during contractions and as baby moves down into the pelvis. The key to a good hip squeeze is to use the heels of your hands and squeeze in and slightly up with firm pressure on the fleshy part of the hip, below the hip bone.
Typically the mom will enjoy having this done during contractions but want a break in between to rest. If it is helpful though, make sure your birth partner is ready to start squeezing as soon as another contraction begins, tell them not to wait until you have to ask!
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