What are the advantages of massage during labor?
Women who are massaged by their partners, midwives, doulas or other support figures during labor experience pain relief and have even been shown to have shorter labors overall. Touch and massage also help a woman relax and the more relaxed she is the more efficient labor will be. When a woman is stressed, she releases adrenaline which counteracts the effects of oxytocin, the hormone that produces contractions. Massage helps to release feel-good endorphins to assist with a natural birth experience.
