Supportive Care During Labor: A Guide for Busy Nurses

The Effects of Intrapartum Supportive Care on Fear of Delivery and Labor Outcomes: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Supportive care during labor may refer to nonmedical care directed toward easing the anxiety, discomfort, loneliness, and/or exhaustion of the patient to help her use her own strengths and to ensure that her needs and wishes are known and respected (Simkin, 2002). Intrapartum supportive care is traditionally provided by nurses and midwives.…”

“…Physical support and comfort during labor are achieved through the use of environmental controls in the delivery room, through enabling women to manage pain, through providing hygiene and eliminating urine, and through the maintenance of nutrition (Adams & Bianchi, 2008;Simkin, 2002). Although a limited number of studies have been published on the effect of physical comfort during labor, interventions that use water (e.g., entering a birth pool or taking a shower), relaxation techniques, acupuncture, or massage have been shown to alleviate pain and increase satisfaction with the labor process (Jones et al, 2012).…”

Grand Multiparous Women’s Perceptions of Birthing, Nursing Care, and Childbirth Technology

“…Labor support describes the care that is provided to women during childbirth (Adams & Bianchi, 2008;Hodnett, Gates, Hofmeyr, & Sakala, 2007;Payant, Davies, Graham, Peterson, & Clinch, 2008;Sauls, 2006;Simkin, 2002). Labor support is essentially "mothering the mother" and has been described as the supportive care given by others (e.g., doulas, husbands or partners, and nurses) to pregnant women during the birthing process.…”

“…For this study, the term " professional of childbirth many years later, with incredible accuracy, as they retell their stories ( Simkin, 2002).…”

Advanced Preparation and Positive Labor Support Create an Optimal Experience for Normal Birth

“…She continued to walk, lunge, sway, and dance through her contractions during this transition time of labor. Simkin's (2002) work on comfort measures in labor guided the care given by the doula.…”