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| Home > Preparation for Child Birth > Relaxation > Touch Relaxation
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| | Touch Relaxation
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 Touch relaxation is responding to your partner`s touch by relaxing or releasing tense muscles. This is a pleasurable way to relax during pregnancy. During labor, your companion`s touching, pressure, stroking or massaging become an indication for you to relax.
Touching reduces pain is a concept based on Gates theory. The "Gate Theory" implies that the pathway of pain sensations can be blocked like a gate by messages from the touch receptors in the skin. You feel less pain when your skin is stimulated by touch.
Starting position: Lie down in a comfortable position.
Exercise: Contract a set of muscles, then let your partner touch those muscles with a firm relaxed hand while molding his hand to the shape of the part of your body being tensed. Free the muscle tension and relax toward your partner`s hand. Im-agine the tension drain out of your body.
Note: Your partner can use several types of touch (listed below). Find out which you prefer. Still it is recommended that you practice all methods, since your preference could change during labor.
Still touch - Your partner holds his hand(s) in place until he feels you release the tension.
Your partner applies firm pressure on the tense area. He then gradually releases his pressure; you react by releasing tension with him.
Massage - your partner lightly or firmly strokes the tense area in one direction away from the center of your body or kneads the tense muscles.
Practicing Touch Relaxation
In order to get familiar with and then voluntarily relax certain specific muscles, practice tensing and then relaxing the following muscle groups:
Scalp: Raise your eyebrows. Your partner will stroke from the center of your forehead toward your temples.
Face: While you frown, your partner places his fingers or palms flat against your temples, pressing firmly then gradually releasing the pressure outward.
Neck: Tense your neck while your partner massages it.
Shoulders: Raise your shoulders toward your ears. Let your partner massages your shoulders.
Upper back: Press your shoulder blades toward each other. Your partner firmly strokes them from the center of your back with an outward motion.
Arms: Make a fist, tightening one arm at a time. Your partner strokes down the arm from shoulder to hand.
Abdomen: Tighten your abdominal muscles. Your part-ner strokes the lower curve of your abdomen with his fingertips.
Lower back: Tighten your lower back getting into a swayback position. Your partner massages the small of your back from the center outward.
Buttocks: Squeeze your buttocks. Your partner firmly strokes them from your tailbone toward your hips.
Legs: Tighten your leg muscles, one leg at a time. Avoid pointing your toes. Your partner strokes firmly down your leg from hip to foot.
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