A little assistance can go a long way.
Let’s face it. Human touch is the most powerful energetic experiential element. It has been said that a hug longer than 20 seconds followed by holding hands for 10 minutes can lower heart rates, decrease cortisol levels and increase moods. Hugging is just one aspect of human touch.
Here are three ways that a partner can provide pleasure-rich experience for an expectant:
- The Power of Touch…. When we are touched by someone that we love and care deeply for, their power of touch is magnified exponentially. Combining their power of touch with unique tools to provide care and comforting relaxation to the gestational body has the ability to not only enhance the prenatal experience, but to provide physical, physiological, emotional, and anatomical benefits to the expectant and their bun in the oven, while creating and fostering deeper bonding connections.
- Helping with Basic Needs… The gestational body is constantly changing. It evolves every second. For many the expansive nature of gestation can truly make it uncomfortable to do basic activities, such as walking, sitting, bending, or even reaching. Not being comfortable to complete those activities can become stressful, release the “stress” hormone, cortisol, and may even induce sadness, anxiety, or even depression. Receiving support to accomplish every day task or task that have become difficult to fulfill can encourage the release of the “feel good” hormone, oxytocin.
- Practicing Relief Support… Giving relief support regularly conditions the brain to observe patterns of cause and effect from tactile receptors. If it feels good, the brain will remember the response and want more of that feel good moment. We are often subjects of our pleasure and memory section, the amygdala and hippocampus. Practicing regularly will provide a consistent dose of dopamine and oxytocin into the pregnancy journey, while alleviating discomforts and pregnancy ails.
Two is better than one. When a partner can provide assistance to their expectant, it can make a world of impact on the developing fetus in utero. Every little bit of comfort, enjoyment, relaxation, and support can truly influence the journey of an expectant and their birth experience. A partner can change the journey to birth one touch at a time.