A potential pain-management technique for pregnant women in labor involves a tool you probably already have in your house: a simple hair comb. According to some women who’ve tried it, gripping a comb in your hands during labor can help distract from contractions.
Moms who hope to have an unmedicated birth (without pain relief drugs) frequently use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques like these to try to manage labor pain. Even if you're not planning on an unmedicated birth, you still may want to try them to cope with pain during the early stages of labor.
"The comb helped me so much!" shares What to Expect Community mom becstr. "But I see it more as an aid to the mental game of an unmedicated birth."
Here’s what experts have to say about activating pressure points during labor and how it may help you.
How does a birthing comb work?
The birthing comb technique is a form of acupressure, which involves using fingers, hands, elbows or other tools to apply pressure and stimulate certain points on the body. It’s one drug-free technique some moms try during pregnancy — to relieve nausea, headaches, lower back pain, and more — as well as labor.
The idea is that hitting these pressure points triggers the release of brain chemicals like endorphins, which help block pain signals. Gripping a comb — or having a doula or partner squeeze your hand during labor — could, in theory, activate some pressure points.
Moms in the What to Expect Community recommend plastic combs with thin teeth over thicker wooden combs: "I was going to get the wooden ones but felt like the teeth weren’t thin enough for me," says Community member mommyjax5X. "… I don’t know why, but the sharper teeth of just a regular, fine-tooth plastic comb seemed to provide more relief to me."
Stashing a comb in your hospital bag or wondering what else actually works? Download the free What to Expect app to join the conversation with millions of moms sharing real-time labor tips.
Can acupressure help with labor pain?
Acupressure-inspired techniques like gripping a comb may work because they distract you and give you something else to focus on, OB/GYNs say. Whatever approach allows you to relax and cope with the pain of uterine contractions can prove useful when the time comes.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that drug-free relaxation techniques like acupuncture and massage don't negatively affect pregnant women or their babies during labor, and they may help reduce pain.[1]
Of course, drug-free strategies won't provide the level of pain relief that medications do, and more research is still needed on how helpful techniques like acupuncture and acupressure can be with labor pain.
Another strategy? Visualizing a relaxing place — like a beautiful sunset or a favorite vacation spot — can also help divert your attention from the pain of labor.
How can you use pressure points during labor?
As you near your due date, review your birth plan with your health care practitioner and discuss all your pain-relief options. Many moms say complementary strategies were helpful whether or not they ended up also using medications like an epidural.
If you’d like to try using pressure points during labor, a few good ones to target can be found in the center of your palm. When you make a fist, one is located where the tip of your pinky finger lies, while another is where the tip of your middle finger meets your palm.
And remember: There’s no "right" way to have a baby. Choose the method you and your practitioner decide is right for you — including your pain-management strategies.
But if the idea intrigues you, stashing a comb in your hospital bag certainly doesn't hurt. Just don’t give yourself a hard time if it doesn’t provide relief.
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