Curriculum Topic: Educator Demonstration, Practice
Activity Type: Labor & Birth, Labor Support, Healthy Birth Practice 2
Supplies: Sample Labor Bag with various labor tools
Instructions:
- Bring a sample “Labor Bag” to class. Pass the bag around the class. Have each student take an item and guess its use, or you can dump the contents onto the floor or table and discuss each item one by one. Bring your sample “Labor Bag” to a class early in your series.
- Ask your students to pack their own bags and bring to the class in which you do a labor rehearsal. If you do this, be sure to bring your sample bag back to the class for the couple who forget to bring their bag.
Talking Points:
By showing all of the various options for labor comfort tools, you can refer to the pain-management receptor sites in the body: "thermorecptors", "chemorectors", and "mechanoreceptors", as well as the Gate Control theory.
Modifications:
“Tool Belt” Demonstration: Teri Shilling, a very creative Lamaze Childbirth Educator, wears a tool belt (available at hardware stores) with various comfort tools attached to it for an effective visual demonstration of comfort items. Brainstorm about items you could attach to your tool belt.
Massage Tool Circle: If you have a collection of small, hand-held massage tools, you can try this quick, fun activity to let each student experience many different tools. Have the students sit in a circle on the floor so that each student is facing the back of the student in front of them. Give all students a massage tool to use to massage the back and shoulders of the person in front of them. The week before you plan to do this activity, ask students to bring a tool to use for this massage session. Have extra tools on hand for those who forget.
Reference: Adapted from the Lamaze Toolkit
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