Pregnant women being encouraged to use a comb in labour to ease pain

22 July 2019, 11:15 | Updated: 22 July 2019, 11:30

Mums-to-be have been encouraged to hold a comb during child birth
Mums-to-be have been encouraged to hold a comb during child birth. Picture: Getty Images
Naomi Bartram

By Naomi Bartram

Mums-to-be have been encouraged to use a comb during childbirth to ease labour pains.

Packing a bag to take to the hospital ahead of childbirth is an exciting time for expectant mums.

But as well as pyjamas, slippers, snacks and a towel, now there could be another item on the list - a comb.

Mums on Facebook have revealed the simple object could seriously help women to combat pain during childbirth.

American birth photography and videography company, Fox Valley Birth and Baby, explained that the teeth can provide acupuncture as well as distracting mums from labour.

They wrote on their page: "When gripped in your hands, a comb can help hit acupuncture points in your hands helping your body forget about the contractions.

Did you know a comb can be used during labor?! And no its not for your hair. When gripped in your hands, a comb can...

Posted by Fox Valley Birth and Baby on Monday, 15 July 2019

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"It plays into the gate control pain theory. This theory states that the brain can only focus on a select number of sensations at once.

"Because the nerve ending on your hands are closer to your brain, they reach your brain faster."

Apparently, the best way to hold the comb, is to make sure the comb hits the base of the fingers with the teeth pressing into the palm of the hand.

Many mums were quick to write on the post and it racked up 20k comments in a few hours, with some revealing they’d used the trick and it worked.

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"Wow! That’s amazing!" wrote one woman, while another said: “Wish I would have known about this!!! So cool!!"

And a third added: "I am a doula birthing partner and I keep a pack of combs in my bag for every birth.

While lots of women had never heard of the nifty hack, many of them said the gate control pain theory had worked in their own labours.

One wrote: "I wanted my sister to dig her nails into my arms when I was in labor because it distracted me from the pain. I think that idea is true. Because it really helped.”

A second agreed: “With our two babies I had to have him [husband] dig his fist into my lower back so I could focus on that pressure instead of labor pains."

Other tricks that have previously been used during childbirth include hot flannels to the lower back, massages and even singing through contractions!