Michelle shares with birth partners how incorporating our five senses and an understanding of the learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Tactile-Kinesthetic, and Olfactory-Gustatory can help them to better provide comfort measures and support to their partner during labor and birth. The beauty of this is that the expecting mom and her birth partner can explore what both their learning and processing styles are before labor begins and consider what she thinks would be the most helpful to her at the time of birth. If the pregnant person's strongest learning style is the birth partner’s weakest, he or she can begin to think of ways to support her that may not naturally occur to them. This basic understanding of learning and processing styles enhances communication. It also explains why a birthing person can be so sensitive to certain things in labor: such as the feel of monitors on their skin, the sound of the voices at the nurses' station, the lighting in the room, or the smell of the hamburger someone ate for lunch. These suggestions for addressing all 5 senses while providing comfort measures during labor and birth are helpful no matter someone's predominant learning and processing style.

Connect with Michelle Smith:

Classes with Michelle: birtheaseservices.com/birth-ease-childbirth-education, birtheasehypnobirth.com

Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast

Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith

YouTube: Birth Ease

LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith

Website: BirthEaseServices.com