Touch during childbirth: Yesterday and today

Birth helpers touch the parturient woman in many ways. They make physical contact to diagnose difficulties and manipulate safe delivery. They may also touch the woman in non-physical ways, with special words, as they helpa woman to give birth. Some hope also for a divine touch, as Jewish tradition teaches that God is a partner in the birth process. This paper takes a historical look at the different forms of touch used by birth attendants to ease the safe arrival of a healthy infant. We hope that this short retrospective will encourage today'sbirth helpers, especially doctors and midwives, to notice how they themselves touch birthing woman. We hope to promote awareness of the verbal and ron-verbal language of touch and to encourage the use of the art of touch amongmedical staff who are now more skilled than ever before in applying scientific touch to patients.