Some American nursing academics have flagged up the possibility of researching humour as a therapeutic intervention. I am interested in this possibility in relation to women in early labour (or even later labour), and somewhere in the back of my mind I’m sure I’ve heard or read bits about this.
Laughter in labour gets a mention in a few articles, books (there’s a little in Ina May Gaskin’s Spiritual Midwifery) and various websites, but not from an evidence-based perspective, except the ‘evidence-of-one’. Anecdotes can be enlightening, but only take us so far.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?
I’m thinking in particular about exploring a possible reduction in stress responses, or an increase in endorphin production, so assisting the process of labour.
Does anyone know of any studies within midwifery in this field?
Many thanks,
Andrew
Dr. Andrew Symon
Senior Lecturer
School of Nursing & Midwifery
University of Dundee
01382 496671
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