When we go through a painful moment, we have the feeling that the presence of our loved ones relieves us, if only a little. Simple received idea? Well, it seems to be a proven fact, at least when it comes to physical pain, especially in the specific case of childbirth. This was demonstrated by a study by the University of Colorado (United States), the idea of which came to Pavel Goldstein after attending the delivery of his wife:he felt useless and his spontaneous reaction was to want to take her hand. A gesture that “seemed to help him,” he said.
The researchers therefore recruited 22 volunteer heterosexual couples (seriously committed and where the partners had feelings for each other) who lent themselves to the game (if one can say so!) of reproducing the situation of a childbirth in the laboratory. , the women experiencing the pain and the men observing the situation. 4 scenarios were then proposed:the woman could be alone, in the same room as her partner, without touching him, in the same room as her partner holding her hand or in the presence of a stranger holding her hand. The heart and respiratory rates of both partners were measured each time. Verdict? If studies had already shown that these two rhythms tended to synchronize with those of a loved one when we were in the same room, there, it was shown that in the event of physical pain, they are no longer synchronized... except if we touch each other, as is the case when a man holds his wife in labor. There, the pain was described as less intense than in the other cases, especially if the man had a high level of empathy. We now know what Bibi's place will be when we give birth!
The next time we see a loved one suffering and feel the need to show them support by touching them, we will know that it is not in vain!
