The Effect of Stress Ball and Expressive Touch Application

Purpose: The study will be conducted to examine the effects of stress ball and expressive touch application on pain, mobilization and breastfeeding during episiotomy repair. Materials and Methods: In the randomized controlled experimental study, data will be obtained using the "VAS pain score", "6 Minute Walk Test" Bristol Breastfeeding Assessment Scale. Stress Ball and Expressive Touch will be applied to the women in the study group during the episiotomy application and no application will be applied to the patients in the control group during the procedure.

Introduction Episiotomy is a controlled surgical incision made in the perineum to widen the vaginal opening in the second stage of labor . Although limited and indicated use of episiotomy is recommended, it is applied in around 40%.

Episiotomy procedure is observed to affect sexual health in the short term; pain, anxiety, limited mobility, difficulties in micturition and defecation . In the long term, it is seen that the fear of episiotomy in pregnant women increases the rate of elective cesarean section . The use of sleep-inducing drugs to reduce pain during episiotomy repair can cause side effects such as changes in fetal heart rate and decrease in maternal blood pressure . Evidence-based practices recommend the use of various nonpharmacological methods to reduce pain during episiotomy repair . Evidence-based practices support stress ball and expressive touch in pain management .

Stress ball; is a nonpharmacological method that reduces the feeling of pain by pulling pain-related receptors in the brain to another point.In the literature, stress ball is seen to be used to reduce pain during endoscopy , peripheral intravenous catheter application ,, and gynecological procedures .Again, expressive Touch is an approach that aims to regulate, increase, balance and protect energy to heal diseases or symptoms caused by imbalance in vital energy fields .It is a consciously directed energy exchange in which the practitioner uses their hands as a focal point to facilitate the process .It has been reported in the literature that expressive touch reduces women's pain in labor .Women in labor and early postpartum need verbal and nonverbal communication from midwives .

Reducing pain during episiotomy repair is available in the literature .However, there are limited studies on long-term results .. In the current literature, it was aimed to determine the effects of stress ball and expressive touch application on pain, mobilization and breastfeeding during episiotomy repair and to pioneer future research. It is thought that the results obtained in this study will significantly contribute to women's positive birth experiences and the development of midwifery practices.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

Women who speak Turkish, are between the ages of 18-35, primiparous, gestational age between 37-42, who have undergone mediolateral episiotomy,

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Exclusion Criteria:

Women diagnosed with risky pregnancies, those with vision and hearing problems, those with deep lacerations during delivery, those with 3rd and 4th degree lacerations.

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