The term 'comfort nursing' was originally coined by British researcher Jossey to describe the active care provided by nurses caring for dying patients. Comfort nursing is not synonymous with pain management or end-of-life care. But it can be undertaken concurrently with these other processes. Unlike palliative care, comfort nursing is both proactive and reactive. A nurse practising comfort nursing will anticipate what a dying person needs in order to maintain their dignity. And continue living life through the dying process, which means anticipating their needs before they are even voiced or understood themselves.
Many mothers think the term "comfort nursing" means giving your infant soothing touches, cuddles, caring verbal reassurances. These are all helpful for comfort nursing, but they are not what make it work. The power of this kind of touch comes from stimulating or triggering the release of dopamine in the infant's brain which is our happy chemical. If you do nothing else to help them feel better--just nurse. This process releases these feel-good chemicals that calm and ease an unsettled baby.