Medical procedures can be overwhelming, especially for kids. But what if there was a simple way to make those moments feel less scary and much more manageable? That’s where comfort positions come in—they’re a small change that can give them enough security and support to shift stressful situations into moments of comfort and care.
We met with Annie Gunning, CCLS, to answer some of the most common questions about comfort positions and why they matter.
Missed the live session? No worries. We took notes, and like any good partner, we’re willing to share.
What is the role of a Child Life Specialist, and how has this evolved through time?
Child life specialists are experts in child development and family dynamics, helping them navigate the emotional and psychological impact of hospitalizations, diagnoses, and life-changing events. They focus on supporting the child and the whole family, using their knowledge to ask, “How can we make this experience better for everyone involved?”
Child life services have roots as far back as the 1920s when hospital volunteers used play to help children cope. But the profession really came into its own in the 1960s, thanks to Emma Plank. Her groundbreaking book, Working with Children in Hospitals, provided a blueprint for addressing the unique needs of children during hospital stays and is still considered foundational in the field today.
Over the years, child life has grown far beyond hospital playrooms. Today, child life specialists provide support in a wide variety of settings, tailoring their care to meet the needs of both patients and their families. Whether offering emotional guidance, helping siblings adjust, or educating parents about medical procedures, child life professionals create a more supportive healthcare experience for everyone involved.
And now, let’s fast forward to Annie’s role as the Child Life Specialist at Hope for HIE. Her main objective is to help children and families navigate medicalized life by empowering and supporting both children and their caregivers and fostering the ability to advocate for their needs while simultaneously reducing stress, pain, and anxiety. This often looks like support for patients and their families facing surgeries, tests, procedures, diagnoses, and hospitalizations by offering preparation, creating personalized coping plans, providing education, fostering creative expression, and incorporating medical play.
What are comfort positions, and how are they helpful in reducing stress during medical procedures or care?
Comfort positions are alternatives to traditional restraint techniques that help children feel secure and supported during medical procedures. Instead of holding kids down, comfort positioning allows a trusted adult—like a parent or caregiver—to provide physical and emotional reassurance.
The idea is simple: kids feel calmer when they have some control and can stay close to someone they trust. Research backs this up—children who are restrained for procedures often have negative experiences (Karlson, 2016), while those who sit upright during interventions like IV insertions show less distress (Trottier et al., 2019).
Comfort positioning is a win for everyone:
✅ It reduces pain and distress.
✅ It fosters cooperation.
✅ It strengthens the child-caregiver bond.
✅ It improves parent satisfaction and lowers their anxiety (Romito et al., 2021).
What should caregivers keep in mind?
There are a few key things to consider when using comfort positions and stress-reducing techniques:
🔹 Lying on the back can feel vulnerable. Humans instinctively want to protect the front of their bodies. If a procedure requires a child to be on their back, a trusted adult can gently touch the child’s body to provide warmth and security.
🔹 Let the child choose whenever possible. Giving kids a say in their positioning fosters a sense of control, which helps reduce anxiety.
🔹 Comfort positioning isn’t just for little kids. The calming effect of a trusted adult’s presence benefits kids, teens, and even adults!
Aside from aiding with comfort positioning, how can caregivers or trusted adults help ease stress or tension during medical exams, care, or procedures?
The way parents and caregivers respond during a medical procedure has a huge impact on how a child experiences it. Here are a few ways to model calmness and comfort:
🔹 Relax your body and slow your breathing. Kids pick up on your energy, so if you stay calm, they’re more likely to as well.
🔹Use a soothing voice. Slowing down your words and softening your tone can have a calming effect.
🔹 Engage them in a distraction. Sing a song, tell a fun story, or remind them they are safe, loved, and not alone.
What are some different comfort positions, and when should we use them?
Now that we’ve got a good handle on what comfort positions are and why they help reduce stress in medical care, let’s take a look at different comfort positions, how they work, and when to use them.
Disclaimer: The images and information in this blog about comfort positions and their use during medical procedures are sourced from the Comfort Positions Guide by Child Life On Call and the Meg Foundation.
What it looks like:
✅ The child sits on a trusted adult’s lap, facing their chest. Their legs straddle and wrap around the adult’s waist.
✅ The adult wraps both arms around the child in a full hug.
✅ The adult uses their underarms and forearms to keep the child’s arms still and safe.
Recommended for:
✅ Blood draws
✅ IV starts
✅ IM injections
✅ Shots
What it looks like:
✅ The child sits on a trusted adult’s lap, facing away from them.
✅ The adult wraps both arms around the child in a comforting hug.
✅ The trusted adult can also wrap their legs around the child for a full embrace to keep the child’s legs and arms still.
Recommended for:
✅ Blood draws
✅ IV starts
✅ IM injections
✅ Shots
What it looks like:
✅ The child lays flat on the bed.
✅ The trusted adult lays on their side next to the child.
✅ The adult can place their top leg over the child’s legs to help them keep their body calm and still.
✅ The adult uses their top arm to safely hold the child’s hand by their side.
Recommended for:
✅ Head
✅ Eye
✅ Face
✅ Oral Exam
✅ Stitches
What it looks like:
✅ The trusted adult sits in the bed or gurney with the back of the bed positioned straight up like a chair.
✅ The child sits facing the trusted adult and then lays flat.
✅ The trusted adult helps the child stay calm by holding onto their hands and using their forearms to contain the child’s legs.
Recommended for:
✅ Head
✅ Eye
✅ Face
✅ Oral Exam
✅ Stitches
What it looks like:
✅ The trusted adult lays their arm over the top of the child’s body above the waist.
✅ The trusted adult leans over to embrace the child and keeps their hands above the waist. The light but comforting pressure of the trusted adult’s body helps them stay calm and still.
Recommended for:
✅ Urinary Catheterization
✅ Leg IM Injections
Suggestions:
✅ The trusted adult holds the baby closely to their body. Cuddling is always the preferred comfort position for babies.
✅ Skin-to-skin contact (a.k.a. kangaroo care) is also great when possible!
✅ For breastfeeding parents, it is beneficial to feed before, during, and after needle procedures. Don’t worry! Your baby is not going to choke, and this is a best practice recommendation.
✅ Singing, rocking, and talking are all helpful. Steady movement and/or the sound of a familiar voice is calming.
✅ The trusted adult can position their arms so their embrace keeps the body part needed for the procedure still and contained.
✅ If cuddling is not advisable, the trusted adult should be as physically close as possible. Touching, gently stroking the skin, and creating face-to-face closeness will help distract and soothe the baby.
✅ Body parts not being actively worked on can be swaddled for comfort.
Recommended for:
✅ Stitches
✅ IV Starts
✅ Heel Stick
✅ Lab Draw
✅ Catheterization
What are additional resources to help me provide comfort and care for my child during medical procedures?
If you’re looking for practical ways to support your child during medical procedures, these resources can help! Remember that every family’s situation is unique, so for more tailored support and resources, reach out to Annie by connecting in at HIE.Support.
Watch the full recording, along with our other Child Life Q&As, on Hope for HIE’s YouTube channel under the Child Life Series playlist, or download our Key Takeaway resource for an at-a-glance look at our biggest highlights!
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