Red Light Therapy for Labor Pain - Safe Relief for Pregnancy and Birth

These days, everybody and their granny owns a red light mask, you know, for that “I woke up like this” instagram post. But what if those fancy spa lights could do more than just make you look fabulous for your next selfie? Spoiler alert: when labor starts, you’ll likely need a little more firepower than grandma’s beauty gadget! Enter PBM aka photobiomodulation aka red light therapy for labor.

Red light therapy is emerging as one of the most exciting and science-backed, risk-free options for unmedicated labor, and now research also shows its benefit in muscle endurance and postpartum recovery. Here’s what every mom and provider needs to know.

Red Light Therapy - Risk-Free Power for Labor and Beyond

Looking for proven, safe relief for labor pain? PBM, delivering gentle red and near-infrared light using LED belts (against the skin) or low level home lasers gives more moms the confidence for an unmedicated birth or to get you further along if an epidural is in your plans. But also arming you with a tool you’ll definitely use again through postpartum (and toddlerhood). Studies using lasers in pregnancy show no adverse effects for moms and babies. In one study premature babies (around 27 weeks gestation) were exposed to red light therapy for several weeks in NICU without any adverse effects. Babies who were not exposed to red light therapy experienced more significant complications.

Why PBM Is a Game Changer for Labor

Meaningful Pain Reduction: Multiple high-quality trials show PBM and infrared light therapy dramatically decrease pain scores in labor, outperforming standard nonpharmacological tools like heat packs or showers.

Shortened Labor: One study reports that, beyond pain relief, PBM and infrared therapy may shorten the first stage of labor or promote more natural, physiologically effective surges/contractions, translating to less overall exhaustion and less time in the birth room. This is likely due to PBM’s unique effects on cellular energy and local circulation, which help muscle and nerve cells function efficiently under stress.

No Adverse Events: Across the trials, no side effects such as skin reactions or fetal distress have been reported, and Apgar scores for newborns were unchanged.

Loved by Moms: Over 85% of women in trials using PBM said they’d recommend it to friends, and care teams appreciate its simplicity and user-friendly application.

5 cm dilated using the GentleBirth App + Red Light Therapy + TENS machine.

Mechanism of Action: How Red Light Therapy Reduces Pain in Labor

Boosts Cellular Energy (ATP): PBM acts on mitochondria in muscle and nerve cells, promoting ATP (cellular energy) synthesis so that cells stay stronger and more resilient during labor.

Blocks Pain (Nerve “Rosary” Formation): Lab studies show PBM causes reversible bead-like changes (rosary formation) in nerve fibers - effectively reducing the ability to transmit pain signals, thereby providing a natural, drug-free nerve block. But unlike an epidural you can continue to be mobile throughout labor.

Less Lactate = Less Pain: When your uterus is working hard during labor, it creates extra lactate (kind of like when your legs burn after running fast), and this can make surges feel even more painful, lactate excites pain nerves and makes muscles ache. But lactate does something cool too, it’s used by the uterus to turn down inflammation by signaling through a special “stop sign” (the GPR81 receptor), preventing things from getting out of control. Red light therapy in skin contact comes in like a helpful coach: it boosts circulation so the body can flush out extra lactate faster, meaning less burn and a calmer, less-painful labor experience, with a better chance for gentle recovery after birth.

How to Use Red Light Therapy in Labor Safely

For the best results during labor, PBM needs to be in direct, close contact with the skin, think “wrap-around waist belt” or a low-powered home laser device, not just a lamp lighting up the room or a panel 6 inches from your body. Studies show that LED pads/belts with NIR and red light applied snugly to the lower back is necessary for optimal pain management. Most research protocols use LED pads or belts placed over the sacrum and lower back (T10–S4), three times during active labor, for about 10 minutes each session (at around 4 - 5, 6 - 7, and 8 - 9 cm dilation). Low-powered home lasers work even more quickly and can be moved over the lower back/sacrum by your partner or doula (with appropriate safety glasses). For red light therapy to work its magic in labor, it needs to touch the skin directly.

***Most experts agree that red light therapy should not be used directly on your abdomen during pregnancy***

Below is a recent webinar I presented on International Day of the Midwife.

What Device Should I Get?

I’ve compared some of the most popular red light devices (with skin contact) for women’s health here. The NovaaLab pad is my favorite for labor and general aches and pains in pregnancy/postpartum recovery as you can use the stretchy straps that come with it to wear it over comfortably over the lower back in labor. But the Fringe wand can be used for direct perineal healing, or even over a cesarean wound as it comes with blue light too which kills bacteria.

Combine with Other Tools in Your Labor Toolkit

PBM can be safely used alongside TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) for even more customizable, non-pharma pain management during labor.

Postpartum Recovery

There are soooo many! Throw those padsicles out the window - ice on the perineum slows healing!

Moms who used PBM during labor continue to use it afterward for everything from muscle aches, breastfeeding pain, to accelerated cesarean incision wound healing or perineal healing, thanks to its gentle, restorative power. A recent client was worried when her baby girl’s cord stump became inflamed a few days after getting home from hospital. Mom used her blue light and then red light over the inflamed area for less than a minute a couple of times a day and the inflammation was gone in 2 days.

Do you have any questions? I’m here to help!

Tracy

Resources

·       Traverzim et al. (2021). The Effect of Photobiomodulation on Analgesia During Childbirth: A Controlled and Randomized Clinical Trial.

·       Dastjerd et al. (2023). Effect of Infrared Belt and Hot Water Bag on Labor Pain Intensity Among Primiparous: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

·       Upadhyay et al. (2025). Photobiomodulation Strengthens Muscles via Its Dual Functions in Gut Microbiota.

·       Santana et al. (2016). TENS Reduces Pain and Postpones Pharmacological Analgesia During Labour.