Pregnancy is an exciting and joyful time in a woman's life, but not without stress. Aside from hormonal changes and weight gain, you may also experience nausea and constant fatigue. Deep breathing exercises provide an outlet for stress relief during pregnancy, as well as pain relief and comfort during labor.
Benefits
Deep breathing helps oxygenate internal organs which help provide the mother and baby with energy and strength. It serves as a relaxation technique to help cope with daily stressors during pregnancy. It is also beneficial during labor as it gives the mother a sense of control and the ability to make contractions more productive.
Slow Breathing
The slow breathing exercise, typically practiced during the early stages of labor contractions, helps the mother focus her attention on her breathing as opposed to anything else. In slow breathing, the woman inhales while counting to five, then exhales while counting to five.
Patterned Breathing
This is commonly recognized as the "hee-hee-who" breathing technique and mostly used during labor contractions. Start with an organized breath by sighing in and out to release tension from the body. Take light, rapid breaths at five to 20 breaths every 10 seconds. Release a longer breath after the second, third, fourth or fifth breaths.
Cleansing Breath
Cleansing breaths begin with a deep inhale followed by a slow exhale. This breathing exercise is recommended at the beginning and end of each contraction as it helps calm and prepare the mother for pushing during childbirth. This technique is similar to slow breathing, however you should exhale forcefully.
Sleep Breathing
Lay on your side with your eyes closed. Inhale slowly for four counts until the lungs are filled with air and then exhale through the nose for a count of eight. This form of deep breathing mimics sleeping and helps the mother relax and rest comfortably. It is recommended during childbirth to assist in pushing the child from the womb.
References
- "Mother's Breath: A Definitive Guide To Yoga Breathing; Uma Dinsmore-Tuli; 2006
- American Pregnancy Association: Patterned Breathing
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