Lamaze has become a common term for any prenatal birthing class. Lamaze is its own specific view of natural birth whose principals have been used to form other birthing techniques. The main Lamaze technique that has migrated to other birthing philosophies is controlled breathing. There are five different types of controlled breathing outlined by Lamaze. The purpose of Lamaze breathing is to keep a mother's attention focused on the breathing so that she can not focus on her pain. This technique of ignoring pain has been put into use for many years to help facilitate natural childbirth.
Baseline Breathing
Baseline breathing is used to calculate a mother's normal breathing rate for one minute. The baseline breathing is where Lamaze advocates tell a mother to return her breathing to after a contraction has come to an end.
Slow Breathing
Slow breathing exercises teach mothers to exhale to the count of five and to then inhale in the same slow way, counting the whole time. This slow breathing exercise begins to focus the mother's attention on her breathing. This slow breathing exercise is used at the beginning of a contraction.
Blowing Exercise
The blowing exercise teaches a mother to inhale deeply through the nose and to then exhale forcefully through the mouth. These blowing exercises are for use during a contraction to help focus a mother's attention away from the pain she is feeling.
Patterned Breathing
Patterned breathing is the breathing technique that is most commonly depicted in movies and television shows. The "he, he, hoo" of Lamaze has become the most recognized breathing pattern of Lamaze. This breathing is also used to refocus the mother's attention away from pain by keeping them focused on breathing in a continual pattern. This is also the type of breathing that is advocated while pushing the baby through the birth canal.
Cleansing Breath
The cleansing breath is the final breathing technique taught by Lamaze classes. This breathing technique involves the mother taking a big, deep breath through the nose and then exhaled slowly through the mouth. This type of breathing is used to start bringing the mother back to her baseline breathing.
