Breathing is automatic. The average adult does it over 20,000 times per day. Learning how was never necessary. But learning to breathe during labor takes preparation and a trusted methodology. Since the introduction of the epidural--used for dramatic reduction of pain in childbirth--the desire to experience natural childbearing has dropped significantly. But whether you opt for drug assistance or a 100 percent natural childbirth, learning to breathe effectively can become a fundamental part in your total birthing journey. Choosing the right method for how to learn labor breathing can help make the act of breathing an art.
Step 1
Speak with your health care provider. Whether you choose an obstetrician, a nurse practitioner or a midwife, it is important to discuss your birthing options with her and tell her clearly what your wishes are. Knowing this in advance will help you in the decision of how you are going to be learning labor breathing. Perhaps she will have a recommendation for a method she has seen work for a large number of her patients. This is also a great opportunity to begin to lay a foundation for good communication between the two of you.
Step 2
Accept the fact that most pregnant women need to learn the skills involved in labor breathing. All methods of childbirth--including cesarean section--may require the ability for you to manage pain. Depending on your pain threshold, this can range from slight discomfort to excruciating pain. Effectively breathing through the discomfort or pain can be invaluable. If you plan on an epidural that will allow you to push when fully dilated, you most likely will not receive it until the "active" phase of labor, which is 3 to 4 cm. Breathing properly through early-phase contractions will serve you well. In fact, according to the book "Mayo Clinic: Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy," many moms who experienced natural childbirth reported that proper breathing was the "single most useful technique" they employed in their natural labors.
Step 3
Choose where you will give birth. If it will be at a hospital, find out what childbirth classes they offer and what methods they stand behind. Consider going to the birthing unit in the hospital. Ask to speak with the charge nurse. You can discuss birthing and breathing methods and she can tell you which ones she has seen work most effectively. You cannot find a richer source of experience than the nursing troops on the front line.
Step 4
Conduct your own research. Resources are plentiful for learning how to breathe effectively for labor. Your local library is a wonderful source of information--it has a wide variety of books and DVDs, and it's free. The Internet seems limitless when it comes to the subjects of pregnancy and childbirth. Remember, though, a significant percentage of the information available on the Internet is un-researched, un-monitored, and unreliable. Beware of any kits, videos or other materials that require a cost, no matter how professional they may look. Stick to reputable, health-driven, professional and educational sites for reliable breathing techniques.
Step 5
Choose a method that is right for you and practice, practice, practice. Learning labor breathing requires step-by-step formulas and then actually doing them, preferably with your labor coach, until the entire procedure becomes comfortable and automatic. Whether you choose Lamaze, Bradley or any other method, you have the luxury of training for the big day. Janelle Durham, author of the website Transition to Parenthood: Childbirth Education on the Web, recommends that you practice each form of breathing until you "can use each for two minutes without feeling out of breath."
Tips and Warnings
- If you want to speak with the labor and delivery staff at a hospital, do not go one hour before or one hour after shift change as these are hectic times for the staff. Most shifts are 12 hours. Begin practicing at six to seven months gestation until labor breathing becomes second nature. Try holding an ice cube in your hand--in a plastic zipper bag--to simulate labor pain while you practice your breathing.
- Use caution when practicing shallow, fast-paced breathing. If you feel light-headed or short of breath, take several slow, deep breaths and take a break from practicing again for several hours. Never hold your breath while pregnant--you supply oxygen to your baby through your breathing.
References
- American Lung Association: Your Lungs
- "Mayo Clinic: Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy"; Roger Harms; 2004
- Transition to Parenthood: Breathing Techniques for First-Stage Labor
