6 Benefits of Breathing Exercises How to Breathe

Breathing Exercises: 5 Benefits of using breathing techniques for mother and her unborn baby, plus 1 breathing exercises in labour. These will give emotional support during pregnancy.
Breating techniques in labour

These are simple breathing exercises for anyone to relax and will help slow your heart rate down.

This breathing technique isn’t just for pregnancy and birth. It is a breathing technique for sleeping, as well as, a breathing technique for anxiety and stress which can be used by  everyone. Use this breathing exercise when life gets too hectic in these modern times. Try it.
Breathing techniques

BENEFITS of  doing Breathing Exercises:

  1. Improves the circulation of blood, which is good for you and your growing baby. 
  2. Will Boost the flow of oxygen that is supplied to your body and your baby.
  3. Gives you a good supply of oxygen to meet the needs of  your growing unborn baby and for the best functioning of your body.        
  4. Helps your body to remove waste effectively.
  5. Relaxes you and helps to calm you
  6. Studies have identified breathing exercises as effective for labour pain management and shortening the duration of labour.
Breathing exersises

When you should Use Breathing Techniques:

Brething exercises for labour

TRY IT – here are the breathing techniques:

  • Ask your partner to give you support with the breathing, in readiness for the birth.
  • Stand upright and keep your feet parallel to each other or sit on a chair with your back straight.
  • Relax your shoulders and don’t cross your legs.
  • Keep your mouth closed and take a deep breath counting till 7. Place your hands on your chest. As you inhale, feel your hand move outwards as your lungs expand.
  • Hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly.
  • Take as much time to exhale as you did while inhaling the fresh air. A simple way to do it is by counting the same number as you did while breathing in.
  • Repeat the whole exercise for ten times to reap its benefits.
Correcting your breathing during pregnancy is very important . The reason being your body needs an adequate supply of oxygen to meet the requirements of your growing baby and for the optimum functioning of your body.”

What can affect my breathing techniques in labour?

  • Excitement
  • Pain
  • Tiredness
  • Worries/anxiety
  • Fear
  • Contractions
  • These responses may be experienced during labour. These feelings may change your normal breathing pattern in either of these ways:
  • Breath holding
  • Panic breathing, when you breathe too fast. (hyperventilation).

Both these may make you more tense, frightened and anxious.

Breathing is the first thing we do when we enter this world. Interestingly, whilst we are alive our bodies absorb roughly half a billion breaths!

Use the breathing exercises described to help alleviate the effects of labour. These breathing techniques to help during labour.

Using Complementary Therapies

Complementary therapies may help you feel more relaxed during pregnancy and birth, which helps to ease breathlessness. These complementary therapy products from Motherlylove can help with relaxation – Due Date Pregnancy and Labour Massage Oil is a back massage for relaxation during late pregnancy and labour. Use this together with a coping strategy Pulse Point Roll On: Grapefruit & Rose – a beautiful fragrances, to soothe and calm your senses.

REFERENCES (click for more information)
1. Effectiveness of breathing exercises during the second stage of labor on labor pain and duration: a randomized controlled trial Hilal Yuksel  1 , Yasemin Cayir  1 , Zahide Kosan  2 , Kenan Tastan  1

Randomized Controlled Trial

 Integr Med Search in PubMed

2017 Nov;15(6):456-461. doi: 10.1016/  S2095-4964(17)60368-6.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29103415/

Effectiveness of breathing exercises during the second stage of labor on labor pain and duration: a randomized controlled trial

Hilal Yuksel  1 , Yasemin Cayir  1 , Zahide Kosan  2 , Kenan Tastan  1

Conclusion: Based on this study, breathing exercises with deep inhalation and exhalation in pregnant women are effective in reducing the perception of labor pain and shortening the duration of the second stage of delivery. Therefore, we recommend breathing exercises as an effective modality for labor pain management and shortening the duration of labor.

2. Effectiveness of Breathing Exercises, Foot Reflexology and Massage (BRM) on Maternal and Newborn Outcomes Among Primigravidae in Saudi Arabia: A Randomized Controlled Trial Kamilya Baljon  1   2 , Muhammad Hibatullah Romli  3 , Adibah Hanim Ismail  1 , Lee Khuan  4 , Boon-How Chew  1   5

Affiliations expand PMID: 35241937 PMCID: PMC8887672 DOI: 10.2147/IJWH.S347971

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32540887/

3. Cicek S, Basar F. The effects of breathing techniques training on the duration of labor and anxiety levels of pregnant women.

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2017;29:213–219. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.10.006 – DOI PubMed

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29122264/

4. How to Breathe Co-authored by Ni-Cheng Liang, MD and Madeleine Criglow

https://www.wikihow.com/Breathe#

4 Benefits of using Breathing exercises for mother and her unborn baby during pregnancy and labour

5. The benefits of a regulated practice of simple, deep yogic breathing include: Muscle Relaxation Increase in energy levels Reduced anxiety, depression and stress Lower/stabilized blood pressure
6. Here are a few breathing exercises that will do you a lot of good when practised during pregnancy. Written by Debjani Arora | Published : November 4, 2014 6:07 PM IST

“Correcting your breathing during pregnancy is very important . The reason being your body needs an adequate supply of oxygen to meet the requirements of your growing baby and for the optimum functioning of your body. Adequate supply of oxygen aids in baby s growth and development process and provides the unborn baby, with the required nourishment. Hence correcting one’s breathing techniques and patterns becomes necessary. Here are four simple breathing exercises that could help you restore adequate oxygen in the body.”

https://www.thehealthsite.com/pregnancy/4-breathing-exercises-every-pregnant-woman-should-do-236584/

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About the Author

About the Author, Jan Bastard

BSc. (Hons) complementary therapy/aromatherapy, RN, RM, Anaesthetic Diploma, IAIM.

For over forty years, and over two continents, Jan has worked tirelessly to help mothers have a positive birthing experience. She is also a mother and grandmother.