During labour, it is important you breath right so you don’t get tired easily, before now, we’ve written an article on how and when to push during labour ’cause pushing at the wrong time may give you tear and as well get you tired quickly. So basically, knowing how to breath and when to push during labour is important.
There are different ways of breathing, we have the slow breathing, light breathing, variable breathing, expulsion breathing and the stages of labour where they can be used. Knowing how to breath helps you to be able to adequately cope with pain and discomfort.
Practising patterned breathing
Okay so even while you’re not in labour yet you can practice patterned labour to relief yourself of any sort of pain (headache, stomach ache….) in preparation for delivery day.
How to start
Take a deep, long, relaxing breath and slowly release it at the beginning and end of each contraction. It will help provide oxygen for your baby, your muscles and uterus and help you remain focused.
Breathing patterns for the first stage of labor
1. Slow Breathing
At the start of contraction, make your breathing so slow that you can’t talk through it without pausing, breath slowly until it’s no longer helpful. Immediately it’s not helping with the pain again, switch to another pattern if the contraction is too much to bear.
1. As soon as the contraction begins take a big sigh, as you sigh release all your tension, you can even go limp.
2. Inhale through your nose, then exhale through your mouth, that way, all the air can flow out with a sigh. Pause until it seems the air’s about to come back in.
3. As you release the breath (exhale) focus on relaxing each part of your body.
2. Light Accelerated Breathing
At the active phase of labour you might feel the need to switch from slow breathing to light breathing. In this method, you breathe with your mouth, taking about a breath per second. Your breathing should be shallow and light, when you inhale, make it silent, when you release your breathe, make it loud.
- When the contraction starts, sigh through it
- Inhale silently with your nose then exhale loudly with your mouth as the contraction increases, increase and lighten your breathing. If the level of the contraction is high from the beginning then your breathing will have to be high from the start too, while breathing, keep your mouth and shoulders relaxed.
- Immediately your breathing increase to match your contraction level, breathe in and out with your mouth. Ensure your breathing is light and shallow (not deep), taking about 1 breath per second.
- When the contraction reduces, gradually lower your breathing rate and go back to breathing through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
- At the end of the contraction, exhale with a sigh.
3. Variable (Transition) Breathing
This is a combo of light shallow breathing and a long exhalation that goes like hee-hee-who. You can use this form of breathing in the first stage if you find that you are exhausted and unable to relax and.
- Release a big sigh immediately the contraction begins to help you release all the tension
- Focus
- Breathe through your mouth, the breathing should be light and shallow, take 5-20 breaths in 10 seconds.
- After taking the fourth or fifth breath take a longer breath like “who” or “puh”
- After the contraction ends, take 1 or 2 deep relaxing breath and sigh.
- When the contraction ends take one or two deep relaxing breaths with a sigh.
It will get to a stage in labour that you’d want to push yet the time may not be right, the best way to avoid pushing is to breath in and breath out constantly. Raise your jaw as you blow and pant, that way when your body is pushing you won’t be pushing along with it.
Breathing patterns for the second stage of labor
4. Expulsion Breathing
Once you are fully dilated and labour had begun full-fledged use this technique
- Release a big sigh immediately the contraction begins to help you release all the tension
- Focus on delivering your baby safe and sound
- Breathe slowly, allowing the contraction to dictate. try to increase or lighten your breathing depending on what helps. When you have to join your body in pushing, breathe deeply, lean forward then push down while holding your breath or releasing air by grunting or moaning. Just make sure you relax your pelvic floor to allow the baby pass.
- If you’re holding your breath, release it after 5-6 seconds then breath in and out. Immediately your body starts pushing, join by pushing down but wait for it. Continue till the contraction subsides.
- That urge to push isn’t constant and will come and go during the contraction. Use your break-time to breathe deeply so as to provide oxygen for your baby.
- At the end of the contraction, relax your body and take a calming breath.
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