Just wondering if breathing techniques for labour helped or did everything go out the window once contractions started. I didn’t read up on or use these during my first and was wondering if it really is beneficial and if so what are some tips?
- I used deep breathing throughout my 3rd labour. It’s very helpful for keeping calm and turning off mind chatter. Breath deeply directing the breath to the area under your belly button. keep up a rhythm of this through the contractions. I found when the pain got really strong, I would still breath, but moan through the out breath. It sounded like chanting. But helped take my mind off the pain. It’s great to practise before hand. You can start by establishing a rhythm with your breathing and then practise increasing your breath intake. I asked my husband to help me in labour by reminding me to come back to breathing if I got lost in the pain and stopped or panicked. It was very different to my first 2 labours. Very calm and I was able to be present and assertive throughout Serena
- breathing through your contractions helps you dialate. I only found this out when i was in labour with number 2! Wish i knew the 1st time haha definitely worth researching! Shannon
- I didnt do any classes or read up on anything. I Just did deep and focused breathing through the contractions, with hubby and midwife reminding me to breathe (you do forget lol) i didnt use any drugs (17 hrs on syntoconin drip with induced labour) and i smiled and laughed a lot too Stacey
- Absolutely beneficial! I didn’t read up and look into it prior to labour as I just went in open minded however I had a wonderful midwife who really reinforced the importance of breathing correctly. The moment I arrived at the hospital (not really in “intense” labour) my midwife explained how to breathe through contractions. When she wasn’t present in the room she kept reminding my partner to talk me through my breathing as I would keep forgetting. It helped soo much and I was unbelievably calm the entire time which surprised me alot! I would recommend reading up on it just in case you aren’t as lucky to have a midwife like that. Maybe also inform your partner if you have one on how to talk you through breathing and to constantly remind you. I am sure this is why I had a relatively relaxed and calm labour and birth. Goodluck! Gaby
- I used it and found it very helpful and got me through each contraction April
- I highly recommend hypno birthing. It combines breathing techniques, positive thought and self hypnosis to have a calm, gentle birth. I was amazed by how well it worked for me! It will be important to have your birth partner invested to help you stay on track as you know labour does get intense. But I was able to achieve a drug free, natural birth after having a stressful c – section with my first by using hypno birthing. Jen
- Deep breathing helped me stay at home for as long as possible as well as rolling on a fit ball, but once I got to hospital at 10cm dilated & needing to push it all went out the window! Second I hope I can continue with the breathing throughout Tahlia
- I had a drug free labour and birth and did a lot of research into empowerment and a little into hypnobirthing. I did find it hard to breathe but the thing that helped me the most was knowing I could so it, my body a as designed for it and instead of thinking ‘this will hurt, this is painful etc’ observing the sensation and letting them wash over me. It was an empowering experience being uncomfortable but not in pain or agony. The same muscles used for pleasure are used for you to birth your baby. Knowing this helped me see that the pain side of thins was a lot if conditions from society, what we expect it to be like and your choice on how to process it in the brain. If you practice before hand you can teach yourself to process it as a sensation rather than pain. Look up orgasmic birth… It’s really enlightening. Erin
- Have you considered hiring a doula? Breathing is an amazing coping technique during labor and the added emotional and physical support of a doula is even more beneficial X Reyne
- Everything went out the window for me. When it came time to push, all I could do was scream and swear lol. Jenna
- Just had my first baby on Friday and I was the same, I had not read up on much until about a week before, just looking for relaxation techniques, but as long as you remind your birth partner to keep you on track with breathing, then you will be fine. I found that by closing my eyes and just focusing 100% on my body, feelings and breathing, it was insanely beneficial! I was worried about breathing through my nose as I never felt I got enough oxygen, but breathing through my mouth dried me out and my midwife kept reminding me to close my mouth and focus on big in and out breaths through my nose and it really did help. All the best!! Jo
- Breathing got me through my contractions completely. Starting small with humming breathes, getting bigger to ‘oh’ and ‘ah’ breathes. Especially when I got to about 9cms and needed to not push yet even though my body was wanting to. Concentrating on my breathe got me through the next hr and to 10cms. Mel
- I think breathing helps you focus on something else, other than the pain of the contractions, and can keep you from completely losing it, that was my experience anyway. Kira
- I didn’t really read up on labour or anything but got some good advice on deep breathing! I laboured for 3 days at home with only 1 panadol on the last day. And more importantly I still feel as though it was a positive experience!! My tip would be to treat it like an intense PT session, yes it’s painful and hard work, but it does end, and you feel amazing afterwards I used a technique where I would slowly count each breath through the contraction (onnee, twoooo, threeee etc.), whilst holding onto a bench or wall. Allison
- I didnt go to any class but my mum told me how should i breathe which in the moment of giving borth i completly forgot about it! And i was sleeping in between contractions.. then at the moment of pushing i was following what the midwive said (except when she asked me for short pushes) Valerila
- Everything went out the Window for me. It all just happened way too fast. No pain relief and next thing I knew she was in my arms Tisi
- I went to calm birth classes and although what I used during labour wasn’t exactly the breathing techniques I was taught, it helped to focus on something during contractions. It kept me calm and I was able to labour without pain relief despite being on syntocin drip Julie
- breathing helped me but I lost focus regularly and had to have a midwife remind me constantly to breathe Lucy
- My epidural didn’t work and I went from 4cms dilated to 10cms dilated in 2 and a half hours so deep rhythmical breathing was the only way I got through! Even if you didn’t do any home work on breathing techniques before the birth, you will be surprised what your body knows to do naturally in the situation anyway. Hannah
- listen to your favourite very calming music during labour.. The type of music you’d put on to go to sleep if you needed to. A couple of the best things I ever heard that I used as my mantras.. we’re call them EXPANSIONS not contractions as that is what is actually happening.. Breathing helps absolutely .. I also heard I think you have between 65 -135 contraction during labour? How easy does that sound? You must try to relax your body .. Relax that baby out lol I always recommend reading CHILDBIRTH WITHOUT FEAR.. Every single woman giving birth should be given a copy… Best book ever! Priscilla
