3 Breathing Methods During Pregnancy and Birth

What is the importance of breathing methods?

Shortness of breath experienced by expectant mothers during pregnancy is one of the most common problems, especially in the last stages of pregnancy.

As pregnancy progresses, the uterus also grows. As the diaphragm is pushed upwards due to the growth of the uterus, the expectant mother’s abdominal and chest cavities become compressed. This makes it difficult for expectant mothers to breathe. In order to prevent shortness of breath during pregnancy, it is recommended that some exercises be done.

During pregnancy, the uterus grows and indirectly the body weight increases. For this reason, some changes begin to occur in the body’s posture. These changes in the expectant mother’s body lead to waist and back pain.

What are the effects of the 3 breathing methods?

• Helping to correct posture disorders that occur during pregnancy
• To reduce back pain,
• Knowing the breathing and relaxation techniques that should be done during birth
• To provide flexibility and increase the strength of the abdominal and perineal muscles,
• To ensure that the expectant mother is psychologically prepared for birth,
• It minimizes the problems of back pain, constipation, swelling in the legs (by increasing lymphatic and venous circulation) that may occur during pregnancy. It also reduces the risk of diabetes that may occur during pregnancy.
• provides protection against the disease, namely gestational diabetes,
• Corrects the posture of the expectant mother,
• It prepares women spiritually for motherhood and reduces the fear of childbirth.
• It eliminates the stress factor by reducing tension,
• It makes the expectant mother less tired,
• It helps the mother maintain her balance and reduces the risk of falling,
• It makes birth pains less frequent,
• The mother-to-be should be active, not passive, during birth. She should assist the birth, and she does this through breathing and self-suggestions. For these reasons, it is necessary to exercise during pregnancy.

It is appropriate to start breathing exercises as of the 3rd month of pregnancy. However, these exercises should be done regularly. Since the breathing exercises to be applied to each expectant mother are different, you should definitely get help from a specialist respiratory physiotherapist for the breathing exercises suitable for you.

Prenatal exercises

• Breathing Exercises
• Deep abdominal breathing
• Deep chest breathing
• Larynx breathing
• Relaxation exercises

Kegel exercise to reduce back and waist pain

• Kegel exercises are an exercise that helps to work the pelvic muscles and strengthen them.
• Pelvic floor muscles ; includes the muscle group that supports the bladder, uterus and the last part of the large intestine. If the pelvic floor muscles are weak, they can cause urine leakage with some reflexes after birth. Kegel exercises both make birth easier and prevent the possibility of urinary incontinence. The most important rule for this exercise, which is done by tightening and releasing the pelvic floor muscles, is to be able to feel the location of the muscles.
• Hold it for a while while urinating and then continue urinating. The muscles you tighten and release are your pelvic floor muscles. Be sure to exercise these muscles as you think about them in your daily life.

What are the benefits of breathing exercises and relaxation techniques?

• Breathing and relaxation methods allow the mother to remain calm and control her own body, especially as labor begins.
• In the first stage when labor pains begin to show themselves, the mother preserves her energy for the second stage with relaxation techniques.
• Since the expectant mother feels less pain with breathing techniques in the first stage, she is not afraid of the second stage, which is the main stage of labor. In this way, she has a stress-free and healthy birth.
• With the onset of contractions during normal birth, the expectant mother does correct breathing exercises and continues this technique until the baby is born. In this way, the mother will focus better on the birth and will be active rather than passive.
• The mother will ensure that more oxygen reaches the baby with breathing techniques.
• The combined use of appropriate pushing methods and breathing methods makes birth easier.

It is essential to learn how to do breathing exercises during pregnancy. It is not possible to learn breathing techniques while you are about to give birth. For this reason, take the time to learn the exercises in advance so that your birth is more comfortable and healthy.

The most important point to note in breathing techniques is to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. The expectant mother should not breathe in and out very quickly. Care should be taken to ensure normal breathing. Breathing methods are quite easy and practical exercises that can be learned by the expectant mother herself. The expectant mother can apply these techniques while sitting or standing in an upright position.

Breathing exercises

• Chest breathing,
• Abdominal breathing,
• Chest and abdominal combined breathing

To breathe from the chest

The chest should be inflated while breathing through the nose. The breath should be exhaled slowly through the mouth. The main point to be considered here is to inflate only the chest. Care should be taken not to inflate the abdomen during this time.

Abdominal breathing

It is generally considered a bit more difficult than chest breathing. However, it is quite easy to learn with practice. To try this breathing method, sit upright. Breathe in slowly through your nose, expanding your abdomen. In this breathing method, the chest should not swell or rise in any way.

What are the breathing exercises during labor?

Breathing exercises during labor can be divided into 2 stages. The first stage is the period from the onset of pain until the cervix reaches 10 cm. In other words, it is the first stage of labor. The second stage is the second stage from the full opening of the cervix to the birth of the baby. Different breathing methods should be applied in both stages of labor.

In the first stage of labor, your pains are quite regular and show themselves at certain intervals. The pains that occur are felt approximately every 5 to 10 minutes. During the periods when the pains subside, you should breathe normally and slowly. It is also important to rest before the pains come. When the pains are felt again, you should resort to chest breathing or combined breathing methods.

You should not do abdominal breathing during the first stage of labor. When the contractions start again, take one deep breath and then do not breathe normally until the contractions stop. However, the most important point to note here is to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.

After the pain stops, take another deep breath and complete the breathing technique. Rest for a while and try to relax. When the pain comes again at certain intervals, repeat these breathing techniques and rest. In this way, the pain will decrease and the baby will get plenty of oxygen.

In the second stage of labor, abdominal breathing begins. The second stage is when the cervix opens to 10 cm and labor begins. As soon as the contractions begin, take a deep abdominal breath and hold your breath as long as you can and start pushing as your doctor has told you. The baby needs to be pushed forward. You can also do the pushing by holding your breath or exhaling very slowly through your mouth.

The most important point at this stage is not to swell your belly and to direct the force towards the birth canal, not your neck. You should continue these pushing until the pain is over. Your doctor and nurses will give you suggestions on what to do. Chest breathing is wrong in the 2nd stage of labor. Abdominal breathing makes pushing easier and makes the birth faster. When the pain is over, you can return to your normal breathing routine. You can start resting at this stage.