Breathe Your Way To a Pain-Free Birth
Breathing is arguably your best tool to relax and manage pain during childbirth. And yes, we all know how to breathe (I mean, duh?), but I want to share a few tricks that will turn something as mundane as breath into a powerful pain-fighting ally.
NASAL BREATHING
First things first, breathe through your nose! In addition to acting as a filter for allergens and bacteria, nasal breathing forces your diaphragm to expand, allowing you to take in 20% more oxygen! Blood oxygenation increases endorphins and suppresses pain, so the more O2 you get, the less painful contractions will be.
DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING
Normal breathing does not fill the lungs to their full capacity, but diaphragmatic breathing does! Once again, this serves to increase blood oxygenation, release endorphins, and reduce pain.
To practice diaphragmatic breathing, place one hand over your belly, the other on your chest. Inhale through the nose and feel your hand rise as your belly fills with air. The hand on your chest should remain stationary. If so, your diaphragm is working properly. If not, continue practicing until your chest holds during each inhale. Practice for a few minutes before adding one of the rhythmic breathing exercises below.
MINDFULNESS
Stay mindful of your breath. Feel the air flow in and out. Observe the effects it has on your body and your state of mind. How do you feel? Hopefully relaxed! It’s easy to grow flustered and forget breathwork during labor, so remember to stay mindful while you put these new skills into practice.
LOOSEN UP
When exerting great physical effort, we tend to forget to breathe. If you lift weights, for example, you might catch yourself unconsciously holding your breath when putting your muscles under stress. Don’t let this trip you up in labor! As your uterine muscles contract, it may be tempting to tense your neck, your hands, et cetera, but remember that tension will compete with relaxed breathing and prime your brain for pain. Stay loose!
HOLD THE EXHALE A LITTLE LONGER
Every inhale requires an exhale. While the timing of each can depend on anything from personal preference to which technique you’re using, holding the exhale maximizes the benefits of each breath. A slightly longer exhale calms the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting feelings of calm and wellbeing. On the flipside, quick inhalation occurs when we gasp at a scary movie or breathe heavily during a cardio workout. It tells the sympathetic nervous system that the body is under stress and must brace itself for pain. To counteract this, simply add a second or two to the exhale!
Now that you know how to breathe (as if you didn’t before. Ha!), let’s dive into a few tried-and-true exercises, famous for promoting calm and reducing pain in childbirth.
PROGRESSIVE BREATHING
You’ve got to start somewhere! You can’t reasonably expect yourself to jump from stress mode to “in the zone” right away. This exercise is great for slowing your breath and preparing your mind for the excellent techniques further below.
Inhale for 2 counts, exhale for 3 counts, repeat.
Inhale for 3 counts, exhale for 4 counts, repeat.
Inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 5 counts, repeat.
2. IN, IN, OUTTT
Another excellent starter, “In, In, Out” is one of the quickest ways to reduce stress and create calm. As long as they are slow and controlled, the two inhales will not stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (the one that primes your mind for pain). Try two seconds on each inhale and four on the exhale. But feel free to play around with the timing and see what feels best!
Two breaths in
One long exhale
Remember to take a little longer on the exhale!
3. BOX BREATHING
My therapist mother has me do this every time I call her with a life problem. I’ll be ranting about the housework, morning sickness, or whatever else is on my plate only to be interrupted with “Ok, stop. Breathe with me…”
“Mom, I don’t have time for this…” I always respond. I mean, did she even hear what I said about the neighbors?
But hey, fifteen seconds in, it never fails to calm me down - and here I am recommending it to you! Practice the below four times in a row to reduce pain, stress, and make my momma proud!
Inhale for 4 counts
Hold for 4 counts
Exhale for 4 counts
Hold for 4 counts
And there you have it! I mistakenly believed that the whole “hippy breathing thing” wasn’t for me until I experienced the benefits for myself. As detailed above, there is a wealth of scientific data proving that breathwork is a powerful tool for fighting pain and promoting peace.
So tell me, did you try any of these techniques during your labor rehearsals? When giving birth? I’d love to know how they worked for you!
SOURCES
Personal Experience
My Therapist Mother ;)
