Proper breathing during childbirth and contractions: the main aspects. Breathing during childbirth: techniques to help facilitate the process

Proper breathing during childbirth is a fundamental part of the entire process of childbirth.

Women who master the correct breathing techniques in childbirth will be able to greatly simplify their childbirth and anesthetize them as naturally as possible.

In some texts there are up to 12 different types breathing during childbirth!

But during the birth itself, no one can apply such a number of types of breathing, and because they cannot remember everything, and because they do not know where and at what moment to apply this species breathing.

Attention switches to something completely different and it is impossible to control breathing during childbirth, remembering where, what technique and at what moment to apply.

Better learn minimum quantity breathing techniques that are practically more useful.

It will be enough for a woman to master the correct breathing during childbirth in two versions: the first is the breathing of contractions, the second is the breathing of attempts.

Breathing during childbirth has two main functions:

First: breathing must fulfill its main function - gas exchange, fill tissues with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the body, and breathing should also be comfortable.

During the contraction, a natural hypoxic state occurs in the child, because during the contraction the blood circulation between the uterus and the placenta deteriorates, at this moment the child's heartbeat physiologically increases to 160-180 beats per minute.

And especially at this moment, the child needs oxygenated blood. Thanks to correct technique breath, mom can satisfy this natural need for oxygen.

Second: Another important purpose of breathing is to provide relaxation to the woman in labor. During the contraction, the uterus tenses up, while the cervix relaxes in order to better open up.

I must say that the cervix itself, before opening, is presented in the form of a dense circular muscle (you can imagine a clenched fist), four centimeters high, and three centimeters in diameter.

As a result of her relaxation, she opens her lumen from two millimeters to ten centimeters and ceases to be visible as a separate organ and simply stretches to total absence. We can not influence the contractions of the uterus.

Interesting! But we can influence the opening of the cervix by relaxing the same circular muscles of our body as the cervix, these are the circular muscles of the eyes, mouth (lips) and sphincter anus(anus).

We can instruct these muscles to relax. Through the relaxation of these circular muscles, we reflexively relax the cervix, due to which the opening is more efficient and faster.

This is a proven fact, therefore, in courses for preparing for childbirth, they teach to relax all muscles during contractions, and not to clamp, because deep breathing, combined with relaxation of all muscles during contractions, gives natural pain relief, effective opening of the cervix and the opportunity to enjoy childbirth.

But to make such a technique is not as easy as it seems, because when the uterus itself contracts during a contraction, all the other muscles of the body behind it tend to tension, but such behavior during a contraction is fundamentally wrong.

In order for the magic trick to turn out already at the exam (during childbirth), you need to practice in advance, then the body will remember the sequence of actions and during childbirth there will be no need to remember anything about breathing and relaxation.

The training is simple: lie down, tense the muscles of the arms and legs very strongly, while trying to keep the muscles completely relaxed. pelvic floor and faces.

In this case, it is necessary to breathe deeply and correctly during childbirth, below I will explain how. Try it. Well, how did it work? We need to achieve stable positive result! Train at any time, as soon as you remember this exercise.

It is very simple and uncomplicated: slow deep breath through the nose for four counts, and an even slower exhalation through the mouth for six counts.

Please note that when exhaling through the mouth, the lips should be as relaxed as possible!

You can exhale with a "horse" when the lips fluctuate from the exhaled air. A wonderful method of breathing with a “horse” helps to further relax both the mouth and the neck.

Remember, the fight presses you, and you press it with free deep breathing and maximum relaxation of all muscles, especially the face! Well, swaying the hips in vertical position- at all something! So you can live through any fight (live is the key word) and enjoy childbirth!

Important! Breathing in which the lips gather into a tube on exhalation is absolutely wrong in childbirth! Abdominal breathing should not be used during childbirth. It is absolutely not physiological for a woman in labor!

In the second phase of childbirth - in the straining period, breathing changes on its own, but if you don’t know about it in advance, you can easily spoil your efforts with the wrong approach.

If we recall the physiology of the straining period, then this is the moment when, at the next contraction, a woman feels pressure on the rectum, this feeling is one to one similar to the desire to go to the toilet for the most part.

This means that the baby's head has passed the cervix and descended into the vagina, there is a desire to push, and the lower the baby's head descends, the stronger this feeling. There is a physiological reflex of expulsion of the fetus.

During it, it is irresistibly drawn to push, but if the child’s head has not gone down low enough, then you need to restrain yourself and not push so that the tissues have time to adapt to the volume of the born head and not tear.

It is very difficult to restrain this reflex if you do not know how to breathe correctly during childbirth, especially during this period. Therefore, when a doctor or midwife says to be patient and not to push, you can contain all the force of the attempt with the help of breathing "dog".

Interesting! Doggy breathing is small, frequent breaths in and out of the stomach with open mouth, until the moment when pushing is allowed.

And when they give the go-ahead to push, in order to avoid small pinpoint hemorrhages in the eyes, cheeks and neck, you need to properly direct the air while holding your breath!

Until now, some old-school doctors and midwives make you push with closed mouth and pressed to the chest chin, which creates a very strong tension in the face and vessels of the head. We won't do that!

When asked to push, we take air quickly, a lot, with an open mouth. We hold our breath, blocking the exit of air at the level of the vocal cords. Without closing your mouth!

If you close your mouth, then a very strong pressure will be created in the upper part of the head, which we want to avoid.

We took the air and, as it were, swallowed it down, while we did not close our mouth. Then the lower lobes of the lungs open, put pressure on the diaphragm, the diaphragm goes down, the abdominal wall moves forward. Thus, we launch the entire mechanism of muscular assistance to the uterus on attempts.

The diaphragm and abdominals are very powerful and useful helpers for the uterus in moving the baby through the birth canal. And, holding the air with an open mouth, blocking the exhalation at the level of the vocal cords, we direct all the force of the effort down, and there is no tension in the face.

Having mastered such the simplest technique breathing and having trained it before childbirth, you will save yourself not only from bursting blood vessels, but also from complications associated with visual impairment and deterioration after childbirth.

Interesting! Our ancestors gave birth like this: when a woman was pushing, a raw branch cut from a tree was inserted across her mouth. Necessarily raw, so as not to break the teeth, and with the help of this branch all the problems of labored breathing were solved.

About exhale!

Exhale after an attempt with your mouth slowly! In order for the child not to pull back sharply, the exhalation should be smooth, and the child is fixed at the level where he advanced.

With the next push, the child will not need to start from the previous point. And with each push, he will move forward little by little. That's all there is to breathing in childbirth. Summarize.

In short, during contractions, deep slow breathing with relaxed muscles, while trying to breathe like a dog, turning into holding a deep breath at the level of the vocal cords with an open mouth and expelling the child with this air.

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The content of the article:

In this article, we will understand what the breathing technique is in childbirth, how to breathe correctly during childbirth and contractions, how breathing differs in contractions and attempts, and what exercises can be performed to facilitate the process of childbirth.

Many expectant mothers are so absorbed in pregnancy and their baby that until the last they do not think about an equally important process - natural childbirth. And in vain, because the condition of the woman in labor and the health of her child depend on how the birth goes, and how the woman behaves in them. And if with the approach long awaited day meeting with your baby, you have a question about how to behave correctly in contractions and attempts, then first of all, you need to master the technique correct breathing.

What gives proper breathing during childbirth (during contractions and attempts)

Let it surprise many, but proper breathing can really speed up birth process, significantly mitigate the resulting labor pain and alleviate the condition of the mother. How does this happen? - very simple, thanks to the mechanisms conceived by nature. With proper, controlled breathing, the muscles relax, the woman herself calms down and relaxes, and her attention, focused on each inhalation and exhalation, is distracted from the pain experienced. When a woman is relaxed and does not concentrate on pain, the cervix opens more easily, and labor goes faster. In addition, with proper breathing, the diaphragm not only does not interfere with the birth process, but also helps by putting pressure on the uterus, facilitating the expulsion of the fetus.

If a woman in labor uses the technique of proper breathing during childbirth, then her body is saturated necessary quantity oxygen, which is important for all muscles and organs that work hard during contractions and attempts. Oxygen deficiency, or hypoxia, on the contrary, can lead to muscle spasms and reduce the effectiveness of attempts. And, most importantly, a normal amount of oxygen allows you to maintain the normal condition of the baby in this difficult period for him.

At first glance, learning the technique of proper breathing and remembering what and when to apply is very easy. But it is not so. IN ordinary life none of us controls our breathing: we do all respiratory movements during sleep and even wakefulness reflexively. Our vegetative nervous system regulates the depth and frequency of breathing depending on the situation in which we are. But the thing is that childbirth requires from a woman precisely the ability to independently control her breathing. This is a completely different technique than we use in everyday life, so the breathing technique in childbirth must be learned in advance - this will serve as a guarantee of successful childbirth.

It is better to start getting acquainted with the breathing technique in childbirth and master it a couple of months before the expected date of birth. It is good to study during false contractions sent to us by mother nature. By exercising during training bouts, you can bring the skills of proper breathing to the machine, which is required of you so that during childbirth you do not constantly think about how to breathe in the next moment.

Breathing technique during childbirth

As mentioned above, in different periods childbirth required different technique breathing, that is, breathing in contractions and attempts, have their own specific features. But in both cases, the main secret of breathing technique is the ability to control exhalation and inhalation. Before the onset of true contractions, you have the opportunity to hone your “skill” during training, false contractions. The main thing during such training is not to push, but only to breathe.

How to breathe during contractions

The most important thing to do when regular contractions occur is to relax as much as possible. If you strain, scream and try to suppress the pain, then you will only aggravate your situation and the condition of the child - this behavior not only does not help reduce pain, but also delays the birth process. In this case, you can use pain relief during childbirth, but the drugs administered can have Negative influence both for the mother and the fetus. In addition, tension during contractions suppresses labor activity, as a result of which the cervix cannot fully open, which can lead to drug induction of labor.

In addition, if a woman in labor does not know how to behave properly in childbirth and is focused on her pain, then the baby at this time experiences a lack of oxygen, which will inevitably, to one degree or another, have a negative impact on his health and development in the future. Many children who have undergone hypoxia in childbirth have difficulties in the adaptation period and even at an older age. Also, an insufficient amount of oxygen in the tissues and organs of a pregnant woman only enhances her pain. The ability to independently control breathing during this period of childbirth, on the contrary, contributes not only to facilitating the course of childbirth and controlling pain, but also to the birth of a healthy baby.

Consider all the techniques for proper breathing during contractions.

Type of breathing in childbirth "train"

As mentioned above, the main thing that is required of a woman at the beginning of labor is to relax and saturate the blood with oxygen. To do this, she needs to master the technique of "slow", deep breathing: in four counts, a deep breath is taken through the nose and a full chest of air is drawn in, and then a slow, calm exhalation through the mouth, lips should be folded into a tube, as if a train is releasing smoke. The exhalation should be done in six counts and be longer than the inhalation. With a correctly performed exhalation, the maximum amount of carbon dioxide leaves the body and, therefore, the next portion of the inhaled air will be larger, and the baby will receive more oxygen. In another way, such breathing is also called relaxation.

Type of breathing in childbirth "mooing"

Take a calm breath in through your nose and slowly exhale, make a low sound "mmmm".

Type of breathing in childbirth "singing"

As well as in the previous type of breathing, we slowly inhale through the nose, and on the exhale we sing a low sound "a-a-a-a-a".

Type of breathing in childbirth "horse"

Inhale slowly and calmly through your nose, and snort like a horse as you exhale. At the same time, your lips should tremble slightly.

Type of breathing in childbirth "doggy"

If the exercises described above are ineffective, and the contractions become stronger, shallow breathing, which is also called "dog breathing", comes to the rescue. The technique of such breathing should be as follows: a short breath is taken through the open mouth and then a short, but slightly longer exhalation. Here you need to follow next rule: the stronger the contractions become, the faster you need to breathe. The tongue should rest against the upper palate so that the mouth does not dry out less. In no case should you be shy or afraid to look ridiculous when doing breathing exercises - you are not on the red carpet, and doctors will not see anything new for themselves. And, at the same time, by controlling your breathing in contractions, you help yourself and your baby.

How to breathe while pushing

In the second stage of childbirth, the woman in labor is required to follow the commands of the midwife, who will tell you when to push or not to push and how to breathe between pushes so as not to waste your strength, since during the push you need to make the most of your physical efforts. Special "pulling breath" will help here.

The push usually lasts about one minute. From the beginning of the attempt, the deepest breath is taken, after which it is necessary to immediately begin to push. All the air that you "swallowed" puts pressure on the diaphragm and uterus, helping to push the baby out. You also need to control the direction of your attempts and not push "in the head." This can lead not only to a waste of energy, but also to an increase in pressure in the vessels of the fundus, hemorrhages, and if you overexert yourself especially, even to retinal detachment. Therefore, you need to push not with the whole body, not with the face, but only with the perineum. Pressure should come from top to bottom - from the diaphragm to the uterus and perineum. Moreover, the perineum itself should be relaxed so as not to impede the opening of the cervix. If you feel a lack of air, you need to exhale smoothly, immediately inhale deeply and continue to push.

One of efficient technician breathing during attempts is considered the so-called candle breathing: a deep breath is taken through the nose, and then it is necessary to blow it out with the mouth as if it were necessary to blow out a candle. In this case, you can accompany the exhalation by singing “a”, “y”, “o”, “s”. After the baby's head appears, you can begin to breathe calmly. If you go to calm breathing doesn't work, you can try dog breathing technique.

On a note

While honing the breathing technique in childbirth, a woman may encounter the phenomenon of hyperventilation, which plain language can be described as an "overdose" of oxygen. Symptoms of hyperventilation can include blackouts, dizziness, weakness, and even a feeling of impending fainting. In such cases, in order to avoid turning off consciousness and to exit from given state you need to inhale and hold your breath for about half a minute. To avoid dry mouth, which is often felt when breathing with an open mouth, one should touch the tongue to the upper palate in the area behind the teeth. You can also prevent the lips and mouth from drying out if you cover your mouth with your palm - this will reduce the evaporation of moisture. If possible, better time rinse your mouth with water from time to time.

Summing up, it must be said that breathing, both in the period of contractions and in attempts, should not be arbitrary. Despite the fact that the rules described here are dictated by nature, many women in this difficult moment it is extremely difficult to navigate and decide what kind of breathing she needs to apply during a particular period of childbirth - not every woman in labor can control her every breath and exhale. Some self-confidently believe that once they read the information about the breathing technique in childbirth, they will be able to reproduce everything on their own if necessary. In fact, at the “X” hour, mommy has porridge and confusion in her head. Therefore, it is better when childbirth takes place in the presence of a third person - an assistant who, at the right time, will tell you how to breathe if you are suddenly confused. It can be the father of the future baby, mother, girlfriend or any other person you trust. To learn how to breathe properly during childbirth, you need to attend special courses that are held for free in antenatal clinic or maternity home.

However, the rule that you need to relax when the fight starts should firmly “settle” in your head. The main thing in this matter is not to panic and believe that everything will work out for you! You are a woman, and, therefore, created in order to become a mother!

We will talk about various breathing techniques used in childbirth. Ability to breathe properly various stages labor activity can greatly help the expectant mother.

For example, deep breathing in the initial stages of childbirth allows you to calm down, relax as much as possible and save energy. The need to inhale and exhale at a certain rate makes us distract from possible discomfort during the fight. At the same time, the uterus receives an influx of oxygen-rich blood, which will not be slow to affect both its work and the well-being of the baby. Later, when the contractions gradually become painful, deep breathing is replaced by various ways frequent shallow breathing, acting as a natural analgesic. Calm, measured breathing in the interval between contractions at this stage allows you to fully relax and gain strength. In the second stage of labor, when the baby begins to descend through the birth canal, proper breathing will help the woman in labor not to push ahead of time. Yes, and the most important point- the birth of a child - is also associated with breathing: the effectiveness of an attempt by 70% depends on the correct intake and timely release of air from the lungs.

First stage of labor

The initial phase of the first stage of labor is called latent, it is characterized by rare short painless contractions. Such contractions last from 5 to 15 seconds, and the intervals between them take from 20 minutes. During the latent phase, the cervix opens slowly. It will take several hours before the contractions begin to noticeably gain strength. For now generic activity does not cause significant discomfort to the expectant mother, it is very important to rest, gain strength and not worry. To do this, we will try to monitor our breathing,

When the contraction begins, take a calm deep breath through your nose. Try to make the breath as long as possible. In this case, it should feel like all the lungs are gradually filled with air. Then slowly, without effort, exhale the air through your mouth. One inhalation and exhalation should be enough for a contraction. In this act of breathing, not only the pectoral muscles are involved, but also the abdominal muscles. This technique is called "abdominal breathing." It is more typical for men - in a woman, when inhaling and exhaling, the intercostal muscles are mainly involved. The abdominal type of breathing is used in opera singing and yoga classes. Such breathing will not only help you relax, but will also help improve gas exchange in the lungs and blood flow. In addition, with the participation of the abdominal muscles in the act of breathing, there is a slight change in pressure in abdominal cavity, which also contributes to the activation of the uterus.

During deep breathing, you can use the account. For example, during a contraction lasting 10 seconds, it is convenient to inhale, counting to yourself from 1 to 3, and exhale from 1 to 7. Thus, one inhalation and exhalation is enough for the entire fight. It is easier for the expectant mother to navigate the process of childbirth, without going up to the clock each time, and time passes faster. With a contraction lasting about 15 seconds, you can inhale, counting from 1 to 5, and exhale from 1 to 10, etc. The breathing technique itself remains the same, but there is no need to monitor the participation of the abdominal muscles in inhalation and exhalation (with such a long breath, this happens by itself!). Counting while breathing is psychological trick allowing a woman to escape from her inner feelings and fears.

active phase the first stage of labor begins after the cervix has opened 4-5 cm. Contractions at this stage last at least 20 seconds, and the interval between them is reduced to 5-6 minutes. Uterine contractions become stronger and can significantly disturb the woman in labor. Approximately at the same time, they can normally pour out amniotic fluid. fetal bladder, filled with liquid, is a kind of shock absorber for uterine contractions. Its rupture allows the uterus to increase the strength of the contractions more intensively, therefore, after the outflow of the waters, the contractions will be stronger and longer, and the interval between them will become significantly reduced. In order to cope with the growing discomfort during contractions, try using the following types breathing:

"Candle" - frequent shallow breathing, in which inhalation is made through the nose, exhalation through the mouth. Try very quickly, as if not completely, to inhale the air through your nose and immediately exhale it through your mouth, as if blowing out a candle located right in front of your lips. Inhalations and exhalations should replace each other continuously until the fight is over. After 20 seconds of this breathing, you will feel slight dizziness. At this moment, due to the oversaturation of the respiratory center of the brain with oxygen, a significant release of endorphins occurs in the body. Endorphins, better known to the reader as “hormones of happiness,” have one remarkable property: they increase the threshold of pain sensitivity, in other words, they reduce the sensation of pain. Thus, rapid shallow breathing during a contraction works as a "natural analgesic".

"Big Candle" , in fact, is a forced version of the previous type of breathing. You continue to alternate between short, shallow breaths through your nose and exhalations through your mouth throughout the fight. But now you should breathe with some effort. Inhalation is made as if you are trying to "breathe" a stuffy nose, exhalation - through almost closed lips. If at this moment you look in the mirror, you will notice that the wings of the nose and cheeks are involved in the act of breathing. This method is used when ordinary breathing with a “candle” becomes insufficient for pain relief.

"Engine" - breathing, which is very helpful at the moment of full opening of the cervix. At this time, the baby's head passes through the opening in the cervix. The uterus is in an excited state, which is manifested by frequent, strong and long (from 40 to 60 seconds) contractions, alternating with very short - sometimes less than 1 minute - intervals. The essence of such breathing is to “breathe” the fight. For this, a combination of the two previous types of breathing is used. Feelings during a fight can be graphically depicted as a wave: any fight begins with minimal sensations, then they gradually increase, reach their peak and also smoothly fade away. Breathing like a “train” intensifies and accelerates according to the sensations experienced by the expectant mother during the contraction. First, it is candle breathing. As the contraction intensifies, like a steam locomotive picking up its pace, breathing intensifies, as in a “big candle”. When the strength of the contraction reaches its peak, breathing with a "big candle" is accelerated as much as possible. Then, when the contraction subsides, the breath gradually calms down - the "engine" drives up to the station, where it is waiting for rest.

When using any type of rapid shallow breathing at the end of the contraction, take a deep breath through the nose and exhale through the mouth. This allows you to relax, even out the pulse and rest before the next fight.

Second stage of labor

After the cervix is fully dilated, the baby begins to move through the birth canal under the influence of uterine contractions. The resulting stretching of the soft tissues of the small pelvis, including the walls of the rectum, causes future mother desire to push. Similar feeling occurs when you need to empty the intestines. While pushing, the woman in labor strains the abdominal muscles, helping the baby to “push through” to the exit. However, at the beginning of the second period, it is still too early to push - on the contrary, at this stage it is necessary to relax in order to allow the baby to descend as low as possible through the birth canal. In addition, in some women, attempts begin when the cervix has not yet fully opened. In this case, if you start to actively push and move the head through the birth canal, the cervix will rupture. How to restrain the attempt?

Here again a special breathing technique will help us. In order not to push ahead of time, they use breathing. When the fight begins and there is a desire to push, you need to open your mouth and breathe quickly and shallowly. In this type of breathing, both inhalation and exhalation are performed through the mouth. It really resembles the breath of a dog after a fast run. By breathing in this way, you force the diaphragm to constantly move up and down, which makes the attempt impossible (tension of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall).

When it finally comes time to push, it is very important to take a proper breath before the contraction. The effectiveness of the fight directly depends on how you use your breath at this moment. When the fight begins, you need to type with your mouth full chest air - as if you are going to dive. Then you should hold your breath and push, straining the abdominal muscles. Exhalation with an open mouth at the end of the attempt should be smooth - then the walls of the birth canal will gradually relax, allowing the baby to "strengthen in their positions." For a fight, you must take in air three times, push, and then exhale. It can be said that a correctly made inhalation and exhalation accelerate | your meeting with the child!

Let's summarize:

As long as the contractions do not cause discomfort, it is better to use the “abdominal; type of breathing.
- Helpful for pain relief various options frequent shallow breathing: "candle", "big candle" and "train".
- In order not to start pushing earlier! time, during the fight you need to breathe "dog".
-In order for the attempt to be as effective as possible, it is important to learn how to correctly - as when diving - inhale air, hold your breath for the duration of the attempt, and exhale smoothly at the end of the fight.

In conclusion, I will say that during childbirth, knowing how to breathe correctly helped me a lot. I gave birth myself large fruit, without breaks and cuts, which is what I wish you.

This is full abdominal breathing or belly breathing. So says yoga - an ancient practice of energy management. Such breathing gives a feeling of lightness and freedom. It's time to put it into practice ancient theory and feel the impact and result of proper breathing. How does such a respiratory "work"? Who else is it useful for? What sensations does a woman in labor experience when she controls her breathing? Read the answers to these and some other questions below.

Breath promotes

Or diaphragmatic breathing provides blood flow to the placenta, fetus and uterus, thereby improving blood flow nutrients and oxygen to them. The motor function of the intestine is normalized, as blood supply improves here. This moment is very important, because many expectant mothers suffer from the wrong chair. Breathing exercises relieve muscle tension, free the lungs from sputum. Gymnastics can be useful not only during pregnancy or childbirth, but also in stressful situations. Proper breathing relaxes the body during childbirth, thereby reducing pain and contraction tension.

abdominal breathing

At first glance, mastering proper breathing during childbirth seems complicated. But even if it doesn't work at first, don't give up. So the first technique is abdominal breathing or belly breathing. Why is it needed? Diaphragmatic breathing improves blood circulation and relaxes the muscular frame. If the exercise is performed correctly, then warmth is felt inside the abdomen, the activity of the fetus increases. Mom can clearly feel the baby moving. This exercise is recommended for the threat of miscarriage. It is recommended to breathe like this in the first stage of labor with prolonged, strong and frequent contractions.

Execution technique

abdominal proper breathing during childbirth performed in a supine or semi-sitting position. Performance:

1. Put your hand on your stomach, while inhaling, gradually filling it with air. At the same time, move your hand away from you (do this with your abdominal muscles).

2. As you exhale, bring the abdominal wall closer to the spine (as much as possible). The abdomen is drawn in.

3. Breathe calmly, choose the pace and depth that suits you.

4. The chest should remain motionless, but at the same time it should not be tense.

5. Only the abdominal muscles and diaphragm work.

6. The duration of the exercise is 5-10 minutes in the morning and evening.

Vibrational Breathing

1. Starting position - sitting, the body is slightly tilted forward, hands rest on the knees.

2. As you exhale, chant the mantra “o-m-m-m” with your mouth closed.

2. The sound should be pronounced as long as possible until the air completely leaves the lungs.

3. It is worth concentrating not on the sound in the sinuses, but on the chest sound.

4. To better concentrate, you can swing back and forth.

5. The time of meditation is not limited, everything will depend on individual well-being and desires.

Doggy breath

Doggy breathing is breathing through the mouth. Why is it needed? Breathing relaxes the body, it is recommended for strong contractions and attempts, it has the best analgesic effect. Performance:

1. Doggy breathing refers to intense mouth breathing. You can also breathe through your nose, only your mouth should be open. The rhythm of breathing is arbitrary.

2. Starting position - lying down.

3. Due to hyperventilation, oxygen saturation occurs, weakness, drowsiness, dizziness appear. The body relaxes.

4. Training should start from the 20th week of pregnancy.

5. no more than 1 minute is performed, then a 2-minute break. Breathe "like a dog" every day 3-5 times a day.

Respiration is a physiological process necessary for life. It occurs reflexively, and few people think that it can be used to control other body processes, even treat some diseases. There are situations when it is simply necessary to control your breathing, and childbirth is one of them. Proper breathing greatly facilitates the process of childbirth, relieves severe pain, helps the woman to regain strength, and the baby to be born sooner.

Content:

Why is it important to breathe properly during childbirth?

Voluntary breathing during childbirth exacerbates pain and lengthens the process. With proper breathing, a woman has the opportunity to relax and give the body a rest. By applying proper breathing techniques during contractions, the main task is achieved: the diaphragm does not interfere with childbirth, but, on the contrary, speeds it up, greatly easing pain. Proper breathing during childbirth helps to avoid fetal hypoxia, saturates the blood with oxygen.

It is necessary to start practicing proper breathing long before childbirth in order to bring it to automatism. A woman should develop a model of behavior that will greatly facilitate the birth of a child.

Breathing technique in different periods of childbirth

The birth process consists of three main periods:

opening of the cervix, or the period of contractions;
exile, or the birth of a fetus;
the birth of the placenta, or the postpartum period.

The breathing technique used in each of the periods is different and is aimed at alleviating the condition of the woman.

Breathing during contractions

The opening of the cervix is the longest and most painful period, accompanied by contractions. Contractions - involuntary contractions uterus. They are necessary to open the uterine os, through which the child will pass. Thanks to them, the fetus moves.

The contraction period consists of three phases:

Latent. The contractions are not painful, in most cases they are felt as a slight sipping in the lower abdomen, lower back. Many people compare this state of affairs with premenstrual syndrome. The latent phase lasts up to 6 hours.
Active. It is characterized by a rapid opening of the cervix, the intensity of contractions, soreness and a smaller gap between them. Lasts 3-4 hours.
deceleration phase. Often absent in multiparous women and some primiparas. It lasts until the cervix is fully dilated, on average from half an hour to 2 hours.

Contractions are characterized by regularity, occur at regular intervals. The greater the opening of the cervix, the more intense and longer they become, and the gap between them decreases. Proper breathing helps to significantly reduce pain during childbirth during contractions.

Latent phase of contractions

Slight pulling of the lower abdomen in the latent phase causes more discomfort than pain. However, at this moment, the woman begins to realize that the “X-hour” is approaching, and most of them are overcome by fear. the main task during this period - to calm down and start going to the hospital.

Relaxing breath

It will help you overcome your fears and tune in to upcoming birth. Breathing should be slow and deep. You need to inhale quickly through the nose, counting to three, exhale slowly through the mouth, counting to five. At the same time, fold your lips with a tube. On exhalation, doctors advise “singing” vowels, for example, the sound “y”. When practicing yoga, using this technique breath, chant the mantra "om".

On initial stage training is recommended to use a small mirror. It is substituted to the mouth on exhalation at a distance of 15-20 cm. The mirror should not fog up immediately (this is too sharp an exhalation), but gradually, evenly. As soon as it becomes possible to exhale correctly, they do without paraphernalia.

Active phase of contractions

It is characterized by constant, growing contractions. The most important thing during this period is not to suppress the pain, not to strain, not to pinch your legs and stomach. Such actions can bring relief, but it will be temporary and unnecessary, and overexertion will only weaken the body ahead of time. In addition, strong tension interferes with the proper opening of the cervix. Often, doctors in such cases anesthetize and stimulate labor, which is also highly undesirable for mother and baby.

By focusing on breathing during childbirth, a woman is distracted from the pain. Oxygen enters the organs and tissues in the required volume. As a result, the muscles contract better, and the child does not experience hypoxia, which often occurs already at the initial stage of childbirth.

At the beginning of an active fight, relaxing breathing is applied. It should not be forgotten that the inhalation should be shorter than the exhalation. This technique makes it possible to relax the muscles, focus on breathing, and not on pain, and calm down.

Important to remember: It is undesirable to scream during fights. So breathing is held, and oxygen in a smaller volume enters the fetus.

Breathing like a dog

When the contractions become longer, it is necessary to breathe shallowly and often, without tension, inhaling and exhaling through the open mouth. The strength of inhalation and exhalation should correspond to each other, as well as their duration. This only works rib cage, the stomach remains calm and relaxed.

Such breathing during childbirth resembles that of a dog in hot weather. The technique dulls acute pain sensations, helps to concentrate on breathing. In addition, this avoids attempts, which in the first stage of labor lead to cervical rupture and injury to the fetus.

Even breathing

When the fight loses its intensity, that is, at the end of it, and until the beginning of the next one, the uniform breathing technique is used. Breathe slowly and evenly, inhaling and exhaling through the nose or through the mouth. Each woman herself determines the duration of inhalation and exhalation, usually it is enough to count up to 4. In this case, only the chest works, the stomach is not tense.

This technique allows you to calm down and relax. Some doctors, instead of even breathing, advise returning to relaxing breathing during this period.

Breathing while pushing

Pushing is the most important period childbirth, in which muscle contraction occurs, and the fetus moves directly through the birth canal. They occur when the head passes the bone ring of the pelvis and is already in the vagina.

At this moment, it is necessary to listen to the obstetrician in everything: he will give recommendations on how to behave so that the baby is born as quickly and painlessly as possible. Only he, according to the state of the woman in labor, will determine how to breathe, when to push, when it is necessary to rest.

"Breathing the Candle"

The general principle of breathing during childbirth during attempts is to inhale as deeply as possible, but not quickly, but as calmly and slowly as possible. On a long exhalation, the pressure of the entire volume of air is exerted by the diaphragm on the uterus. At the same time, the tension should not be allowed to go up to the head, otherwise the vessels on the face and in the eyes will burst. For one fight, it is advisable to push three times.

With proper breathing with attempts, the baby is born quickly. Sometimes 3-5 attempts are enough, each of which lasts no more than a minute. If the woman in labor does not have enough strength, then the obstetrician allows you to take a short break between attempts to rest.

After the birth of the head, breathe freely, like a dog. This will not allow the baby's head that has already appeared to go back.

Video: How to behave during the period of attempts

Breathing in the postpartum period

Separated from the walls of the uterus, after a while the placenta is born. This usually happens half an hour after the baby is born. Cramping pains resume, but in this period they are not intense, weak and short-lived. Here it is enough to push, using the “breathing on a candle” technique, and the so-called children's place comes out of the uterus. As a rule, the moment of attempts is determined by the doctor.

Proper breathing is not as easy as it might seem. It is not enough to read the theory the day before the birth, it is important to study all the nuances, ask the gynecologist leading the pregnancy in detail, and even better go to courses where, under the guidance of a specialist, the woman in labor will be taught all the subtleties of breathing during childbirth. He will also give recommendations on how to perform the exercises, indicate the permissible load.

You need to train every day, starting from about the 12th week of pregnancy, then in the process of childbirth, the woman in labor herself will be able to distinguish all periods, and each of the techniques will be applied in a timely manner. When exercising, the room should be well ventilated so that sufficient oxygen is supplied.

You can perform exercises several times a day, controlling your well-being. If during training a woman feels unwell, then it is worth postponing classes and resting. However, this does not mean that you need to leave the training, it is enough to reduce its daily duration.
If dryness occurs when breathing with an open mouth, touch the palate with the tip of the tongue. If necessary, moisten lips with water, rinse your mouth.
When training breathing with attempts, you can’t push: this can provoke uterine tone, which leads to premature birth. It is enough just to hold your breath, counting up to 10. Later, the duration of holding your breath can be increased to 20-25.
After exercising, restore breathing by breathing calmly, in the usual way.

There is the concept of hyperventilation, the symptoms of which are darkening in the eyes, dizziness, it may seem to the woman in labor that she will now lose consciousness. In this case, you need to take a deep breath and hold your breath or, joining your palms, bring it to your face and slowly breathe into them.