Technique of breathing and behavior in childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth: breathing during childbirth. Breathing exercises to ease childbirth

Contrary to popular belief that the main thing is to endure the baby, doctors say that it is equally important to give birth successfully. A positive attitude, self-confidence, preparation, qualified personnel are, of course, good, but you should also learn how to breathe correctly at the time of delivery.

Just because proper breathing during childbirth and contractions, on the one hand, speeds up and facilitates the whole process, and on the other hand, minimizes the risk of complications and injuries in the baby, as well as ruptures in his mother.

Obstetricians and gynecologists are sure that the correct breathing technique is almost an easy birth. Inhalation and exhalation of a certain depth and at certain moments can reduce pain and speed up the process of passing the baby through the birth canal.

In many ways, all this is provided by calmness and relaxation, which are achieved when the woman in labor does not interfere with the movements of the diaphragm, but helps herself. Moreover, the technique of proper breathing makes a woman focus on it, thinking less about discomfort and pain. But that's not all.

Starting from the third trimester, following an increase in the uterus, there is a slight upward displacement of the lungs. This is necessary in order to provide the fetus with a place for full growth and development. A woman does not notice these changes, meanwhile, at a certain moment she simply begins to breathe more superficially. Of course, everything returns to normal when the baby is born.

Until then, deep inhalations and exhalations are possible only if the pregnant woman controls herself. It is interesting that at the moment of the onset of the contraction, the woman in labor intuitively shrinks, tenses, trying to endure the pain that has arisen. If the latter is extremely strong, she screams out. Worst of all, all this causes the muscles to contract and the cervix to tighten. In some cases, it becomes stony, meanwhile, the body continues to produce hormones to maximize its stretching.

But the stretching of a stressed organ leads to the appearance of microfractures on it. Needless to say, they again make the woman scream in pain, and so on in a circle. By the way, these gaps increase at the time of the passage of the child through the birth canal. Breaking this circle and helps the technique of proper breathing during childbirth.

Helping the woman in labor herself is not the only reason why the breathing technique should be mastered. Oxygen deficiency at the most crucial moment leads to the development of fetal hypoxia. What does this mean for the future? The child may:

grow and develop more slowly than their peers;
gaining weight poorly;
it is difficult to go through a period of adaptation to the environment;
constantly getting sick due to a weakened immune system.

It is worth noting that the intensity of breathing is not the only thing to consider. These techniques have their own nuances that should be remembered at each stage of delivery. Due to the fact that at the moment of its onset there is a feeling of fear and anxiety, it is necessary to master the skills of proper breathing in advance. The optimal period, according to experts, is from the second trimester of pregnancy.

How to breathe during contractions

Contractions, attempts, the appearance of crumbs and the rejection of a child's place - all periods are combined into the process of delivery. Meanwhile, during each of them, breathing should be special, which is determined by its purpose.

Growing and subsiding regular contractions are designed to maximize the softening of the uterus. When they become very painful, screaming and straining is not recommended. The pain cannot be relieved in this way, but it is quite possible to lose strength. Instead, it is better to breathe slowly. Each breath should last 4 counts. On the exhale, you need to fold your lips with a tube and count to 6. In other words, the exhalation should be longer than the inhalation by 2 counts.

What gives this technique? It allows you to relax, which entails relaxing the diaphragm and rounding the abdomen. In this case, the coccyx moves back, and the pelvic bones slowly but surely diverge. In the process of such relaxation, there is more space for the fetus, the pain subsides, and the woman herself calms down, especially when she focuses on the account.

With an increase in the intensity of contractions, breathing must also be accelerated. At the same time, in the fight itself, inhalations and exhalations should be done superficially, often and with the mouth ajar, as dogs do in the heat. At the moment of its retreat, inhale and exhale slowly, deeply and smoothly. This technique is called "Steam locomotive". It also helps when the pain during contractions increases so much that it becomes unbearable to endure.

Note! Understanding that shallow breathing is carried out correctly is not difficult. To do this, it is enough to count the frequency of inhalations and exhalations, which are carried out for every 10 seconds of time. If there are 5 - 20 cycles, you are doing everything right.

Breathing while pushing

How to breathe during attempts to a woman, most likely, the midwife will explain. She will also tell you how to push properly and at what exact moments all this must be done in order to help yourself, but at the same time save strength.

The push lasts for about a minute. During this time, the woman should take a deep breath, and then, while exhaling, try to push the baby out three times, putting pressure on the uterus. The main thing is not to push on the head and eyes, so as not to provoke a rupture of blood vessels. If the breath was not deep enough, it is important to exhale as soon as possible, and then draw full lungs of air.

What else to remember:

To relieve pain, you can practice the candle breathing technique. This is when the exhalation is carried out in such a way as if the woman in labor is blowing out a candle. Some obstetricians at such moments recommend humming vowel sounds.
Breathe slowly between pushes. Otherwise, with every sudden movement, the baby will be pulled back due to muscle contraction. In addition, it leads to the appearance of tissue ruptures in the mother.
After the birth of the head, it is better to switch to normal breathing or dog-like breathing.

For the birth of a child's place, special breathing techniques are not used. Otherwise, proper breathing saves the mother from damage to the birth canal, and the baby from complications and birth injuries. In general, the baby is born in 3 - 4 attempts, but if in the intervals between them the woman gets very tired, she is allowed to endure one of them in order to restore her strength.

Alexander Kobas clearly demonstrates the breathing technique in childbirth. This is a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist and, concurrently, a perinatal psychologist. He developed a video lesson where he clearly explained why it is important to properly organize breathing and how to do it. You can watch the video and learn from there something important for yourself.

Major Mistakes

Obstetricians and gynecologists do not get tired of repeating that the outcome of childbirth directly depends on the mood of the woman. For everything to go smoothly, she needs to relax and trust the medical staff. They will prompt, direct, but they will not be able to give birth for a pregnant woman. She herself will have to monitor her breathing and her feelings.

Don't focus on pain. Firstly, it forces you to strain all your muscles and only aggravates the situation, leading to breaks. Secondly, it interferes with rational thinking. The pain is created for the speedy relief of the situation. It is necessary to focus pressure on the place of its localization and then everything will end as quickly as possible.

It is also important to listen to yourself, to be in tense zones (usually the face, hands, jaws) and in every possible way to contribute to their relaxation. And again, you don't have to be patient. Breathing techniques are designed to relieve all discomfort and help a woman in labor to give birth to a baby faster.

Finally, there is no need to leave everything for later, believing that the obstetricians and gynecologists themselves in the delivery room will tell and teach how to breathe. If possible, it is necessary to master the techniques even during the second or third trimester, when preparation for labor is carried out.

Of course, in the first minutes, perhaps something will be forgotten because of fear, but later regular training will make itself felt.

Many antenatal clinics and other medical institutions that provide pregnancy services offer "courses for future parents."

Lecturers, as a rule, are practicing obstetricians who try to prepare their pregnant wards as much as possible for passing one of the most important exams in their lives.

And therefore, talking about the course of the birth process, they necessarily explain the importance of observing the breathing technique in childbirth and how to breathe correctly during contractions and attempts. Proper breathing during contractions and childbirth helps to relax during labor, speed up the opening of the cervix and relieve pain during contractions and attempts.

The rules of breathing during contractions and childbirth, recommended for use by women in labor in our country, are in many ways similar to the principles that the French obstetrician F. Lamaze proposed as part of his Painless Childbirth methodology. Long-term observations have shown that proper breathing during childbirth has a positive effect on the course of the birth process, namely:

helps to relieve psycho-emotional stress;
allows you to significantly reduce pain sensitivity;
facilitates the observance of "patrimonial discipline" - to control the body and follow the commands of honey. personnel, which is extremely important at the stage of attempts;
maintains the quality of the blood supply to the body of the mother and fetus at the required level, preventing.

In the course of labor, depending on the stage of labor, the woman in labor is recommended to use appropriate types of breathing.

The effectiveness of breathing techniques in childbirth increases many times if a woman is accompanied by a trained assistant (usually the father of the child or a close relative), who changes the frequency, depth and pace of his breathing during the birth process. Then the task of the woman in labor is to breathe synchronously with the accompanying person.

How to breathe correctly during childbirth?

In order to be able to concentrate on breathing during childbirth and get the necessary effect from the use of breathing techniques, the expectant mother should learn how to breathe correctly in advance.

Abdominal type of breathing

First of all, a woman needs to get used to the "abdominal" type of breathing during childbirth. This means that during inhalation and exhalation, the stomach should “walk” while the chest remains motionless.

During the first workouts, the palm of one hand should be placed on the stomach, and the other palm on the chest.

On inspiration (deep enough), you should ensure that the palm lying on the stomach rises as high as possible (up to parallel with the floor, or higher).

On exhalation (smooth), the palm on the stomach gradually returns to its original position. The palm on the chest during breathing should remain practically motionless.

After some time, you will be able to breathe with your stomach without manual control. Then you can proceed to the development of the next - the main type of breathing in childbirth.

Full breath

The combination of "thoracic" and "abdominal" breathing is called complete. With a full type of breathing, you need to inhale “from below”, as deeply as possible, imagining how oxygen first fills the stomach, then the diaphragm and lungs, how the baby inhales simultaneously with the mother in the womb. Exhale should be in the reverse order, without effort, it is enough to relax the muscles of the chest and abdomen.

Mastering full breathing, the expectant mother can also place her palms on her stomach and chest and make sure that her hands change their position in the correct order.

After a woman has mastered the technique of full breathing, she will need to learn how to "save" the oxygen received during inhalation. This will come in handy during childbirth, labor periods in which the breath will need to be held.

Economical breathing

Breathing in which the duration of inhalation and exhalation are in a ratio of approximately 1: 2 is called economical.

Economical breathing should be mastered gradually, in the first lessons, lengthening the duration of exhalation in relation to the usual inhalation for a woman.

However, it should be borne in mind that the respiratory cycle during economical breathing should not be more than twice as long as the woman is used to.

Rapid breathing

Breathing, the cycle of which is much shorter than usual (but not more than twice) is called rapid. In childbirth, several types of rapid breathing are used, which should be mastered in advance:

"candle" - respiratory cycles are frequent and continuous; several of them in one fight. A short inhalation immediately replaces a short exhalation. The exhalation effort is similar to that required to blow out the flame of a candle.
"big candle" - the principle is the same as with the "candle", but the breathing cycles become even more frequent. Breathing takes effort. You need to inhale sharply, drawing in your nostrils and exhale sharply, puffing out your cheeks, as if you need to quickly blow out the candles on the cake.
"dog-like" - frequent shallow breathing through the mouth, with the tongue hanging out, pressed against the upper teeth.

When exercising, you should alternate the types of rapid breathing with each other, devoting about 30 to 40 seconds to working out each type (taking into account, on average, the duration of contractions). And also alternate the cycle of rapid breathing with full breathing, for recovery.

"Puffy" breathing

At the command “push!”, while inhaling, you need to “swallow” as much air as possible with your mouth, filling your lungs as much as possible, hold your breath and push “down”, imagining how the balloon presses hard on the uterus from above, “pushing out” the fetus.

When it becomes impossible to hold your breath, you need to exhale briefly, while relaxing the muscles of the pelvic floor, again “swallow” the air with your mouth and push again. At the same time, it is important to inhale with the “chest”, keeping the diaphragm motionless. After the contraction is over, breathe deeply using full breaths.

The expectant mother should carry out exercises to master “pulling” breathing carefully, not at full strength, bearing in mind that the contraction during attempts lasts 40-60 seconds and during this time the woman in labor should push three times.

It will be more convenient for the expectant mother to start mastering breathing techniques by choosing any position that is comfortable for herself: standing, sitting, reclining, etc. However, given that it is extremely difficult to maintain immobility in contractions, she needs to learn how to perform breathing techniques while walking. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that any type of breathing studied becomes as if habitual, and it would be possible to reproduce it in childbirth in a natural way.

How to breathe properly during contractions?

The first stage of labor usually lasts 6-10 hours. During the period of contractions, the cervix, in response to uterine contractions, should open by about 10 cm.

With the degree of disclosure, the pain of a woman increases. The types of breathing used by a woman in labor during contractions help to relieve their soreness.

Full economy breathing

In the latent phase of labor, when the contractions are still weak, almost painless and infrequent, deep breathing helps the expectant mother, who has entered labor, to calm down and rest before the active labor phases. In addition, the "abdominal" type of breathing during contractions stimulates uterine activity.

The respiratory cycle (for a long breath through the nose - twice as long exhalation through the mouth) should cover one contraction. With the end of the fight, you need to “shake out” the “remains” of air from the lungs and take a breath.

The task of the assistant at the same time is to note the duration of the contraction and help the woman in labor during the onset of painful uterine contractions to “adjust” the duration of inhalation and exhalation.

This breathing technique should be used as the main one from the very beginning of contractions and kept as a “background” throughout the entire birth period, combining it, if necessary, with other breathing techniques.

Rapid breathing

From the moment when the contractions cause noticeable discomfort and become more intense and more frequent, and full breathing no longer brings relief, a certain anesthetic effect can be achieved with the help of rapid breathing. Gradually, depending on the degree of pain, a woman in labor can apply various types of breathing techniques, intuitively choosing the most comfortable technique. For example:

rapid breathing - "candle".
frequent breathing - "big candle".

The “secret” of rapid breathing is that an abundant supply of oxygen to the brain stimulates the release of endorphins into the blood. This greatly facilitates the "tolerance" of pain.

At the same time, the task of the assistant is, focusing on the duration of the contraction, to help the woman in labor choose the intensity of the “inhalation-exhalation” and ensure that the woman does not hold her breath at the peak of the contraction.

Combined breathing "train"

Proper breathing during contractions, including a combination of various types of breathing techniques, will help the expectant mother survive the period of intense contractions and all-consuming pain during active uterine contractions up to the period of attempts.

At the start of the contraction, the woman in labor should breathe slowly, gradually accelerating the inhalation-exhalation (inhalation through the nose - exhalation through the mouth), in parallel with the increase in uterine spasm. At the very peak of the contraction, you should try to simply "breathe" often and gradually return to slow breathing, as soon as the intensity of the contraction decreases, in order to obtain a full "portion" of oxygen for yourself and the fetus.

The task of the assistant at this time is to become the “second wind” of the woman giving birth, to set the pace of breathing, alternating slow with rapid, to help the woman in labor focus on observing the breathing intake that is necessary at the moment.

The expectant mother will be able to train the use of a combination of rapid and slow breathing before childbirth by alternating types of breathing techniques, for example, in this way: one slow cycle for five rapid cycles.

How should you breathe when pushing?

In the second stage of childbirth, when the moment of expulsion of the fetus from the mother's womb is very close, the woman's task is to fulfill the commands of obstetricians for the benefit of the newborn baby and her own condition.

It will greatly facilitate the task while observing special breathing techniques, namely:

Breathing like a dog.

This technique will come to the rescue at the very beginning of the pushing period, when it is necessary to endure a premature push, allowing the baby to independently overcome the birth canal. At the same time, the desire to push will be simply colossal, and the ban is associated with a high probability of ruptures of the maternal perineum and injuries to the baby.

"Puffy" breathing.

A breathing technique specific for the active period of attempts is used at the command of the obstetricians taking delivery. Proper breathing in attempts helps to make them the most productive, contributes to the early birth of the baby and minimizes the suffering of crumbs from hypoxia.

After the baby is born, the woman in labor can finally relax and breathe the way she likes. The third stage of childbirth - the expulsion of the placenta - is usually painless, does not require serious effort and special breathing. The new mother did the most important and hard work.

Often a pregnant woman is so afraid of the upcoming birth that she tries to focus her thoughts either on carrying a child, or on the time when the “worst thing” is already behind her and she returns from the hospital with a newborn. But do not neglect the information about the upcoming process, especially the one that gives an idea of the correct breathing during childbirth and contractions. Knowing what awaits her and how to facilitate the process, a woman can make her birth less painful and traumatic.

Contraction breathing techniques

Physiological changes in the respiratory system in pregnant women

When a woman is expecting a baby, her body goes through many changes. They also affect the respiratory system. The uterus enlarges, as a result, the lungs shift slightly upward, and this makes breathing more shallow. It would seem that the result should be a smaller amount of oxygen (compared to the “non-pregnant position”) that enters the blood.

At the same time, the need for oxygen increases significantly: by the last trimester, it is a third higher than it was in the first, and during the process of childbirth, it doubles at all. How does the body solve this problem? It accomplishes the task in the following ways:

the circumference of the chest increases;
the infrasternal angle becomes wider;
expiratory reserve volume decreases.

These changes after childbirth pass, the lungs "return to their place."

Childbirth is the final stage of pregnancy, which can be compared to hard work. At the same time, not everything is laid down by nature here: a woman can control a lot herself if she familiarizes herself with the essence of the process in advance. The main issue that is given much attention in courses for pregnant women is how to breathe during labor and childbirth. Why? It turns out that proper breathing can make childbirth easier.

Proper breathing and the process of labor: the relationship

When a woman feels contractions, her first instinctive desire is to shrink, tighten up, in order to somehow endure this difficult moment as quickly as possible. Very often, at this time, the pain is so pronounced that a woman who is not ready for pain cannot hold back her scream. The result is a vicious circle: the woman in labor screams, her muscles contract, the cervix tenses, even stiffens, and the hormones continue their work, causing it to stretch.

Stretching in this state leads to micro-ruptures of the neck, which add pain. The woman is screaming in pain again... In addition, the gaps increase when the child passes through the birth canal. To prevent such a vicious cycle from occurring, it is necessary to know what breathing and behavior should be like during contractions.

In addition to increasing the likelihood of complications for the mother, improper breathing leads to fetal hypoxia. The child at such moments lacks oxygen, which can greatly affect his growth and development in the future. In particular, it may in the future:

lag behind peers in development;
difficulty gaining weight
hard to adapt to a new world for him;

The breathing technique during contractions and childbirth cannot be mastered by a woman at the moment when, as they say, the process has already begun. You need to prepare for this in advance. In this case, the skills of proper breathing will be brought to automatism, and the woman in labor at the most crucial moment will be able to focus on the main thing, learn to be distracted from pain and thereby help herself and the child.

Breathing techniques during childbirth are aimed at relieving pain, proper organization of rest and relaxation between contractions. It is imperative to learn how to rest so that you have enough strength for the most difficult and crucial period - the immediate appearance of a child. If a woman controls her breathing during contractions, then she will be able to do without medical intervention, drugs to enhance labor and pain relief, which have their own, sometimes not too good, effect on the fetus.

Contraction breathing techniques

When the moment of delivery is still far away, and the pregnant woman has only felt the first weak contractions, she can breathe as usual. At this stage, the contractions are irregular, the body has time to relax in between them. You should monitor your condition. After the gaps are about 10 minutes, it's time to start applying special techniques.

First, try this trick: inhale in four counts (through your nose), exhale through your mouth in six counts. At the same time, you can stretch your lips with a “tube”. Thus, maximum muscle relaxation is achieved.

When you feel that the contractions have become stronger, you need to “lengthen” the process of inhalation-exhalation a little: inhale after 5 counts, exhale for a count of 10.

Proper breathing during contractions, the intervals between which have become less than 5 minutes, is “dog-like” breathing. Have you noticed how a dog, out of breath after a long run, breathes in order to rest as quickly as possible? This is shallow, shallow breathing. You can even stick out your tongue a little. So the woman in labor is distracted from severe pain, saves strength.

The breathing technique for contractions that have already become quite frequent - from 1 to 2 minutes - can be this: loud breathing for 2 counts: “one-two”. It is called "forced candle". Before attempts, when there is already a strong desire to push, but the doctor still forbids it, since the neck is not quite ready, you can try to combine and alternate all methods. So you can empirically find your own, one that will help more.

Proper breathing in the last stages of childbirth

Quite "close" to childbirth, obstetricians advise women in labor to use another method: portioned breathing. In this case, the air is taken into the lungs in a powerful wave, and the exhalation proceeds gradually, in several stages. With attempts, when the expulsion of the fetus from the uterus and its passage through the birth canal begins, you should breathe like this: take a large, deep breath and then immediately begin to push, "directing" the exhaled air into the perineum.

If you scream or exhale during the period of attempts, then the fight will end in nothing - the fetus will not advance. It is also possible to use dog breathing during childbirth, but in the interval between attempts to take a break and gather strength. This technique is especially effective when the fetal head has already left, and the mother's body is preparing to push out the baby's shoulders.

The final stage is the birth of the placenta. It also needs to be organized correctly: after the doctor’s command sounds, inhale the air with force, hold your breath and push halfway. "Children's Place" after that should come out.

Proper breathing skills are the key to an easy birth

Proper breathing during contractions and childbirth is so important that it should be studied already a few weeks before childbirth. Having managed to bring the acquired skill to automatism in advance, you will minimize the risk of complications and will be able to better cope with the difficult and lengthy work of giving birth to a child.

Contractions are not the time to start learning: a woman in labor during this period is simply not able to learn and repeat the necessary information. Therefore, you can enroll in courses for pregnant women and master different techniques. Which one and when to use in childbirth - the doctor and your own body will tell you.

The key to proper breathing during childbirth and contractions is advance training, the body must receive “skills of correct breathing movements”. You need to develop muscle memory. To do this, you need to exercise daily, you can several times a day: on a walk, while watching a movie. If you are planning a partner birth, it would be good for your husband to learn all the breathing techniques with you (in case you get confused during childbirth). Working out together is more effective and more fun.

At the beginning of mastering the techniques of proper breathing for childbirth, hyperventilation may occur, manifested by dizziness. Start small and gradually these sensations will pass.

The autonomic nervous system (the part of the nervous system responsible for the functioning of internal organs) regulates the frequency and depth of breathing depending on the situation: for example, we begin to breathe more often during exercise or stress. However, in some situations it is necessary to learn how to independently control your breathing. One such situation is childbirth.

What happens to the respiratory system during pregnancy?

During the period of expectation of a child in a woman's body, changes and restructuring of many systems and organs occur. Due to the growing uterus, the diaphragm rises - the main respiratory muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities. As a result of this, the lungs are compressed, but due to a slight expansion of the chest, their surface does not decrease, and due to an increase in lung ventilation, the supply of tissues with oxygen improves, carbon dioxide, including that formed in the body of the fetus, is removed faster. This is the so-called physiological hyperventilation.

Self-management of one's breathing during childbirth helps to provide the newborn baby with the necessary amount of oxygen, helps to reduce pain, relax and prosper the birth process. Breathing exercises help to concentrate on breathing technique, which is an important factor distracting from pain. If the correct breathing technique is followed, all tissues and organs of a pregnant woman receive a sufficient amount of blood and oxygen. This excludes the so-called ischemic component of the appearance of pain, there is pain arising from a lack of blood in certain tissues or organs (such pain, for example, occurs during myocardial infarction, but is also important during childbirth). In addition, proper breathing has a relaxing and calming effect.

Often in the stress of childbirth, many women forget the breathing techniques they were taught during pregnancy. Therefore, it is necessary to bring the skills of respiratory movements to automatism with regular training.

Breathing exercises

during pregnancy

Expectant mothers are advised to devote about 10 minutes a day to breathing exercises. First, you should master the basic types of breathing at rest, and then you can train in motion, for example, when walking. Subsequently, it is necessary to perform breathing exercises in different poses: sitting, lying on your side, standing, bending over, with emphasis on hands, on all fours, etc. In childbirth, in the absence of contraindications, with the permission of the attending doctor, you will choose the most comfortable and suitable position for you.

When performing breathing exercises, as well as when using certain types of breathing during childbirth, due to excessive ventilation of the lungs, dizziness can occur. Its cause is a decrease in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, you should hold your breath for 10-20 seconds and allow carbon dioxide to accumulate, which is a natural irritant of the respiratory center of the brain.

Breath types during childbirth

The most important during pregnancy is relaxing (relaxing) breathing, which can be useful during labor, especially at the very beginning of labor. Relaxation breathing has an analgesic effect, helps to restore strength in the intervals between contractions.

Sit comfortably (it is better to sit on a chair), straighten your shoulders, raise your head. To control the correctness of the breathing movements, it is recommended to put your hands on the upper abdomen, partially above the lower ribs. Inhalations and exhalations should not be tense, perform breathing exercises easily, without effort. Almost any breathing exercise begins with a full exhalation, with which tension is released.

During relaxation breathing after a full exhalation, slowly, smoothly relaxing the muscles of the abdominal press and the pelvic floor, calmly inhale the air through the nose, feeling how it enters the lower sections of the lungs (the abdominal wall moves forward). Then just as calmly exhale the air through your mouth - the stomach is "blown away" at the same time. The exhalation should be slightly longer than the inhalation. Do not force the deepest possible breathing, as this can cause tension in the diaphragm, abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, intercostal muscles. Your task is to completely relax all muscle groups. When you manage to completely relax, your breathing will become slow, even, quiet. Such breathing is observed in humans during sleep. Therefore, relaxation breathing helps the expectant mother to calm down and fall asleep.

During childbirth

The beginning of the first stage of labor is considered the appearance of regular contractions. At first, they are quite weak and short-lived. To facilitate contractions, the so-called "slow", or economical, breathing is used. This is deep breathing, characterized by a slow change in the phases of inhalation and exhalation, a long exhalation. It is necessary to master the practice of slow breathing even during pregnancy. It is based on the optimization of the ratio between the "inhale - exhale" cycles and the heartbeat, which ensures the best supply of oxygen to the body. The heartbeat is not amenable to self-control, although reflexively, when breathing is regulated, the heart rate may change. Breathing can be learned to control.

When teaching economical breathing, one should gradually (!), About a week, lengthen the exhalation. Do it under pulse control. Usually, the inspiratory and expiratory phases have the same number of pulse beats (for example, 3 for inhalation and 3 for exhalation). Due to the lengthening of the exhalation, this phase of the respiratory cycle should have twice as many pulse beats (in our example - 6). This is the optimal ratio characteristic of economical breathing. To determine the pulse, you need to lightly press three fingers of one hand to the inside of the wrist of the other hand from the side of the thumb.

So, during childbirth, at the very beginning of the contraction, one should exhale through the mouth, relieve tension, then, inhaling through the nose, breathe in the “economical breathing” mode: a calm breath and a long, calm exhalation.

Between contractions, especially when they are not yet very frequent, relaxation breathing should be used, trying to relax and rest as much as possible.

With the increase in contractions, the analgesic effect of slow breathing may become insufficient, although in some cases economical breathing helps until the onset of attempts characteristic of the second stage of labor. There is a rule: the stronger and longer the fight, the deeper and slower the breathing becomes.

Prolonged and frequent contractions help to make it easier to breathe like a dog. This is another type of breathing in childbirth. It is necessary to learn if nasal breathing is not difficult, or through the mouth (for many, this method is easier). You need to start with slow breathing, as the contraction intensifies, speeding it up to 1-2 breaths per second. The phases of inhalation and exhalation become approximately the same in duration, while inhalation is recommended to be done quietly, and exhalation - noisy. To prevent drying of the lips and oral cavity, it is better to cover your mouth with your palm in order to reduce the evaporation of moisture. If someone is present next to you, then you can periodically rinse your mouth with water. At the end of the fight, you should switch back to economical breathing.

Especially difficult is the moment when the baby's head begins to press hard on the tissues of the initial section of the birth canal, but it is still impossible to push (for example, if the cervix is not fully opened). In this case, as well as in the period between attempts, when the midwife gives the command not to push, in order to avoid damage to the tissues of the perineum and injuries to the child, the third type of breathing helps. It is usually recommended to carry out this breathing “on account”, but during the period of attempts it is difficult for a woman to concentrate on the account, therefore the help of her husband or other assistant who is present in the people is appropriate here. You need to start, as before, with a deep exhalation, then 4-5 superficial, shallow inhalations-exhalations follow, the last exhalation is carried out through lips folded into a tube. This exhalation is long, full: all the air is exhaled to the end. In ordinary life, there is no such type of breathing, because exhalation is carried out passively, spontaneously - only the inhalation phase is active. Exhaling through her lips, folded in a tube, a woman is forced to make an effort, switching from an attempt to a long, forced exhalation. Due to the change in phases of slow and accelerated respiratory movements, this type of breathing is also called "variable".

From the moment the cervix is fully dilated, the second stage of labor begins, during which the baby is born. During an attempt, a woman requires maximum physical effort. Not to waste strength in vain and to make attempts effective helps "pulling" breathing (the fourth type of breathing in childbirth). At the beginning of the attempt, you should take the deepest possible breath, and then swallow this air. The entire volume should press on the diaphragm, and through it - on the bottom of the uterus, as if pushing the fetus out. When there is a feeling of lack of air, you need to smoothly, slowly exhale the air and immediately inhale as deeply as possible. During exhalation, you can not take breaks and short breaths, since during them the diaphragm moves up and the effectiveness of the attempt decreases. In addition, you should control the direction of the attempt, trying not to push "in the head" so as not to waste strength. For an attempt (it lasts about a minute), the cycle of inhalations-exhalations must be repeated three times. Between attempts, they switch to slow or relaxation breathing.

At the birth of the placenta in the third stage of labor, the midwife invites the woman to push again. This attempt, as a rule, does not require significant physical effort.

It may turn out that in childbirth you need only one type of breathing. Some women, on the contrary, are helped by the use of all types of breathing movements. Regular breathing exercises during pregnancy will allow you to get used to all types of breathing and intuitively breathe in childbirth as efficiently as possible. After all, every woman, as well as every pregnancy and childbirth, is individual and there is no general universal recipe for everyone. To increase the effectiveness of training, it is recommended to do breathing exercises under the supervision of an instructor in preparation for childbirth.

Childbirth is a very difficult, exhausting and painful process for a woman. But you can help yourself, because there is an effective method to alleviate contractions. And this is not about anesthesia, but about proper breathing during childbirth. How will controlled inhalation and exhalation help you cope with a difficult task like childbirth? Let's figure it out.

Proper breathing is an assistant in childbirth

It seems to us that breathing is so easy and does not need to be learned. That's right, the respiratory reflex is unconditioned and manifests itself in the very first seconds after birth. However, breathing during childbirth has its own characteristics. It may take more than one month to fully master the breathing technique. Therefore, we advise you to start exercising as early as possible. It is recommended that pregnant women do breathing exercises for 10 minutes daily in order to bring the technique to automatism. Then at the right moment you will not forget what to do.

Proper breathing during childbirth is of great importance for the following reasons:

Focus on counting and breathing. The less you think about pain during childbirth, the easier it is to endure. Compliance with breathing technique requires you to focus on this process, distracting from pain.
Increasing the productivity of the fight. Muscles are saturated with oxygen and begin to work harder. The cervix will open easier and faster.
Saturation of the body with oxygen. Childbirth is difficult not only for the woman, but also for the baby. He may periodically experience oxygen starvation. With proper breathing, the risk of hypoxia is reduced.
Contraction and contraction control. Breathing helps reduce pain during contractions, restrain during pushing if the cervix is still closed, and push properly during childbirth.

Breathing during childbirth can be different, for each period there is its own technique. We advise you to listen to your instincts, which will tell you when to change tactics.

Breathing techniques in the first stage of labor

At this stage, the cervix dilates, and the woman gets acquainted with contractions. At first, they are barely perceptible and do not require much breathing. Further, labor activity is gaining momentum, and contractions begin to be felt stronger. The main function of proper breathing at this stage is relaxation. If a woman experiences severe stress during childbirth, then muscle spasm increases, pain increases, and the productivity of contractions decreases. Slow breathing will help you calm down. Take a deep breath in through your nose, mentally counting 1-2-3-4, then exhale through your mouth counting 1-2-3-4-5-6. Thus, the exhalation is longer than the inhalation.

rapid breathing

With an increase in the intensity of contractions, superficial and rapid mouth breathing is very effective. Take a sharp silent breath and noisy exhalation. In 10 seconds you should get 5-20 cycles. Start with slow breathing, which speeds up as the contraction intensifies. After the contraction reaches its peak, you need to reduce the speed of inhalations and exhalations.

Rapid, dog-like breathing without deep breaths is great for starting pushing. Often, the moment when you want to push, and doctors still do not allow you to do this, is considered the most difficult in childbirth. A shallow breathing technique will help to restrain attempts.

Variable breathing

If you are already exhausted, and the contractions go one after another with almost no interruptions, then the alternating breathing technique will help. Start by taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. Then increase the rate of breathing as the intensity of the contraction increases. Take a deep breath in and out through your mouth every 5 cycles of shallow breathing.

Proper breathing during the second stage of labor

The birth of a child itself is a very responsible and difficult stage, requiring full dedication from the mother. How correctly you push will determine the speed of labor and its consequences. During this period, you should carefully listen to the midwife and follow all her requirements.

First, take the deepest possible breath. This is important because the air in your lungs will push against the uterus and push the baby forward, helping you. Now begin to push, directing efforts into the perineum. For a fight, doctors recommend taking three deep breaths. Exhalation must be performed as if you are blowing out a candle.

During the rest period, you can breathe quickly and shallowly. Also, the "dog" breathing technique helps at the moment when the head was born. You are required to hold back for a while so that the midwife can turn the baby around to facilitate his birth.