Let’s begin your Relax & Breathe practice – it is a brilliant way to stay calm, to ease tiredness, headaches and any aches & pains. So many of the expectant parents I see are surprised at how much better they feel when they start to focus on their breathing.
AN INTRODUCTION TO RELAX & BREATHE
Just become aware of your breathing and any tension you might be carrying… What is your breathing like when you are tired, busy or a bit stressed? Where do you hold your tension – shoulders, jaw, hands?
What is your breathing like when you are relaxed, such as before you go to sleep at night? How does your body feel when it is relaxed and you’re not carrying any tension?
During your pregnancy
Your Relax & Breathe practice is a great way to enhance your well-being to stay calm, to ease tiredness, headaches and any aches & pains.
Calm/Relax Breathing
- Sit comfortably with as little distraction as possible – step away from your phone, switch the TV off, plan some time away from the kids…
- Focus on your in-breath – breathe in through your nose if you can. And breathe out through your mouth.
- Breathe in as deeply as you can – don’t force it – and breathe out gently, relaxing your body. Relax your forehead and your jaw, loosen your shoulders, uncurl your fingers and allow your legs and feet to be still.
- It can be helpful to think the word CALM as you breathe in and RELAX as you breathe out.
Relax & Breathe techniques can be a very effective way to manage low mood, tiredness, anxiety and panic.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, anxious or tired, it can be helpful to spend a few minutes focusing on calming your breathing and relaxing the muscles in your body. This can be an effective way of heading off panic – slowing your breathing down slows your heart-rate down to a gentler pace which means you’re not creating too much adrenaline.
Slow your breathing down to a pace that is comfortable for you – don’t force it – and breathe in as deeply as you can and then breathe out gently and slowly. As you breathe out, relax your body so you are not holding onto any tension.
PREPARATION FOR YOUR CONTRACTIONS
1. Start to focus on your breathing several times throughout the day
This helps to enhance your practice during your pregnancy so it becomes more familiar as you prepare for labour and birth. The aim is to use your relax & breathe techniques for a minute or two at a time – try to link it with something you do regularly throughout your day, such as every time you go to the loo.
Take a deep in-breath, imagine that breath going right down to your baby. Have a long, gentle out-breath – and let go of any tension you might be holding on to: loosen your jaw, relax your shoulders, uncurl your fingers and allow your muscles to be still, so there’s no fidgety movements.
2. Practise your breathing in alternative positions
To help you feel relaxed, to ease aches and pains and as part of your preparation for birth.
*Sitting on a birth/gym ball
*Kneeling on the floor and leaning into a ball
*Standing
*Leaning into the wall
*Sitting on a ball/chair with your head resting on a table
Focus on what your breathing feels like in the different positions, as well as relaxing your body so you are not carrying any tension.
If it doesn’t feel comfortable – listen to your body and change position.
3. Practise your relax and breathe techniques with noise in the background
You could have the TV on or you could use louder music. It’s a great way to practice when you are not in a relaxed setting because labour, birth and babies are not particularly relaxing and you are going to need these skills for calm and to manage pain.
4. Keep practising your relax & breath techniques while just sitting for 20 minutes with no phone or other distractions.
Force yourself to sit there – as comfortably as possible – this is a great way to practise just breathing.
5. Let your imagination take over…
Focus on your breathing and allow your mind to wander to somewhere that makes you feel comfortable, safe and relaxed.
Relax your body and let your senses explore where your head has taken you: What can you feel? What can you hear? What can you see? There may also be a taste or a smell.
See if this helps you to relax you and to focus on your breathing. If this does work for you, it is a technique worth practising and using with your contractions and if you are feeling overwhelmed or panicky.
Links To Relax & Breathe Modules:
Relax & Breathe in Pregnancy And For Birth Preparation
Relax & Breathe For Labour And Birth
Relax & Breathe For New Mums
Relax & Breathe Downloads
REMEMBER…
- Knowing how to use your breathing for focus and calm is essential if your plan changes. It may be that some of your options change and you have to refocus or a medical intervention may be necessary.
- If you should reach a point during your labour where you have to place yourself in the hands of a medical team, you have to trust them to do their job and all you can both do is use your breathing to stay calm.
- Use your breathing regularly each day – it will boost your well-being as well as giving you essential skills for your pregnancy, labour and birth and when you are with your baby.
Janine Smith | a specialist in pregnancy, birth and early parenting
Get in touch to arrange an online appointment to talk through your birth and baby preparation
Welcome To Your Antenatal Course
1. Labour
2. Birth
3. Pain Management
4. Labour & Birth Challenges
5. Meeting Your Baby
6. Your New Baby
7. Relax & Breathe Resources
antenatal & postnatal specialist 
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