Breathing

Learning the proper breathing techniques to be followed during labour can help you in several ways, from staying focused, dealing with contraction pain, helping your labour to progress faster, to even conserving some of your energy for the pushing stage.

During birthing classes you would have been taught some of these techniques, including:

Often different breathing techniques are more suitable for certain stages of labour. During early labour it’s best to inhale and exhale slowly during your contractions. During active labour it’s best to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth and once contractions become extremely intense, panting through the last bit of each contraction can help you cope with the pain better. During the pushing stage don’t hold your breath during contractions. Take a deep breath in when a contraction comes and exhale slowly as you push.

Practising these exercises with your partner ahead of time is a great way to prepare for labour. Your partner will be able to guide you during labour to use the proper technique and even breathe with you, giving you something to focus on during extremely intense contractions.