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During pregnancy, we often focus on our breath. For many it is the first time we may become aware of our own breath and how powerful it can be.
We tend to focus on prenatal breathing techniques as natural pain and stress relievers. Which is of course one of the many wonderful uses of the breath. But breath awareness and breathing techniques – called Pranayama – offer so much more.
The first thing we do when we are born is to take that first independent breath. It is the last thing we will do before we die. And in between is every single breath we take of which we are often completely unaware.
When you begin to notice your breath, a few subtle changes start to happen. At first you will be so caught up in trying to ‘examine’ your breath that you will find it quite difficult, maybe even mildly irritating. What’s the point you may think.
This is good! This is concentration, the forerunner of meditation and conscious breathing is a form of meditation. It’s normal and even beneficial to get impatient with the breath in the beginning. You may not really understand what you are doing or what you should be feeling. When you accept this stage and start to relax more into your own rhythm of breathing, it automatically becomes that little bit easier and more logical. You may become aware of patterns in your own breathing – shallow breathing, short exhalations, etc., or you may find that you straight away have an affinity with your breath.
Practicing simple breathing techniques can eventually provoke an instant, almost pavlovian response in the mind and body. This can happen often without your awareness, until one day you surprise yourself by breathing deeply while stuck in gridlock.
You will find that the whole body will start to relax, the muscles release their tension and the mind feels soothed by the breath.
When you start to use the breath as a concentration technique you become aware of a change in your state of consciousness, a detachment from ordinary awareness. Many systems of meditation use focus on breath as the main technique.
How Breath helps us in labour
Most prenatal and pregnancy yoga classes will focus on the benefits of the breath and Pranayama. When we first learn how to use the breath to our advantage, a short daily practice can make a huge difference to how you feel both physically and mentally.
Some of the benefits are:
- Calms, reduces stress, lowers the heart rate and enables the body to relax.
- Expands breathing capacity, important during labour to enable deeper breaths.
- Tones the whole system, especially the deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
- Increases space within the thoracic area, making room for two to ‘breathe’ as the baby grows towards your ribcage.
- Full breaths and long exhalations delivers more oxygen and removes more CO2.
- Increased self-awareness and ability to listen to how the body feels.
- Excellent method of concentration, leading to better focus during labour.
- Deep and long exhalations can relax the muscles during labour and help the birth.
- Deep breathing is used to tone the pelvic floor after birth.
Breathing techniques for pregnancy and labour
A simple frequent practice of one or two breathing techniques that you enjoy is the best way to get the most benefit during your pregnancy. Set aside 5 to ten minutes if you can at a time that suits you. If you can work up to 15 or 20 minutes you will get even better results. But try to make it a pleasure rather than a chore. Don’t feel you need to master every technique. Just one that works for you is better than a few that you’re not sure about.
Postures for breathing:
- Lying down or on your side in foetal position
- Wide-legged kneeling supported with cushions
- Simple cross-legged pose, supported and against wall if back is tired
- Supported sitting with legs stretched out in front of you
- Seated on a supportive chair
The goal in any posture is to keep the spine long and the chest wide and open, allowing more air to flow in and out of the body.
Breath Awareness
Begin with a deep, audible sigh, then quietly inhale and see how slow, deep and regular you can make your breathing. Do this for at least 8 breaths, then open your eyes and breathe normally.
Next, pay attention to your exhalation. Exhalation is usually passive and takes less time than inhalation. When you breathe this way, you do not move nearly as much air in and out of your lungs as you can. The more air you move, the healthier you will be, because the functioning of all systems of the body depends on delivery of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide. To get more air into your lungs, concentrate on getting more air out of them by focusing on the exhalation. At the end of a normal breath try squeezing more air out. You will be using your intercostal muscles to do this, and you will feel the effort as they compress the rib cage. Try to make your exhalation as long or even slightly longer than inhalation.
Complete Breath
The complete breath is a very powerful and energising breath. Just three complete breaths can make a difference to how you feel in a very short space of time. This breath activates the diaphragm and the lungs and is very useful in the early stages of labour.
The complete breath is broken down into: abdominal breathing (hands on belly); thoracic breathing (hands to ribcage) and clavicular breathing (fingertips on collarbones).
You take a complete breath from the abdomen all the way to the collarbones, feeling the ribcage open and expand with the inhalation. As you exhale, the breath travels down from the collarbones into the lower abdomen. The breath should be smooth and never forced.
You can also use visualisation here – seeing the in-breath as a painkiller and the out-breath allowing the pain to pass away.
Ujjayi
A classical pranayama, Ujjayi is good for insomnia and panic. It also builds strength, soothes the nerves and lowers blood pressure. It is a very healing and profound breathing practice. Known as victory breath, it is achieved by breathing in and out of the nose while slightly constricting the throat creating a silent whisper sound which is very meditative and deep. As the breath moves in, gently contract the back of the throat (glottis), allowing the breath to pass out in its own time with throat in same position.
Nadi Sodhana
Another classical pranayama, Nadi Sodhana is alternate nostril breathing. It is balancing and calming.
Golden Thread
Useful for labour, relaxing and quietening and helps insomnia and nerves.
It involves breathing in and out through the nose and imagining a golden thread lengthening across the room from the nostrils with each out-breath. This breath helps to focus the mind outside the body during labour.
Blowing a Feather
Another nice visualisation, imagine a small soft feather between your thumb and index finger and gently blow it away through pursed lips. Feel the cooling air through your lips on the exhalation. A good technique for labour.