The Most POWERFUL Relaxation Techniques For Labor : Every Mama Needs to Know!

Birth is one of the most significant days of any pregnant mama 's life! Agree? Yes we often think , and dream about it. Mama did you know labor and birth IS REALLY MENTAL! Yes! Where the mind leads the body follows. Mindset mama is MAJOR. MINSET MATTERS!!

And this is the reason why I am here today. I have met so many mamas during my practice who come into labor terrified of what labor will do with them. They feel as if they have no power over the nature of labor when they truly do. Mama I am here to empower you for the best experience on your .

God has not given us the spirit of fear. ( II Timothy 1:7 ) Breathing techniques are needed, therefore in this article, you’ll learn about the benefits of breathing techniques for birth, as well as six effective ways to breathe during birth.Additionally, we’ll get into some specific relaxation techniques for labor, too!

Why learn about breathing and relaxation strategies ahead of birth?

This is the situation, mother. Whether you want to give birth without an epidural or with one, you'll need to manage some labor discomfort, so planning natural pain relief techniques is essential. And what's this? The use of breathing and relaxation techniques during labor is an incredibly useful tool! It's crucial to stock your birthing toolkit with as many techniques as you can. Our birth classes with Maternal Treasures include a session on breathing! But this post will serve as asuper introduction. Let's go mama!

Breathing during childbirth and labor is everything!

We use the force of breathing in all part of life, and when it comes to giving birth, I'd even argue it's the most useful tool for dealing with the intense agony of labor. Our ability to calm and center our minds depends on our ability to pay attention to and control our breathing, which is basically what gives us life. And let us not forget; we are breathing God's breathe And how did God do this? Genesis 2 :7 provides a closer look: “The LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” So mama we gifted with the breathe of God.

Breathing is a key component of meditation as you are surely aware, and it is recommended as a coping strategy for problems with anxiety, anger, and other mental health issues. We teach it to children to help them cope with strong emotions, and we unconsciously use the breath in many ways to gather our thoughts and center ourselves. It comes into play in so many ways as we experience life. it changes when we are happy, and sad. In labor it is no different.

Why is breathing so effective for managing pain and other uncomfortable feelings?

The fight-or-flight reflex, which is a normal response in all human bodies, includes a shift in respiration. Because deep breathing activates the area of our neurological system that increases blood oxygenation, our brains essentially modify our breathing automatically under stressful situations.

Endorphins are then released in our brain as a result of this (source). All of that is just a fancy way of explaining that taking deep breaths actually causes our bodies to generate more soothing, happy hormones, which reduces the sense of pain.

The concept of using your breath (using the strategies outlined below) and this natural fight-or-flight response is what I want you to consider as you read. This natural fight or flight response, is a means to manage pain, anxiety, and fear during your upcoming birth!

Benefits of patterned breathing for birth

Patterned breathing is a term that frequently appears when discussing the use of breath as a tool for controlling pain and mood. In essence, patterned breathing is a catch-all phrase that refers to a variety of techniques you can use to control your breath to achieve a certain goal. With patterned breathing, you deliberately change the speed, depth, and frequency of your breaths to induce calm and concentration. And employing these methods during the first and second stages of labor has a ton of advantages! Let's look at this:

Deep breathing techniques are used to lessen labor pain perception and are linked to a quicker second stage of delivery (the pushing part!)
In laboring women, certain breathing practices may lessen perineal injury.
Attending a childbirth class that emphasizes non-medical pain management techniques, such as breathing exercises, is linked to a decrease in the need for medical intervention during labor
Pregnant women may require fewer medical interventions if they acquire specialized breathing and relaxation techniques as well as fundamental knowledge about the physiology of birth.
During the first and second stages of labor, pattern breathing can provide moms a feeling of control, strength, energy, and purpose .

7 Amazing labor-friendly breathing methods

So mama, now that you are aware of the effectiveness of proper breathing, let's look at some specific methods! During labor, you will need to choose which breathing strategies suit YOU the best. I'm reluctant to advise you to utilize one technique over another because I really believe that everyone responds differently. However, I can state with certainty that I want you to do this before going into labor.

Breathing and relaxation techniques

Breathing as a means of pain and emotional management is a skill and it’s a skill we want to develop and master before the big day. Here’s a few tips on how to practice:

Holding an ice cube while inhaling is a good idea! With this exercise, you can really test your breathing techniques because the ice cube definitely hurts and sets off a stress response.
Utilize meditation to assist with breathing exercises. I encourage all my clients to perform plenty of meditation, and Bible scriptures to ease my worries and anxiety during pregnancy. I must say meditating on God's word was so empowering! You see mama God's word is spirit and it is life to those who find it. I would suggest that you look for some of your favorite scriptures to meditate on. It is truly powerful.

TRUST YOUR LABOR DAY TO THE LIVING GOD!! He will keep you safe from all harm.Proverbs [5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Driving is an additional opportunity for practice. Lol!, don't let your relaxed state cause you to become inattentive. But at this time of day, you might be by yourself and able to concentrate on your breathing.
Some women also like to use different scents to enhance progress, lavender, and peppermint are known to help out, but you can use whatever scent you prefer.I wish I knew this when I had my kids.Lavender would have definitely been packed in my hospital bag.
Use these strategies to aid in your sleep. You guys, pregnancy sleeplessness is real. Developing and using these breathing techniques could help resolve sleep issues.

Let me now show you how this can be accomplished:

#1. SLOW, DEEP, BELLY BREATHING

Slowly take a breath in through your nose and let it all out through your mouth and then sigh with ahhhh

Wait until your body begins to breathe normally again.

With each deep inhalation, concentrate on filling your body with air while letting your belly expand. (source) .With each breath, try to concentrate on relaxing a different area of your body, moving from your head to your toes or vice versa. This is a trick that many mothers find helpful.

#2. ADVANCED LIGHT BREATHING

Many people use this method as their contractions get stronger.

Breathe in and out lightly through your mouth only as your breathing rate rises toward the peak of your contraction.

Try not to breathe any faster than this rate; instead, keep your breathing shallow and light at a rate of about one breath per second.Not every woman finds this to be comforting at the height of a contraction, while others would rather continue concentrating on their slow, deep belly breathing. Try it out and see if it works for you!

#3. TRAVELING /TRANSITIONAL BREATHES

Using this technique, you inhale lightly and exhale deeply. In movies and other forms of media, birth breathing is frequently depicted in this way (hee-hee-who).

To achieve this, you must breathe through your mouth throughout the contraction at a pace of 5–20 breaths every 10 seconds in mild, shallow breaths.

You'll then exhale a long, slow breath after a few of these shallow ones.

#4. CLEANSING BREATHS

Cleaning breaths are practically the same as the above-described slow, deep belly breathing. This breathing technique is Really helpful during labor and is frequently taught to alleviate tension and anxiety. In order to get the most air possible, you just need to breathe deeply through your nose. Then, when you exhale, really pay attention to emptying your lungs entirely.

#6. PACED BREATHING TECHNIQUES

You can regulate how long you inhale, hold your breath, and exhale by using timed breathing techniques. There are a few various approaches to take, and you can choose the one that works best for you:

4-7-8 Breathing: Breathe in for 4 seconds through your nose, hold for 7 seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.

Square or Box Breathing: You do this by inhaling, holding your breath, and exhaling slowly. You can adjust this breathing technique for as long as it is comfortable for you to do so. Most individuals use a 4-4-4 rhythm, but any period between 2 and 6 seconds will fine.

extended exhalations When using this breathing technique, you want to exhale twice as long. For e.g. breathe in for 4 seconds then do an extended exhale for 8 seconds.

#7. VARIATION BREATHING

In "variation" breathing, you solely breathe via your nose while keeping your mouth closed and placing the tip of your tongue where your teeth meet the roof of your mouth. Due to the fact that it compels you to maintain your jaw relaxed, this tongue placement is AMAZING for labor. Moreover, a relaxed mouth leads to a wider pelvis!

HERE'S ADDITIONAL ADVICE FOR BREATHING DURING LABOR:

Using the color breathing technique, see a hue entering your body as you take a breath in, then picture that color leaving your body or shifting as you exhale. This can be modified to involve breathing in anything you wish to fill your body with, such as warmth or strength.
Imaginative / visual breathing
With this approach, you'll link your breathing to a visualization of birth, such as flowers in bloom or waves crashing on a beach.
Breathing while saying encouraging words: You basically need to breathe in one sentence and out another to accomplish this.Many mama including me adore: Taking in confidence, exhaling energy
Not everyone likes nitrous oxide, because it can interfere with breathing. While others find it helpful in removing pain. I encourage you to keep your vocalizations deep and low (instead of shallow or high-pitched) for MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS.

2 Types of Ways to Push Baby Out:

#1. PUSHING WHILE OPEN GLOTTIS

A medical professional and/or support person is there when pushing with an open glottis to give you advice on how to trust your body and to provide you with assistance.

When you have the urge to bear down or poop, you push. Additionally, most women inhale deeply after each push.

During each contraction, you'll likely push 3 to 5 times for almost 5 seconds each time. You might groan or make a deep noise when pushing. This relates to the idea of vocalizing during contractions as well; I believe, those loud, deep noises indicate that you are pushing really well!
With open glottis pushing, blood flow to your uterus and the baby is unaffected, therefore there is less possibility that the baby's heart rate may fluctuate.
Additionally, there is a lower risk of exhaustion, and tears. This is what we want! Right mama?

#2. DIRECTED PUSHING

Guided pushing is the type of pushing you typically see or hear in TV shows and movies, and that you might even think is more common in hospital settings.With guided pushing, you will be coached to hold your breath for 6-10 seconds, bear down like you are pooping, and push about 3ish times with each contraction.
You may be asked not to make any noise while you push, which helps guide all your energy/breath towards your bottom where you are pushing.
With guided pushing, the blood flow to your uterus and baby can decrease, which can raise the chance that your baby will have heart rate changes.
There is also a higher chance that you will feel so tired you can’t push anymore, and a higher chance that you’ll tear.

A DISCUSSION OF THESE TWO PUSHING MECHANISMS

So mama, you might be asking why open glottis pushing isn't more common if it's better for you and the baby. So let's discuss it. Open glottis pushing is fantastic, and we support it whenever possible, especially when a mother is giving delivery without the use of an epidural. Pushing with an open glottis has only one significant drawback: it NORMALLY lengthens the pushing process. This is fine, but if the baby is unsteady, we can ask you to push more forcefully under our guidance. Additionally, pushing the open glottis is more difficult if you have an epidural since it can be challenging to feel the contraction waves and pace the pushing instinctively.

Relaxation tips and techniques for labor

So, while we’re talking about breathing techniques for labor, I also want to include a discussion of relaxation, too! The main purpose of focusing on breath in labor is to:

Relieve the perception of pain and reduce anxiety. And
Promoting a sense of relaxation can do the same!

Mama , these simple things I am telling you that these are so powerful and they work! I charge you to give them a try.

Directed imagery and visualization

The importance of visualization and guided imagery cannot be overstated, as I briefly touched on above in the supplementary breathing advice. You can perform visions that take you somewhere else or you can sync them with your breathing, like I indicated before. Staying focused and aware of your purpose during labor is key mama.

#1. GUIDED IMAGERY TO A NATURE SPOT IS GREAT!

What do you see mama! One suggestion I have is to pick a location you adore and are very familiar with, preferably in nature. Ideally, this is a location that your support person or partner is quite familiar with. You can try to picture yourself there while you're in labor, feel the breeze, and take in the smells. Your partner can describe it if you're into that kind of thing.

During active labor, this can be a fantastic source of diversion. ANOTHER option is to try combining your distortions with visualizations. Although I have stated it in the breathing part, it bears mentioning again here. It's common to compare contractions to waves or surges. To help you endure the pain, attempt to associate each contraction with a mental image. This works great with water ripples, ocean waves, and in-bloom flowers.

#2. ALSO MAMA - Meditation and prayer during birth are very empowering

I highly recommend the word of God and pray during your labor. God's word has worked for me in so many ways not only in labor but also in my everyday life. It is powerful because it is alive! I often encourage my clients to use it and it always bring deliverance, calmness and peace. The word of God is life.

The scripture says in John 6:63 " My words are Spirit and it is LIFE". I am proof that it works.

So fond some of your favs and begin to meditate and let it go down deep into your spirit. Additionally, Hebrews 4:12 states "12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Here we see that the word of God can be used to bring results to heal us in the time we need it.Here are some powerful scriptures you can use to meditate on during your labor.

Generally speaking, I love music! I think it is a wonderful tool to use during labor. I have worked with some moms who prefer silence and those who love music during birtham aware that many mothers prefer silence while they are giving birth, however soothing music or even soundscapes with a natural theme can greatly help mothers relax and concentrate.

I really enjoy that you may utilize music to build the mood that suits YOUR personality when giving birth. So if you prefer music that is quiet and serene, choose some Enya or classical music, but if you prefer cheerful music or want to feel energized, choose something more upbeat. RESEARCH ENDORCES THE USE OF MUSIC IN THE WORKPLACE .

All of this has some actual validity. In a study and analysis of 14 studies published in 2019 that examined the impact of music on childbirth, it was discovered that using it could help you feel less nervous while giving birth! Totally awesome.

According to a 2003 study, “Soft music decreased both sensation and distress of active labor pain in the first three hours and delayed increases in the distress of pain for an hour. For some participants relief was fairly substantial.”

Many people experienced a significant comfort. Hence, I encourage you to begin making those playlists for your labor. Keep in mind that words in music, voice and tone matters in labor.Listen to the words and not just the sound.If the words and sound are good then they will also do your labor good.

#3. Try various lighting choices

Mama did you know the worst lights are in hospitals? Thankfully, labor and delivery units have advanced significantly, and labor rooms in many hospitals do have several illumination settings that may dim, for example. Still, some people only have those annoying fluorescent overhead lights. Keep an eye out for and inquire about the lighting in the labor rooms on your hospital tour. I strongly advise bringing your own alternatives if the hospital doesn't provide dimmable, soft lights. Some moms bring dimmable lamps, white sparkling lights, tiny electric candles, and other things. When it comes to labor relaxation, mood is essential, and lighting can make or break the atmosphere in a room.

#4. Affirmations for birth

You will hear me talk a LOT about the mental aspect of giving birth if you attend my Birth Like a Pro Virtual Class. One of our greatest resources for a better, happier delivery is our thinking! And one of my favorite methods for accessing that mental fortitude is through birth affirmations.

Affirmations for birth are simply phrases or remarks that are uplifting and can boost your confidence.

You can recite them often before giving birth (and, yes, saying them aloud makes ALL the difference) and use them to help you concentrate and unwind while you are in labor. As a reminder, I advise making them readily visible throughout labor (postings or banners are great!).

Attempt to get your support to repeat them to you as well! Listed below are a few that I adore:
"Millions of women have done this and so can I"
"This cannot last forever"
"Every contraction serves a function."
Breathe in courage, breathe out strength.
"I am proud of myself, no matter how this birth turns out. "
"Relax my body, let go of the stress."
"I'll soon meet my little star,"
"All things are working together for my good"
"I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me the strength"
" Greater is He that is within me, than he that is in the world"

Meditation for today: