Breathing techniques for labor and delivery
Breathing techniques for labor and delivery
As your due date draws nearer, learn and practice controlled breathing techniques for pain management during childbirth. Concentrating on your breathing will help distract you from pain, relax both your muscles and your mind, and keep your oxygen supply up.
If you haven't learned specific breathing techniques (such as Lamaze) in a childbirth education class, practice the following breathing patterns before you go into labor:
- In early labor, use abdominal breathing, at about 6 to 9 breaths per minute. As you inhale, expand your abdomen outward; as you exhale, relax your abdomen downward.
- As your contractions become more intense, exhale in a "pant-pant-blow" pattern, about 6 cycles per minute.
Credits
| Author | Kathe Gallagher, MSW |
| Author | Lila Havens |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Michele Cronen |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Last Updated | December 19, 2005 |
| Last updated: | December 19, 2005 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Lila Havens |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Michele Cronen |
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