Respiratory techniques during pregnancy and childbirth. Exercises to dilate the cervix before childbirth. Breathing during labor

As the expected date of birth approaches, pregnant women think about how this process will go. Women who are pregnant for the first time worry the most. In this article, we have tried to answer some of the most exciting questions of every expectant mother: how should you behave correctly in order to alleviate your condition and at the same time not harm the child? Most pregnant women have heard of a special breathing technique during childbirth. But how to breathe properly? Almost all antenatal clinics offer special courses for pregnant women, where, in addition to general knowledge about the childbirth process, they also teach correct technique breathing. In this article, you will learn about some breathing techniques during childbirth, if your antenatal clinic there were no such courses.

Correct breathing helps to facilitate labor during labor, improving cervical dilatation and making labor more productive. Correct breathing exercises provide oxygen to the fetus, which is extremely necessary for the child.

With what it can be connected?

When a woman is focused on breathing technique, she complies with all the requirements of the doctor and thinks less about pain, and this speeds up the opening of the cervix, which speeds up the process of childbirth. In addition, proper adherence to breathing techniques helps to reduce pain and greatly facilitates the process of childbirth due to muscle relaxation.

Breathing technique during childbirth

The breathing technique during childbirth is not at all similar to our breathing in everyday life. It is better to master this technique long before childbirth, so that at the right time everything is brought to automaticity. It is advisable to devote about 10-15 minutes a day to breathing exercises, so you can quickly master all breathing techniques, and at the most crucial moment you will definitely not be confused. But, it should be remembered that you should not do breathing exercises for longer than 15 minutes, as dizziness may occur.
There is a different breathing technique for each stage of labor. But, here's what you can't do at any stage of labor:

• Shrink;
• Shout;
• Strain.

Why shouldn't you strain? Excessive tension prevents the cervix from opening properly, which slows down the labor process. And this can cause fetal hypoxia (oxygen starvation).

How to breathe correctly during childbirth

You need to learn how to control the process of inhalation and exhalation.
It is important to observe the following rule: frequent shallow breathing with an open mouth. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

Breathing during childbirth: contractions

• At the beginning of the first stage of labor, while the contractions are still weak, you need to inhale air through the nose slowly, in four counts. And you need to exhale even more slowly, counting to six. It is easier to say that the exhalation should be two counts longer than the inhalation. This helps to relax the muscles and allows the woman in labor to calm down, saturating her body with oxygen, and, accordingly, the body of the fetus.
• Later, the contractions will become more intense, and the breathing technique becomes different. Breathing must be accelerated, but at the same time, it must be shallow. This breathing technique is called dog breathing. Breathing in and out is done with the mouth open, as dogs normally breathe during a hot period.
• During the opening of the cervix, when the pain at the moment of contractions becomes pronounced, another breathing technique is applicable - the "train": at the beginning of the contraction, you need to breathe quickly and shallowly, inhale through the nose and exhale quickly through the mouth, folding the lips into a tube. When the contraction is over, breathing should become quieter.

Breathing during labor: pushing

• When attempts begin, you need to carefully listen to your obstetrician-gynecologist and clearly follow his advice. You need to push when you need it, and when the push recedes, be sure to rest. At the moment of pushing, which lasts an average of 1 minute, you should take a deep breath and push while holding your breath, while trying to put pressure on the uterus, and later exhale.
• Most efficient technique breathing during the "candle breathing" effort. With this technique, you need to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth as if you were blowing out a candle.
• It is important at the time of the eruption of the head to breathe freely or to use the "dog-like" breathing technique. The doctor will also tell you about this when the eruption of the fetal head begins.
• If you breathe correctly during attempts, then in three or four attempts the baby will be born.

Dry mouth may occur when breathing through the mouth. You cannot drink during childbirth, but you can rinse your mouth with water.

So, childbirth is an important and crucial moment, which ends with the appearance of a baby. And so that this process goes quickly and with the least unpleasant sensations, it is important to follow the breathing technique and doctor's recommendations.

Breathing during childbirth

Since I do not go to courses for pregnant women, I decided to collect information about breathing during childbirth myself. It turned out to be quite simple. During pregnancy, it is advisable to do breathing exercises for 10 minutes every day. Consistent mastering of the program will give better results than haphazard lessons.

How to breathe during childbirth is a matter of technology!

For those who will give birth for the first time and, like me, do not attend any newfangled courses, for the time being it remains a mystery how the birth goes. Breathing, technique and other wisdom are also under seven seals, until everything actually begins. But it is better to prepare in advance, because breathing in childbirth plays an important role.

Here's a plan to follow:

1 week of training - abdominal breathing training and the first attempts at economical;

2 week of classes - improving abdominal and full breathing training;

3 week of classes - full and abdominal breathing; advanced level of management;

4 week of classes - improvement and consolidation of all types.

Having mastered these exercises, we add another five minutes - a "rehearsal" of childbirth. Work through all the exercises in advance! Then it will be much easier for you later in the process of giving birth, you will feel more confident and calmer! In any case, the future does not scare me so much, at least I will understand what the obstetricians want from me, how to breathe, and so on. Although these exercises alone, of course, are not enough, gymnastics and so on are also suitable. But now we are not talking about this, but about how to breathe!

What are the actual exercises?

Breathing types:

Abdominal: maximum cleansing exhalation. Such that there was a feeling that the abdomen "rooted" to the back. On exhalation, it is necessary to smoothly relax the abdominal muscles.

Full: cleansing exhale and inhalation along with raising the arms. Exhale slowly, while lowering the arms. Pause and repeat. We breathe through our nose!

Economical: increase the duration of exhalation. We master it gradually. We try to use this type of breathing during gymnastics.

The lengthening of inhalation and exhalation: having mastered the economical, we learn this too.

Birthing rehearsal exercises:

"Slow, thrifty breathing" is effective at the beginning of labor. During the contraction, a deep cleansing exhalation is made, then a full inhalation. At the end of the fight, everything is repeated.

"Dog-style" - breathing during the fight itself. Frequent, shallow breathing (breathing longer than 20-30 seconds is not recommended).

For the period when it is still impossible to push, but already want to: before the contraction, slow, economical breathing, then "like a dog", and then a strong exhalation. Exit on count three.

For pushing - at the beginning we breathe like in a fight, then we exhale and push with all our strength with a full sigh!

Respiratory gymnastics and relaxation during childbirth

In order for your body to be physically ready for childbirth, special gymnastic and breathing exercises, as well as muscle relaxation exercises, must be done during pregnancy.
Not only to learn these exercises and start using them in childbirth. It is necessary to master them during pregnancy and bring the skill of execution to automatism!

The first thing that pregnant women pay attention to in breathing is deep inner relaxation, calming the emotional background and freeing the head from thoughts. As a result, the process of self-regulation and self-healing begins.

Breathing exercises for pregnant women are very effective for:

removing the increased tone of the uterus,

soNormal "\u003e improvement of placental blood circulation,

removal of fetal hypoxia, elimination of toxicosis.

Respiratory gymnastics during pregnancy is an extremely necessary and useful thing: being very important element preparation for the crucial moment of childbirth, it has at the same time and independent value. The fact is that the breathing of a pregnant woman is quite peculiar. The growing uterus displaces organs abdominal cavity and the diaphragm upwards, as a result of which the movement of the diaphragm becomes difficult, the volume of the lungs decreases. The body of the pregnant woman must adapt to this, because the baby growing in the uterus requires more and more oxygen (the need for oxygen by the end of pregnancy increases by more than 30-40%). The chest expands, the reserve expiratory volume decreases (the amount of air that a person can additionally exhale after a calm exhalation), the vital capacity of the lungs (the maximum volume of air exhaled after the deepest inhalation - efficiency, as engineers would say) slightly increases, increases and the minute volume of respiration. In addition, the body of a pregnant woman adapts to the increased demand for oxygen and by strengthening the heart and increasing the number of red blood cells (red blood cells) - oxygen carriers. Performing special breathing exercises during pregnancy helps the body adapt faster and more fully to new demands.

It is advisable to perform breathing exercises daily, either by including them in the gymnastics complex1 (between physical exercises and at the end of the complex), or in the process of relaxation, or as an independent group of exercises. The total duration of breathing exercises should not exceed 10 minutes per day. This limitation is due to the fact that in pregnant women, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood is already decreasing, and frequent breathing will reduce it even more, which can lead to dizziness. If during breathing exercises you feel dizzy, inhale and do not exhale, if possible, 20-30 seconds - the dizziness will pass.

Breathing exercises can be divided into static and dynamic. The former are performed only by the respiratory muscles, the latter - with any movement (walking, turning, bending). First you need to learn how to perform static exercises, and after learning how to use breathing skills when moving. The main thing is not to hold your breath while moving.
Exercise group I - mastering abdominal and full breathing

In women, the predominant type of breathing is chest breathing - that is, the lungs are filled with air due to the lifting of the collarbones and the divergence of the upper ribs. At the same time, the diaphragm is minimally involved in breathing - its displacement is sometimes only 1 cm. In this regard, the organs of the abdominal cavity located below are not subjected to effective massage. For comparison: with abdominal and full breathing, the displacement of the diaphragm reaches 7-13 cm, while an intensive massage of the liver, gallbladder, stomach and intestines occurs, which stimulates their work and removes many factors of discomfort during pregnancy, helps the outflow of blood from the lower extremities, organs of the small pelvis, which means it helps to prevent varicose veins and venous stasis.

Abdominal breathing. It may sound strange, but any breathing exercise should begin with a maximum cleansing exhalation. You need to exhale so that even the muscles of the perineum are drawn in, and the stomach is "attached" (as far as possible) to the back. After that, gently relax your abdominal muscles. In this case, the abdomen (previously retracted) protrudes moderately forward (you can control this process by placing your palms on the area under the ribs) and the lower parts of the lungs are passively, without effort, filled with air. All attention should be concentrated on the hands, breathing should be done so that only the hands were raised: exhale - the hands “left” under the ribs, inhale - the hands “went out” forward.

Full breathing. Having mastered the technique of abdominal breathing, proceed to mastering the complete one. (1) The beginning of the exercise is the same as for abdominal breathing: cleansing exhalation - the anterior abdominal wall descends. (2) Inhalation begins - hands are raised, lying under the ribs; the lower parts of the lungs expand; then, as it were, the middle sections of the chest move apart and together with them the middle sections of the lungs are filled with air (while the stomach - for support - is moderately drawn in); after that, the clavicles and upper ribs rise - ventilated and filled with air at the apex of the lungs.

(3) Exhalation is carried out in the reverse order - the collarbones, ribs, palms, lying under the ribs, go down, the stomach "grows" to the back, the pelvic floor is drawn in. Then a pause follows - it is necessary to "release" the anterior abdominal wall, followed by a pause - a new breath. You need to breathe through your nose.

When inhaling, it is important to strictly observe the specified sequence, gradually and gently lowering the diaphragm. This skill is very useful when pushing, when it will be important not to build up the pressure of the diaphragm too sharply so that the baby's head is not damaged by the pelvic bone.

It is advisable to do exercises for full and abdominal breathing at least 10 times a day, and it would be good to do more (up to 60 times a day!). Having mastered them in full, it is necessary to perform them while walking, that is, go to dynamic breathing exercises.
II group of exercises - increasing the efficiency and economy of breathing

Perhaps someone knows from sports practice that the most effective ratio of the duration of the phases of inhalation and exhalation is 1: 2. Moreover, after exhalation, you can pause so that carbon dioxide "accumulates" in the blood. Carbon dioxide increases the threshold of sensitivity of the receptors of nerve cells and thus relieves excessive excitement. The respiratory rate is different for different people, so it makes sense to independently calculate how many breaths / breaths you take per minute, as well as determine the individual ratio between inhalation / exhalation and heart rate. To do this, put your hand on your pulse and count how many beats of your heart there are inhalation and how many - exhalation. The usual proportion is 1: 1 or 1: 1.5, but this ratio is very uneconomical. Our task is to learn how to control breathing.

I will give a diagram of actions for an abstract woman (you have to exercise based on your own measurements).

Optimization of the inhalation - exhalation ratio. Let's say your initial ratio is 3 heartbeats - inhale, 3 - exhale, 2 - pause. You begin to lengthen the duration of the exhalation to achieve the optimal inhalation / exhalation ratio of 1: 2. 3 blows - inhale, 4 - exhale, 2 - pause; 3 blows - inhale, 5 - exhale, 2 - pause, 3 - inhale, 6 - exhale, 2 - pause. Three to six, as you know, is the desired ratio of 1: 2.

Such breathing should be mastered within 3-7 days so that the ratio of the duration of inhalation and exhalation of 1: 2 becomes familiar and comfortable. Further, it is desirable to perform all physical exercises with "economical" breathing.

Elongation of inhalation and exhalation. You should proceed to this stage after mastering the previous one. Start, for example, with this exercise: 4 heartbeats - inhale, 4 - exhale, 2 - pause. Further, according to the scheme already known to you, bring the inhalation / exhalation ratio to 1: 2: inhalation: exhalation (pause): 4: 4 (2)\u003e 4: 5 (2)\u003e 4: 6 (2)\u003e 4: 7 (2) \u003e 4: 8 (2).

It will take at least a week to master these skills. Do not forget that hyperventilation is possible during breathing exercises. Take your time!

"Aerobatics". It will take another week to master it. Set yourself an arbitrary ratio of the phases of inhalation-exhalation with pauses for 2 counts and try to "breathe" them. For example:

4: 6 (2)\u003e 3: 5 (2)\u003e 8: 3 (2)\u003e 2: 4 (2) etc.

This skill will be very useful in the second stage of labor, when the head begins to erupt and the midwife will say: "breathe", "hold your breath", "push", "do not push". You can easily follow her recommendations, and at the same time your baby will not especially suffer from a lack of oxygen (after all, you trained with him during pregnancy!).
III group of exercises - "rehearsal" of childbirth

Such exercises are described in many books for pregnant women.

The first type of breathing. (It is also often called "slow".) This is already mastered by us economical breathing (the ratio of phases inhalation / exhalation 1: 2). The first type of breath is ideal for the onset of labor, and sometimes it can be breathed throughout labor. Each time at the beginning of a contraction, you need to make a deep cleansing exhalation, then a full inhalation. The same - at the end of the fight. If we depict a contraction in the form of a wave, then the first type of breathing can be represented as follows - see fig. on page 32.

The second type of breathing. With the development of labor, as the intensity of contractions increases, and the intervals between them become less and less, many women in labor find it more and more difficult to breathe the first type of breathing. There is a need to breathe frequently and superficially - "like a dog." This is the second type of breathing. The breathing pattern is as follows: between contractions - the first type, at the beginning of the contraction, a deep cleansing exhalation, then a full inhalation, and then frequent and shallow breathing, the tongue is pressed against the alveoli of the upper teeth. At the end of the contraction, breathing becomes less frequent - a cleansing exhalation - a deep full breath - and again breathing of the first type. Intense contractions last up to 40 seconds on average, so it makes sense to perform this exercise for 20-30 seconds (to avoid hyperventilation).

The third type of breathing. This type of breathing is not found in everyday life. It was specially invented to make it easier for a woman to feel at a time when the head of a child being born goes down, and she cannot push. Of course, you can behave restlessly and scream - this is a really difficult period of childbirth, but think about this: we are screaming as we exhale, the inhalation is shortened, which means that oxygen does not enter the lungs, in the blood, including the placental, it builds up oxygen deficiency. The kid begins to suffer. Therefore, it is better to breathe, distracting yourself from the overly emotional perception of what is happening, especially since the duration of this period is small, from the force of 10-15 minutes, and the contractions last no more than 60 seconds. with a break of 2-3 minutes. How can you breathe to distract yourself? The beginning of the contraction is usual: a cleansing exhalation - a deep full breath; then breathing quickens and becomes shallow; three or four superficial inhalations must be completed with an intense exhalation or blow sharply through lips extended into a tube. It is very important to count: one, two, three, exhalation; one, two, three, exhale. If you follow this carefully, then there is simply no time to shout. If you are giving birth with your husband or mother, then they can take over the account - see fig. on page 33.

Well, if you still could not resist and shouted - it's okay: "breathe out" the fight as best you can, at the end take a deep cleansing exhale, then a deep cleansing breath, and breathe evenly and calmly with the first type of breath outside the bout, gather your strength and don't get screaming at the next one. Remember that this is a very short period of labor!

Do not forget: during daily training in this way, you need to breathe for 20-30 seconds once.

The fourth type of breathing. Finally, the baby's head passed the lower uterine segment and sank to the pelvic floor. At this moment, you will be seized by one and only desire - to push. During the attempts, we will use the fourth type of breathing. Attempt is hard physical labor. The skills of physical and respiratory training will be very useful here.

The pushing lasts about a minute. With the onset of the pushing, it is necessary to breathe as usual in a fight: take a deep breath - exhale completely and push, push, push. It is necessary to push with a full breath, with the diaphragm and the entire volume of air in the lungs pressing on the uterus. Feeling that there is not enough breathing, you need to exhale with the upper and middle parts of the lungs, without "throwing" the diaphragm (remember the static exercises for full breathing), and then inhale again - and push, push, push. After the push - a full breath and calm, even breathing of the first type with complete relaxation. This way you can quickly regain strength for the next push - see fig. on page 34.

Of course, in training, this exercise should not be done at full strength. But it is very important to thoroughly feel all the stages of forced breathing. If you train this skill every day, then over time, a kind of automatism will appear, and you will be able to breathe as it should during childbirth without hesitation. Having mastered all breathing exercises, it is extremely useful to “play” childbirth every day for 5 minutes in the classroom or with someone from your family. The developed automatism will turn on in childbirth, even if it will be difficult for you to fully control yourself.

Perhaps, after reading this article, you will feel a little uneasy: so much work, such complex exercises - how can you master all this in 10-20 minutes of daily breathing exercises ?! It is best to have a lesson plan for a few weeks.

For example:
I week - mastering abdominal breathing and the first stage of controlled breathing (economical breathing);
II week - abdominal breathing and mastering full breathing; second stage of controlled breathing;
III week - abdominal and full breathing; "Aerobatics" of controlled breathing;
IV week - the same as in III week, + type II breathing - and so on.

At each lesson it is necessary to "breathe" II, III, and IV type of breathing at least once. Do not forget, having mastered all types and types of breathing, include a five-minute "rehearsal" of childbirth in your daily complex.

Good luck, health and happiness to you and your baby! Let light breath accompany you all your life! \\

Respiratory gymnastics is based on the postulates of yoga teaching about breathing - pranayama, which in Sanskrit means “control vital energy". In the language of the science of physiology, this means: control of the processes of tension - relaxation and blood circulation.

Respiratory gymnastics for pregnant women leads to relaxation of the uterus and, as a consequence, an improvement in uterine-fetal blood circulation, and is also one of the methods of psychophysiological preparation for childbirth, along with such as autogenic training, visualization, psychological gymnastics for the face, fitness yoga for pregnant women. It is important as a way of correcting the well-being of pregnant women and the process of childbirth itself.

What are the main possibilities of the impact of breathing exercises on the body of pregnant women?

During pregnancy:

As fetal growth progresses, pregnant women have an increased need for oxygen and nutrients to access the uterus, placenta and the baby itself. This need can be met by using the capabilities of diaphragmatic (abdominal) breathing (see below).

Enhanced blood circulation occurs not only in the uterus, but also in all internal organs, in particular in the intestines. As a result of this practice of breathing exercises, intestinal peristalsis (activity) is normalized, which is extremely important for the body of pregnant women.

Respiratory gymnastics leads to an increase in the volume of the lungs, improves the drainage functions of the airways.

In pregnant women who practice breathing exercises, relaxation of the uterus and other muscles of the body occurs, as well as mental relief.

Mastering the skills of breathing exercises is important for their subsequent use in childbirth. The experience gained in training ("learning" the body) will help in real life situations.

In childbirth:

Using acquired skills breathing exercises for pregnant women during childbirth itself allows:

Achieve body relaxation and allows the process of childbirth, this alternation of tension and relaxation of the uterus, to proceed without additional tension from other muscles.

- muscle relaxation leads to an improvement in blood circulation in the uterine muscle, and as a result, a decrease in oxygen starvation in the mother-fetus circulatory system, which inevitably occurs during each contraction in childbirth due to a decrease in the diameter of the vessels by the muscles compressing them.

This is detected by the change in the baby's heart rate. During the contraction, it increases. This process is inevitable, the child adapts to it, if the permissible limits of hypoxia are not exceeded. Breathing is one of effective ways reduction of hypoxia - oxygen deficiency. If you can relax all the muscles when the uterus contracts, the contractions will become more effective and less painful.

- Improving blood circulation in the uterus leads to a decrease in the feeling of tension, distention and a decrease in the painfulness of contractions in pregnant women.

This is especially important for the active phase of the labor process (approximately, the middle of labor), when the sensations become most intense. Thus, the very correct breathing of pregnant women is a way of self-pain relief during childbirth.

- concentration of attention on breathing distracts from painful sensations and facilitates the experience of contractions, a feeling of control over the process appears.

In the second stage of labor, the respiratory gymnastics, mastered in the classroom, allows pregnant women to correctly distribute efforts during attempts.

- the ability to breathe correctly in the way necessary for the second stage of labor will help prevent injury to the perineum. Breathing helps to relieve tension in the perineum and prevent damage to its integrity.

Let's get acquainted with the main types of breathing used in such gymnastics:

1. Abdominal breathing, or abdominal breathing. The initial position (I. p.) Of pregnant women is lying on the back (if there is no inferior vena cava syndrome) or half sitting.

To master it, put your hand on your stomach and, while inhaling, fill your stomach with air, at the same time pushing your hand away from you with the press. As you exhale, bring the front abdominal wall closer to you, as if pulling it in as much as possible. The anterior abdominal wall works, the chest remains motionless and relaxed. There is a kind of "stroking" of the uterus, as in pneumomassage. When doing breathing exercises for pregnant women, choose for yourself the rhythm, pace and depth that are most pleasant for you right now. After a while, there is a feeling of warmth inside the abdomen. This means that the vessels relaxed and the blood circulation increased. The rush of blood gives a characteristic sensation of warmth - by analogy with reddened cheeks or ears (they say: "the cheeks are burning"). At the same time, the baby's movement changes - its activity increases.

This exercise in gymnastics is indicated for pregnant women with the threat of miscarriage, along with medication and psychotherapy, as well as for women in labor in the first stage of labor, when the tension of the uterus is not yet so strong and prolonged. This slow and deep breathing (similar to calm breathing in a dream) should be devoted 5-10 minutes every morning and every evening.

Breathing in the abdomen with prolonged exhalation and pauses. After mastering abdominal breathing, you can complicate the task by monitoring-monitoring inhalation and exhalation and their regulation for a certain number of accounts. The secret of this breathing exercise is the ability to control inhalation and exhalation. The exercises can be performed both at rest and while walking. This breathing exercises for pregnant women allows you to change the redox processes in the body of the mother and the fetus by changing the time of inhalation and exhalation. The goal is to learn how to regulate the duration of inhalation-exhalation and pause after exhalation during childbirth.

Such breathing exercises are useful for intense contractions of the first stage of labor and attempts of the second stage. Practice: 1 minute with a break of 2 minutes 3-5 times a day, starting from the 20th week of pregnancy.

4. Breathing "blowing out the candle" is similar to the previous one. The difference between this breathing exercise and the previous one is in exhalation. It is produced through lips extended into a tube, and therefore is longer than inhalation.

5. Breathing "sobbing".

A modification of active breathing is breathing "sobbing" with a double step inhalation and a single, prolonged passive exhalation.

Breathing exercises for pregnant women "blowing out the candle and sobbing" should be practiced for 2-3 minutes after a pause of 2-3 minutes from the 20th week of pregnancy. In childbirth, it is applicable in the intensive phase of the first and second stages of labor.

6. Another type of breathing exercises for pregnant women is vibration breathing exercises with voice guidance.

I. p. pregnant women - sitting, with a slight tilt of the body forward with the rest of the hands on the knees. You can rhythmically swing your body back and forth.

The well-known mantra "O-mm-mm-m" is sung in a low hum with a closed mouth as you exhale. The sound is pronounced for an extremely long time, until a complete exhalation. Concentration of sound behind the sternum, not in the sinuses. During the performance of this type of gymnastics (if performed correctly), a slight vibration of the whole body is felt, which leads to relaxation.

Practice at any stage of pregnancy and during childbirth as a dynamic meditation.

The above breathing exercises for pregnant women are best performed in combination with other relaxation techniques. However, proper breathing is effective in and of itself and not only for pregnant women.

Video. correct breathing during childbirth

At the beginning of the second stage of labor, with the full opening of the cervix, the head of the fetus, due to uterine contractions, begins to move downward, squeezing the walls of the rectum. In response to irritation of the rectal receptors, the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall and diaphragm contract reflexively: this is how attempts begin. The head of the fetus presses on the pelvic floor and on the woman's rectum, causing her to want to empty the intestines - the urge to defecate. This is the push.

When can you push?

Before you start pushing, you need to call a doctor to determine where the baby's head is. It is necessary to push only if it has passed almost the entire birth canal and is already on the pelvic floor. Premature attempts lead to a rapid depletion of the woman's strength, weakness of attempts, impaired uteroplacental circulation and a lack of oxygen for the baby.

In all women, the desire to push arises in different time... If it appears when the head is already low enough, but the cervix has not yet fully opened, then, pushing the head by force of attempts, the woman in labor can provoke a rupture of the cervix. To restrain premature attempts, a woman in labor is recommended to use a special breathing pattern.

How to breathe during childbirth

1. Take a full deep breath.
2. Hold your breath, as if swallowing air, tighten the abdominal muscles (the muscles of the thighs, buttocks and face are completely relaxed). Gently increase the bottom pressure. Tighten your abdominal muscles more and more, helping the baby move through the birth canal.
3. Exhale smoothly.
4. Further, when you feel that there is not enough breath, exhale smoothly - but in no case “jerk”. During a sudden exhalation, intra-abdominal pressure decreases rapidly and the baby's head also quickly goes back, which can lead to traumatic brain injury. After that, immediately, without relaxation and rest, take a breath - and push.

Repeat all these actions three times during a full effort.

After pushing, take a full breath and restore calm, even breathing with complete relaxation. This will help you recover faster for the next push.

Attention! At the time of removing the head, the midwife will ask you not to push - breathe with a dog.

How to push correctly during childbirth?

While pushing, press your chin tightly to your chest, grab your knees with your hands, spread them apart and pull them to the armpit. The force of pushing should be directed to the point of maximum pain. Increased pain after pushing suggests that you are doing everything right and the child is moving along the birth canal.

How long does the pushing last?

In primiparas this period lasts on average 2 hours, in multiparous - 1 hour. Various factors can influence its duration. So, the use of one of the methods of pain relief - epidural analgesia - leads to an extension of the second stage of labor, on average, up to 3 hours in primiparous women and up to 2 hours in multiparous women. A large fetus, a narrowed pelvis, weak labor, hyperextension of the anterior abdominal wall can also increase this stage of labor. Conversely, in women with well-developed abdominal muscles, the duration of the expulsion period is shortened.

How to avoid tearing during childbirth?

Protection of the perineum begins from the moment the head erupts, i.e. from the time when the child's head does not go back between attempts. The midwife, with three fingers of her right hand, prevents the head from moving quickly during the push, which gradually stretches the skin of the perineum and prevents tears. Normally, the head of the fetus passes through all the birth canal with its smallest diameter - in a bent state (the chin is pressed against the breast). To prevent tears, the midwife grasps the baby's head with two fingers of her left hand and monitors its correct movement.

The occipital region of the head is cut first, then the crown, then the head is extended and the face is born. From the moment when the head of the fetus begins to unbend, until the full birth of the face, the woman in labor is prohibited from pushing. It should be remembered that the integrity of the perineum depends not only on the actions of doctors, but also on the behavior of the woman herself during childbirth. Breathing through the mouth "doggy" can significantly weaken the attempts. The born head is turned face back in 96% of cases; then the baby's face turns to the mother's right or left thigh. Simultaneously with the external rotation of the head, an internal rotation of the shoulders occurs, then the anterior shoulder (located at the pubic articulation) and - the posterior shoulder (located at the sacrum) are born. The further birth of the child's torso and legs occurs without difficulty.

Correct breathing during labor can work a real miracle!

The cervix will open much faster, and the baby will not suffer from the lack of oxygen, and most importantly, the attempts will be stronger.

How to breathe correctly during childbirth: why it is important

Why do you need to control your breathing at the time of contractions? Why is a slow exhalation calming while a deep breath intensifies the pushing?

The uterus is a fairly powerful muscle. At the time of labor, its contraction contributes to the opening of the cervix, the channel through which the baby will pass expands.

When a woman in labor begins to scream, she tenses a lot, as a result of this, the muscles of the perineum contract. The pain intensifies greatly, and tears form on the neck, which will only increase during the period of the child's passage.

With proper breathing, your muscles will relax. The cervix will be able to stretch easily and painlessly.

But even if the breathing is correct, it will certainly not be possible to completely get rid of the pain. But still, if you control this process, then pain may not be as strong.

After the onset of attempts, the pain will begin to recede, and the woman in labor will want to relax. But it will no longer be enough to use only the forces of the uterus. We'll have to resort to using the abdominals and diaphragm. If you hold your breath after a powerful breath, the pressure on the fetus will increase, and the process of its birth will accelerate.

How to breathe correctly during childbirth: phases of childbirth and their features

At each stage of labor, there should be a certain type of breathing - after all, the breathing that was at the beginning of the contractions is unlikely to help you when the contractions increase. There are several phases of childbirth, each of which has its own characteristics.

The first phase is latent

The first contractions, as a rule, are very light - many do not even notice them, and if they pay attention, they continue to do something. During this period, you can not pay attention to breathing.

But a little later, when the cervix begins to open, the contractions will be felt - from this moment you need to apply anesthetic breathing. The pains recur at different intervals.

Doctors conventionally call breathing at this moment - swinging on the waves. If you feel that a contraction is approaching, take a deep breath with your nose, and then exhale for a long time, but with your lips. Thanks to this, the body will be able to saturate with oxygen, and the woman in labor can feel a tingling sensation in her fingertips. Don't be intimidated, as this is normal.

The second phase is active

In the active phase, the contractions will begin to be felt more often, the pressure on the bottom will increase - all because the cervix opens, and the baby's head begins to sink to the bottom. The previous type of breathing, unfortunately, will not help anymore - rapid breathing will come to the aid of the mother at the very peak of the contractions. When the contraction has just begun, breathe in the same way as in the first phase, after it reaches its peak - start using a short breath, otherwise "like a dog", opening your mouth. At the end of the fight, you need to return to deep and slow breathing again.

At this stage, the role of the husband is important, he can massage your stomach and lower back, and in the intervals when there are no contractions, he will distract you. There is no need to expect new pain and pinch, this will negatively affect both the baby and you.

It is very important to take the correct posture. For example, place your hands on something and lean forward slightly, or get on all fours. The abdominal muscles will be able to unload, and the pain will recede slightly.

Most doctors are convinced that you shouldn't scream during contractions. At the moment of screaming, breathing is likely to go astray. But it also happens that crying makes many women in childbirth a little easier, in this case one can recall the saying: "if you can't, but you really want to, then you can." Therefore, if you want, shout, but correctly - take a deep breath, and shout as you exhale.

The third phase is transitional

The transitional phase occurs before the attempts, the head has already dropped down by this moment, but the neck is not yet fully open. It is at this moment that the contractions are strong and painful, I really want to push, but this cannot be done - the vagina or uterus may rupture.

What should be done in this case? It is important that breathing is frequent and shallow, the mouth is open, there is no need to stick out your tongue, as you may want water, but you cannot drink. This will direct all your strength to your abdominal muscles. Be sure to change your position - get on all fours, and slightly lift your pelvis up. You may feel that the transition phase can be accelerated, sit on all fours and spread your knees wide.

Fourth phase - expulsion of the fetus

The pain will go away completely, but it depends on you how soon the baby will be born, so you will have to make every effort. A common mistake most women make is that all efforts are directed to the eyes and head, but not to the perineum. From such actions, the baby will not be able to be born, and the vessels will burst in the eyes.

It's important to push right. Before the approaching fight, you need to take in a lot of air, press your chin tightly to your chest, try to grab your knees with your hands - while trying to exhale the air to the end. In one fight, you need to do this action three times.

As soon as the head appears, you need to switch to shallow breathing and in no case push. The doctor will turn the baby so that on the next attempt he can be born.

After a while, the afterbirth will be born - for this you have to push a little.

As you can see, you can make the process of childbirth a little easier - you only need to breathe correctly, and also remember that nature knows everything itself, and you should not resist it. Just relax and listen to your body and sensations.

How to breathe correctly during childbirth: is it necessary to exercise

In order to breathe correctly at the time of childbirth, you need to train in advance every day, it is quite enough to devote 15 minutes a day to this lesson. Oxygen gymnastics can be done both separately and combined with physical exercises.

Remember that harsh breathing can provoke dizziness; you should not panic. Just cover your nose and mouth so that a mask is formed. After that, you need to inhale and exhale several times and everything will return to normal.

During childbirth, voluntary breathing can also aggravate everything, as well as prolong labor activity. Try to control the inhalation and exhalation, be sure to count and not be distracted by extraneous matters. In order to learn correct breathing, you can sign up for courses for expectant mothers, they will tell in detail about how to behave during childbirth, how to breathe or not breathe.

How to breathe correctly during childbirth: step by step instructions

Many pregnant women are afraid of the coming birth. But painless childbirth, as you know, does not exist. However, you can make them lighter and faster. If you learn to breathe correctly during childbirth, the appearance of a long-awaited baby will not be so painful.

At first, the woman in labor will feel a pulsation in the lower abdomen, this is the beginning of the contractions. It is very important to relax and try to gain strength. In order to distract from anxiety, you need to concentrate all your attention on breathing, you need to breathe deeply and slowly. You can count on inhalation to 5 and on exhalation in reverse order. Moreover, you need to exhale a little more slowly than inhale.

When the neck has opened 4-5 centimeters, the contractions will become more frequent and longer. The interval between their contractions will be about 5 minutes, and the contractions themselves will last about 20 seconds.

During this period, a woman will not be able to do any business and focus on something. But you need to try to distract yourself as much as possible. Deep, slow breathing may no longer help, you need to move on to the next technique.

Breathe like a dog - shallowly inhale and exhale.

After the uterus has fully opened, amniotic fluid came out, the baby will begin to move along the birth canal. The woman in labor will have a strong desire to strain, make attempts and push the baby out. But this cannot be done, because you need the baby to go through all the birth canal, and you only need to push him at the end. The midwife will definitely tell you how to behave correctly. It is imperative to listen to her advice and follow them. If the time has not yet come, but you really want to do it, apply the dog-like breathing technique. This method will allow you to endure. After the time to push comes, you need to do the following:

1. Take a very deep breath.

2. Hold your breath and start pushing.

3. Be sure to push down, try to press the air flow on your stomach. Attempts are somewhat reminiscent of pushing out at the time of constipation. Therefore, many midwives say that the baby should not be given birth, but, as it were, “popped out”.

4. In no case should you strain and start pushing your face. The entire effect of such actions will be zero.

5. After a strong straining exhale slowly, the body will thus be able to relax before the next attempts.

After the head appears, the attempts stop. The second time you will have to push when the midwife asks, this happens at the moment the hangers come out. If you listen carefully to the doctor and do everything right, the birth of the head occurs in just a few attempts.

The birth of a baby is a tremulous and wonderful moment in the life of any man and woman. Nature took care of future motherhood in advance, creating a woman's body and preparing it for the opportunity to give birth. It only takes a little help from you to give birth to a little man.

Do gymnastics, learn to breathe correctly, exercise and communicate with your unborn child. This is the only way your childbirth will be quick and easy!

Experiencing increasing pain during labor future mom she is nervous, her pulse quickens, her breathing becomes confused, the woman no longer controls the situation and cannot relieve her condition - this intensifies the pain, and the opening of the cervix is \u200b\u200binhibited. But if you normalize breathing during labor and childbirth, the situation will change. The easiest way to see how breathing should and should not be during childbirth is by video. There are now many educational lessons on the web for preparing for childbirth. Breathing in the video is shown for both the period of contractions and the period of attempts.

Proper breathing during childbirth provides:

• acceleration of labor. A woman who breathes correctly does not get hung up on pain, but controls the alternation of inhalation and exhalation, due to which the cervix opens faster;
• relaxation of muscles. Measured breathing helps to relax the muscles, which means it facilitates labor;
• reducing pain. If the muscles are "squeezed into a ball," the pain increases with each contraction of the uterus. With relaxed muscles, pain sensations decrease;
• saturation of the body with oxygen. Correct breathing allows you to actively supply oxygen to all muscles that are experiencing increased stress during childbirth, as well as the baby itself.

Breathing technique during childbirth

Breathing is an unconditioned reflex, and normally each of us breathes without thinking about it. But during childbirth, due to severe pain and muscle tension, a woman often "forgets" to breathe in deeply and exhale slowly.

The technique of correct breathing during childbirth is to control inhalation and exhalation. At different stages of childbirth, a woman should breathe in different ways, but always - controlling the number and duration of inhalation and exhalation.

The breathing technique during childbirth is based on the fact that the diaphragm helps breathing, rather than complicating the process. There are different breathing techniques during childbirth, videos and descriptions of these techniques will allow a pregnant woman to prepare for the process of childbirth, train in advance the skills of correct breathing and bring them to automatism. After all, if a woman has begun childbirth, breathing and behavior, the video of which she watched, she will need to automatically repeat.

Breathing during childbirth: contractions

If the contractions are already regular and the pain intensifies, the most important thing is not to strain or scream, this interferes with the opening of the cervix. When labor is in progress, the breathing and behavior of the woman in labor helps the baby move along the birth canal and allows the delivery process to pass as quickly as possible and without external stimulation. No matter how much you would like to curl up in a ball on the bed and moan, you need to get up and try to move and breathe correctly - you will see, it will become much easier to endure contractions this way.

In preparation for childbirth, breathing should be measured. While the contractions are not yet so strong, it is necessary to inhale air slowly (in four counts) and exhale even more slowly (to six counts). Breathing, in which the inhalation is longer than the exhalation, allows you to calm down and relax.

When the contractions become intense, it is no longer possible to breathe so measuredly. In this case, it is necessary to use dog-like breathing. During childbirth, this technique allows you to endure the strongest contractions without unnecessary stress. Dog breathing is frequent, shallow breathing with an open mouth. You need to start breathing like a dog when the fight is just beginning. The more intense the contraction, the more often you need to breathe. At the end of the contraction, when the pain recedes, it is necessary to take a deep breath and a smooth long exhalation. To learn how to breathe during childbirth, video lessons and breathing techniques must be studied in advance and repeatedly practiced in their application at home.

Breathing during labor: pushing

Breathing and behavior of a woman in labor during attempts are usually controlled by a midwife: she tells you when and how to push, and when you need to "breathe" the push. If we talk about general principles, then breathing during an attempt is as follows: a deep breath in through the nose and exhale through the mouth, sharp, aimed at the uterus and pushing the child, and not in the head.

If you're going into labor, the correct breathing video you watched during pregnancy should pop up in front of your eyes. With the beginning of the contraction, relax as much as possible, take a deep breath and exhale slowly, if necessary, breathe with a dog. Rehearse proper breathing in advance - this will greatly facilitate the process of childbirth.