How to breathe well during pregnancy and during childbirth?

Some birth preparation exercises to do at home

The preparation for childbirth often takes place in a room with other mothers. But you can also perform a few exercises at home.

The preparation for childbirth often takes place in a room with other mothers. But you can also perform a few exercises at home. Here are ideas to get you ready for The Day!

Before practicing any exercise, seek the advice of your doctor.

Childbirth preparation exercise: breathing

What's important on The Day is breathing. It is therefore an integral part of the preparation for childbirth. From the 4th month of pregnancy, you can already start working on your breathing. In addition to relaxing, it will help you to manage the contractions during the work and the exit of the baby.

First, be aware of your breathing. You do it naturally every day, so take a moment to observe what's going on. Sitting or lying down, put one hand on the chest, one hand on the stomach. Inhale. Feel what's going on. Exhale. Idem.

You observe that your rib cage is filled with air and that the pressure drops as soon as you exhale.

Prepare for delivery with deep breathing, for your first contractions

Here is a type of breathing exercise that will help you right from the beginning of your contractions.

Inhale slowly and for a long time through the nose, inflating your belly then your chest. Exhale the air gently deflating first the belly and then the chest. Think of "send the expire in the lower back" to relax. Repeat this exercise several times.

Do not forget to do it while walking. On The Day, you will have the opportunity to move to relieve the pain of contractions.

Blocked breathing for thrust (from the 9th month)

There is no exercise to facilitate the birth proper. But breathing is important. You will probably learn it during childbirth classes. This is to breathe well to help the push and therefore the exit of the baby. Inhale thoroughly, block your breath for a few seconds, push in thinking to dig your abdominals and bring them down; exhale.

Do not train until the 9th month for this breath.

Muscle your perineum

To visualize your perineum, imagine that you want to pee or go to the saddle and that you hold back. This is the picture that will most likely be used during your childbirth training classes. The set of muscles that you contract at that moment forms the perineum. It will be heavily solicited the day of delivery, so you must improve its elasticity and strengthen it.

Sitting legs slightly apart or lying on the back, contract the perineum. Hold 5 seconds, release 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise a dozen times.

You can also massage your perineum to prepare it with a specific oil. Ask your midwife or doctor for advice.

 Relieve your back with the back of a dog and the back of a cat

The Day, you will probably have pain in the lower back, at the lumbar level. To prevent them to the maximum and relieve today the tensions which you have, here is a small exercise.

Get on all fours, arms outstretched, hands on the ground. Spread your legs the width of your pelvis. Inhale while raising your head and digging your back (dog's back)

Exhale while wrapping the head and doing the round back (cat back). Inhale again by lifting your head ... Do this series several times.