Breathing Techniques

Cleansing Breath (Long, Deep Breath)

  • 6-9 breaths per minute (in through the nose, out through the mouth)
Short, Shallow breaths
  • Start & end with a cleansing breath
  • Ah hee, Ahe hee, Ah hee, I can do it or Ah hee, Ahe hee, Ah hee, Release, or Ah hee, Ahe hee, Ah hee, Open (any productive phrase)
  • Faster, more shallow breathing
Modified paced breathing (Pant, blow breathing)
  • Start and end with a cleansing breath
  • Ah hee, Ahe hee, Ah hee, Ah woo…
  • 1-5 Ah hee’s followed by 1 Ah woo…
  • Make up your own patterns
  • Partner’s use fingers to count Ah hee’s and clos fist for Ah woo…




 

Relaxation Techniques

Muscle Relaxation

  • Contract-relax exercise.  (you won’t do the contracting portion during labor your body will do this naturally) This exercise will help you to understand the feeling of relaxing your muscles
  • Touch-relax exercise. This is a method you can use during labor.  Partner gently touches or brushes a tense muscle and you respond by relaxing the muscle.

Distraction

  • Nursery Rhymes-Recite nursery rhymes that you are planning to sing to the baby, during your contractions
  • Massage-massage hands and/or feet only during late labor.  During earlier stages she may be comfortable with other forms of massage.  For back pain apply pressure, use a rolling pin or sock & ball
  • Shower/tub (if available)
  • Pictionary
  • Focal Point/Visualization

Visualize baby dropping & cervix opening


Imagery (favorite vacation spot, quiet spot under a tree, etc)

  • Visual imagery demonstration

Personal Items (Focal Points)

  • Sonogram
  • Baby’s belongings

 
 
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