Breathing exercises during pregnancy are perhaps one of your top tools to combat the stress and anxiety triggered during pregnancy. The hormones of pregnancy are known to cause emotional ups and downs. You may have been feeling weepy, tired, and anxious about things to come. Just a deep breath in and a deep breath out might get you started on the path to relaxation, easing the pregnancy stress.
Researchers [1] have found further evidence that exercise during pregnancy is good not only for mothers but also for their offspring.
How do breathing exercise help?
When we breathe in, we inhale oxygen, which our body needs to function. When we breathe out, we exhale carbon dioxide, a waste gas that our body doesn’t need. Most of us take quick, shallow breaths, which don’t benefit our body as much as deeper breaths.
When you learn deep breathing techniques, you learn to breathe well, with an equal balance of nourishing oxygen inhaled and toxic carbon dioxide exhaled. This helps you to take good care of yourself and your baby.
Experts believe that deep breathing has many benefits for pregnant women, including the following:
- Improves the circulation of blood, which is good for you and your growing baby.
- Boosts the flow of oxygen that is supplied to your body and your baby.
- Helps your body to remove waste effectively.
- Relaxes you and helps to reduce stress.
When to start breathing exercises during pregnancy?
Remember to discuss any new exercises or routines with your obstetrician and/or prenatal therapist. When commencing your home exercises, follow the prenatal program that is designed for you, and remember to enjoy it! After all, anything that brings you peace, tranquility, and a chance to catch your breath will be beneficial for you and your blossoming baby.
Breathing for Beginners: Guided imagery
Guided imagery is often used as a tool for beginners to get them started with deep breathing very effectively. You begin with closing your eyes and imagining yourself in a positive place. It can be done with words from another person or with music. You can also imagine this positive place in silence. The relaxing effect of guided imagery is often a sense of calm and peacefulness.
- Sit comfortably in a chair (or a firm but comfortable surface) and close your eyes.
- Focus on your breathing, feeling your chest rise and fall with each breath in and out.
- Imagine your favorite place. Pay attention to the sounds, colors, scents and textures.
- Take some time to enjoy the calmness in this place and enjoy your sense of peace and comfort.
- Finish with several deep breaths. Keep your breaths slow and easy. Let your breathing settle to a depth and rate that is smooth and comfortable.
Are Breathing exercise safe to do during pregnancy?
Certain Pranayama (breathing exercises) must not be done during pregnancy.
Don’t take deep, quick, forceful breaths when you’re pregnant. Techniques such as bellow’s breath (bhastrika) and cleaning breath (kapalabhati) are not recommended in pregnancy.
In general, it is best to follow the instructions of a qualified prenatal therapist, rather than taking guidance from a DVD or online tutorial. Your therapist will show you the safest styles of breathing for pregnancy, as well as the best posture to adopt, depending on your bump size.
Ways to ease stress and anxiety during pregnancy
Apart from meditation / deep breathing, moving your body is one of the most recommended ways to manage stress.
You could include the following activities to decrease stress:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Prenatal exercises (that include deep breathing)
Breathing exercises during early pregnancy, first trimester
In the first few weeks of pregnancy, there is an increase in the hormone progesterone that causes you to breathe more often. This may feel like shortness of breath. This hormone expands your lung capacity, allowing your blood to carry large quantities of oxygen to your baby. Your doctor / therapist may or may not advise you breathing exercises at this stage, depending upon the assessment of your overall physical condition.
Breathing exercises during pregnancy, third trimester
Especially in the last trimester of pregnancy, your growing baby pushes your uterus against your diaphragm. The diaphragm is moved up about few centimeters from its pre-pregnancy position which compresses your lungs. At the same time that your lung capacity decreases due to the physical constraint of a growing uterus, the respiratory center in the brain is stimulated by the hormone progesterone which is released during pregnancy, to get you to take slower breaths. Although each breath may bring in less air, the air stays in the lungs longer so you extract the oxygen you and your baby need.
In such a case, specialised breathing exercises can help you breathe better as well as help you cope with shortness of breath common in late pregnancy. A good prenatal program will usually get you started with breathing exercises early on, so that you are well practiced with deep breathing by the time you actually reach the stage of breathlessness.
References: [1] https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210906/Researchers-find-evidence-that-exercise-during-pregnancy-benefits-mothers-and-their-offspring.aspx The Effect of Breathing Exercises on Breathing Pattern of Pregnant Women; Raziyeh Haddadi, Majid Ravanbakhsh, Najmiyeh Sa’adati, Masumeh Mohammadi, Moslem Nargesi; 2014; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278083928_The_Effect_of_Breathing_Exercises_on_Breathing_Pattern_of_Pregnant_Women/
