At what point should one breathe in labor? | Inhale contractions

At what point should one breathe in labor?

Contractions occur not only at birth, but also from the 20th week of pregnancy onwards. Such sporadically occurring contractions are also called pregnancy contractions. They are of short duration.

It is usually not necessary to breathe in these contractions, as they end after a very short time. About three to four weeks before birth, however, more regular contractions occur, which are called sink contractions. They are uncoordinated and are intended to position the baby correctly.

Here it can already help to accompany the contractions with regular breathing. This is also a good preparation for the actual birth. About three to four days before the birth, the so-called preliminary contractions occur, which are very intense and occur every five to ten minutes just before the opening phase. At this point, regular and deep breathing of the opening phase should already be applied. This topic might interest you: Exercising contractions or premature labor

What is meant by panting?

The panting is a shallow and fast breathing. This breathing was sometimes recommended by various midwives for the expulsion phase of the birth, as it was hoped that this would speed up the birth. Nowadays, however, this type of breathing is no longer recommended because it has many disadvantages.

On the one hand, it makes the mother feel hectic and can lead to cramping during the birth and on the other hand it favors hyperventilation. The result is a lack of oxygen and dizziness, even unconsciousness. Therefore, panting during birth should not be done under any circumstances.